Thermal and thrust management in dynamic pressure exchangers

A dynamic pressure exchanger comprising

• an inlet plate formed to include an inner inlet port that extends circumferentially along a first arc about a central axis of the dynamic pressure exchanger and an outer inlet port that extends along a second arc about the central axis, the outer inlet port circumferentially offset from the inner inlet port, and the outer inlet port spaced radially further from the central axis than the inner inlet port,
• a rotor assembly mounted for rotation relative to the inlet plate about the central axis, the rotor assembly including (i) an inner rotor formed to include a plurality of axially-extending inner combustion cells arranged circumferentially around the central axis to align with the inner inlet port when the rotor assembly rotates about the central axis and (ii) an outer rotor formed to include a plurality of axially-extending outer combustion cells arranged circumferentially around the central axis to align with the outer inlet port when the rotor assembly rotates about the central axis, and
• an outlet plate formed to include an inner outlet port that extends circumferentially along a third arc about the central axis and an outer outlet port that extends circumferentially along a fourth arc of the central axis, the outer outlet port spaced radially further from the central axis than the inner outlet port,
• wherein each inlet port formed in the inlet plate is circumferentially offset from any other inlet port formed in the inlet plate and each outlet port formed in the outlet plate is circumferentially offset from any other outlet port formed in the outlet plate such that each combustion processes of the inner rotor is out of phase circumferentially with each combustion process of the outer rotor to cause each cool inlet zone of the inner rotor to be arranged circumferentially along each hot combustion zone of the outer rotor during operation of the dynamic pressure exchanger.

A method of operating a dynamic pressure exchanger, the method comprising

• rotating a rotor assembly about a central axis of the dynamic pressure exchanger relative to an inlet plate formed to include an inner inlet port and an outer inlet port circumferentially offset from the inner inlet port and spaced radially further from the central axis than the inner inlet port, the rotor assembly including (i) an inner rotor formed to include a plurality of inner combustion cells and (ii) an outer rotor arranged circumferentially around the inner rotor and formed to include a plurality of outer combustion cells,
• conducting a first fuel mixture into the inner combustion cells through the inner inlet port to provide an inner cool inlet zone,
• conducting a second fuel mixture into the outer combustion cells through the outer inlet port to provide an outer cool inlet zone,
• igniting the first fuel mixture in one of the inner combustion cells at a first angular position relative to the central axis to provide an inner hot combustion zone, and
• igniting the second fuel mixture in one of the outer combustion cells at a second angular position offset from the first angular position relative to the central axis to provide an outer hot combustion zone,
• wherein each inlet port is at least partially misaligned circumferentially from any other inlet port such that the inner hot combustion zone is at least partially aligned circumferentially with the outer cool inlet zone and the outer hot combustion zone is at least partially aligned circumferentially with the inner cool inlet zone.