<div class="description">
<p>Theory predicts ideal pulse detonation technology offers significant fuel efficiency advantages over  ramjet/scramjet architecture within a range from high subsonic to low hypersonic velocities. In practice, Pulse  Detonation Engines (PDE) require implementation of loss-inducing techniques such as turbulence-generation devices  to achieve and sustain detonation events, which effectively narrows the efficiency gap between the two technologies.  Pressure losses associated with such obstacles lower system specific thrust (Isp) and reduce overall system  performance. Although fundamental PDE research has been ongoing at NPS for seven years, no dedicated attempt  has been made to accurately measure the experimental performance. Fuel-based Isp is a function of the ratio of thrust  produced to fuel mass flow rate; thus, accurate computation requires precise knowledge of both thrust and input fuel.  This thesis focused on creating an accurate thrust collection system incorporating an existing, uncalibrated rocket  thrust stand. An in depth, axial component thrust calibration was conducted for the stand itself, then with the engine  mounted in the firing configuration. As expected, harmonic responses of the stand during detonation experimentation  were experienced which required creation and implementation of filtering algorithms to successfully extract useful  thrust values.
</p>
<br>Subjects: Measurement; Algorithms; Speed</div>
<div class="fn value">
Bartosh, Brady J.</div>
Internet Archive identifier