Rotating Detonation Engine

A rotating detonation engine is a propulsion technology based on pressure gain combustion, in which one or more detonation waves travel continuously around an annular channel rather than burning in a single pulse. Fuel and oxidizer are injected into the circular channel, where a detonation wave cycles around continuously and, once ignited, becomes self sustaining as each detonation ignites the next fuel and oxidizer mixture ahead of it. Because the flame front in a detonation expands at supersonic speed, the engine is theoretically up to twenty five percent more efficient than conventional deflagrative combustion, and its lack of moving parts could reduce complexity and free up mass for fuel and payload. The technology still faces real engineering challenges, including combustion instability and significant noise.