Effects of different physical properties of anthracite powder fuel on detonation characteristics of a rotating detonation engine.

This article focuses on experimental investigations of the effects of particle size and morphology of anthracite coal powder on the detonation characteristics and thrust performance of rotating detonation engines (RDEs). Using a disk-shaped rotating detonation combustor, tests were conducted with porous anthracite (PA) powders of 20 nm, 3 μm, and 40 μm sizes and flaky anthracite (FA) powder of 5 μm size, all with carbon content above 90%. Results indicate that PA powders enhance detonation wave height and velocity, with 3-μm PA exhibiting the highest detonation pressure and velocity, while FA powder weakens detonation due to its flat, dense morphology limiting reaction rates. The study also shows that excessive coal powder addition increases heat loss, reducing detonation velocity and specific impulse; notably, the specific impulse of 3-μm PA reached 7.8 kN·s/kg, about 2.7 times higher than that of 5-μm FA. These findings provide theoretical guidance for selecting coal powder fuels to improve the thermal efficiency and propulsion performance of RDEs.