Experimental study on the detonation process of a pulse detonation engine with ionized seeds

An experimental platform of a pulse detonation engine (PDE) was established to study the effect of different K₂CO₃ ionized seed mass contents on the detonation process. The pressure and ion concentration were detected in the detonation process of the PDE with different contents of ionized seeds. The initiation process of the PDE at different ignition frequencies was studied. The results show that the gas conductivity in the detonation process increased by adding ionized seeds to the PDE tube, and the conductivity increased with the increase in ionized seed mass content. With the increase in ionized seed mass content, the range of the conductivity decreased. The PDE was successfully ignited and formed a stable detonation wave at ignition frequencies of 5 Hz and 10 Hz, and the peak pressure of the stable detonation with the ignition frequency of 5 Hz was 17% higher than that with an ignition frequency of 10 Hz. The detonation wave intensity was weakened and degenerated to a shock wave that propagated in the tube without the fuel filled at the ignition frequency of 20 Hz.