Air breathing solid fuel rotating detonation engine

A solid fuel propulsion system comprising:

• a housing including a longitudinal axis and having disposed therein:
• a housing shell extending longitudinally within the housing and spaced apart and coaxial with the housing to define an air duct therebetween at least from a forward end of the housing shell to an aft end of the housing shell, the housing shell configured to receive a solid propellant;
• a gas generator configured to cause combustion of the solid propellant to produce a first gaseous fuel mixture;
• and
• an air inlet in fluid communication with the air duct, the air inlet configured to enable air to flow into the housing to supply air for combustion of the first gaseous fuel mixture;
• a rotation detonation chamber disposed in the housing, the rotation detonation chamber configured to combust the first gaseous fuel mixture and air to generate a rotating detonation wave;
• a nozzle assembly configured to expand and exhaust the flow resulting from the rotating detonation wave to generate thrust;
• wherein the housing and the nozzle assembly both terminate at a free end at a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis.

A method for generating propulsion, the method comprising:

• enabling air to flow into a solid fuel rotation detonation engine (RDE) propulsion system via an inlet thereof, the solid fuel RDE propulsion system having a housing including a longitudinal axis and a housing shell disposed within the housing, the housing shell being a forward extension of a nozzle assembly;
• directing air to flow through an air duct in fluid communication with the inlet towards a rotation detonation chamber of the solid fuel RDE propulsion system, the air duct defined by a gap between the housing and the housing shell;
• enabling a solid fuel to sublimate into a first gaseous fuel mixture and directing the first gaseous fuel mixture to flow to the rotation detonation chamber;
• detonating the first gaseous fuel mixture and air in the rotation detonation chamber to produce a rotating detonation wave;
• and
• exhausting and expanding the rotating detonation wave to generate thrust;
• wherein the solid fuel has a length extending from a first end to a second end, wherein an outer surface of the housing shell partially defines the air duct at a radial height from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the radial height of the housing shell with respect to the longitudinal axis is uniform along at least a majority of the length of the solid fuel with respect to the longitudinal axis.

A method for generating propulsion, the method comprising:

• enabling air to flow into a solid fuel rotation detonation engine (RDE) propulsion system via an inlet thereof, the solid fuel RDE propulsion system having a housing including a longitudinal axis and a housing shell disposed within the housing, the housing shell being a forward extension of a nozzle assembly;
• directing air to flow through an air duct in fluid communication with the inlet towards a rotation detonation chamber of the solid fuel RDE propulsion system, the air duct defined by a gap between the housing and the housing shell;
• enabling a solid fuel to sublimate into a first gaseous fuel mixture and directing the first gaseous fuel mixture to flow to the rotation detonation chamber;
• detonating the first gaseous fuel mixture and air in the rotation detonation chamber to produce a rotating detonation wave;
• and
• exhausting and expanding the rotating detonation wave to generate thrust;
• wherein the housing and the nozzle assembly both terminate at a free end at a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis.