We developed a rotary valve for a pulse detonation engine (PDE), and confirmed its basic characteristics and performance. In a square cross-section combustor, we visualized a multi-shot of a pulse detonation rocket engine (PDRE) cycle at an operation frequency of 160 Hz by using a high-speed camera (time resolution: 3.33 μsec, space resolution: 0.4 mm) and a Schlieren method.The propellant filling process and the purge process were confirmed, and each process was modeled.Moreover, we confirmed the processes of detonation wave generation and burned gas blowdown. In addition, we investigated the impact of shortening the passage width of a combustor and negative-time ignition (ignition time is earlier than the end-time of the propellant filling process) on the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) distance and time. The DDT distance did not depend on the passage width of a combustor and decreased under the negative-time ignition condition. With a passage width of 20 mm, the DDT distance decreased by 22% under the negative-time ignition condition to a minimum value (76 ± 8 mm). The DDT time from spark time reached a minimum value (69 ± 14 μsec) under the condition of a passage width of 10 mm and negative-time ignition.The detonation initiation time and the DDT distance were represented by the time until the flame expanded toward the tube-axis one-dimensionally from ignition (characteristic time). We also carried out thrust measurement using a PDRE system composed of a circular cross-section combustor and the newly developed valve. We obtained a stable time-averaged thrust in a wide range of operation frequency (40 Hz -160 Hz) and confirmed the increase of specific impulse due to a partial-fill effect.

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We developed a novel coaxial rotary valve for a multi-tube PDE. Since this single valve can supply three different gases (fuel, oxidizer and purge gas) into a combustor, the unification of the valve systems for three different gases is possible by using our newly designed valve. A PDRE system can be simple and lightweight by using this valve, and thus its thrust-weight ratio can be increased. We proposed the design of a multi-tube rotary-valved PDRE system by this rotary valve. Moreover, in preparation for a multi-tube rotary-valved PDRE, we carried out the multi-cycle operation experiment by the single-tube rotary-valved PDRE system. The combustion wave velocity was measured to confirm the operation of the PDRE system. Deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) was confirmed and DDT distance decreased under the condition of high operation frequency. In addition, a maximum operation frequency was 159 Hz.