Method and system for rotating detonation combustion

A rotating detonation combustion assembly, the rotating detonation combustion assembly comprising:

• a chamber extended around a centerline axis, wherein the chamber defines a detonation path;
• a predetonation device extended to the chamber in operative communication with a fuel/oxidizer mixture at the chamber, wherein the predetonation device defines a detonation zone at the detonation path at which the predetonation device generates a detonation wave of the fuel/oxidizer mixture at the detonation chamber, and wherein a first portion of the detonation path is defined along a first direction from the detonation zone along which the detonation wave propagates, and further wherein a second portion of the detonation path is defined along a second direction opposite of the first direction between the predetonation device and the first portion of the detonation path;
• and
• a plurality of fuel injectors positioned in adjacent arrangement around a centerline axis, wherein the plurality of fuel injectors is in fluid communication with the detonation path, and further wherein the plurality of fuel injectors comprises:
• a first fuel injector configured to generate a first fuel/oxidizer mixture at the first portion of the detonation path;
• and
• a second fuel injector configured to generate a second fuel/oxidizer mixture at the second portion of the detonation path, wherein the second fuel/oxidizer mixture is different from the first fuel/oxidizer mixture.

A propulsion system for a hypersonic vehicle, the propulsion system comprising:

• a rotating detonation combustion assembly comprising:
• a chamber extended around a centerline axis, wherein the chamber defines a detonation path;
• a predetonation device extended to the chamber, wherein the predetonation device defines a detonation zone at the detonation path at which the predetonation device generates a detonation wave of gases at the chamber, and wherein a first portion of the detonation path is defined along a first direction from the detonation zone along which the detonation wave propagates, and further wherein a second portion of the detonation path is defined along the first direction from the first portion of the detonation path to the predetonation device;
• and
• a plurality of fuel injectors positioned in adjacent arrangement around a centerline axis, wherein the plurality of fuel injectors is in fluid communication with the detonation path, and further wherein the plurality of fuel injectors comprises:
• a first fuel injector configured to generate a first fuel/oxidizer mixture at the first portion of the detonation path;
• and
• a second fuel injector configured to generate a second fuel/oxidizer mixture at the second portion of the detonation path, wherein the second fuel/oxidizer mixture is different from the first fuel/oxidizer mixture;
• and
• a controller configured to execute instructions, the instructions comprising:
• generating, via the first fuel/oxidizer mixture, a first fuel/oxidizer equivalence ratio of detonation gases at the first portion of the detonation path;
• and
• generating, via the second fuel/oxidizer mixture, a second fuel/oxidizer equivalence ratio of detonation gases at the second portion of the detonation path, wherein the second fuel/oxidizer equivalence ratio is different from the first fuel/oxidizer equivalence ratio.