Submit to Aerospace Review for Aerospace Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Advances in Detonative Propulsion (2nd Edition)

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Related Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of Aerospace (ISSN 2226-4310).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2026) | Viewed by 10869

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yunfeng Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Interests: oblique detonation engine; detonative propulsion; supersonic combustion; scramjets; high-enthalpy shock tunnel; high-temperature gas dynamics; hypersonic aerodynamics and aerothermal dynamics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Zhiwu Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Power and Energy, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
Interests: combustion and flow; detonation; two-phase flow; low-carbon fuel; optimization; power and energy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Detonative propulsion represents the new generation of hypersonic propulsion techniques. Research in this field is booming, and many advances have been made globally in recent years. This Special Issue aims to publish these cutting-edge research results to promote the development of detonative propulsion and the cooperation of researchers in this field.

The topics for this Special Issue are broad, including (but not limited to):

Oblique detonation engines;
Rotating detonation engines;
Pulsed detonation engines;
Shock-induced supersonic combustion;
Detonation-assisted scramjets;
Propulsive performance analysis of detonation engines;
The fundamental physics of gaseous detonation and multiphase detonation;
The design of detonation engines;
Other research related to detonative propulsion techniques.

We invite authors to contribute new research results to this Special Issue.

Dr. Yunfeng Liu
Prof. Dr. Zhiwu Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Aerospace is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

oblique detonation engine
rotating detonation engine
pulsed detonation engine
shock-induced supersonic combustion
detonation-assisted scramjets
propulsive performance analysis
gaseous detonation
multiphase detonation

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Advances in Detonative Propulsion in Aerospace (7 articles)

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 6691 KB

Open AccessArticle

Continuous Detonation Combustor Operating on a Methane–Oxygen Mixture: Test Fires, Thrust Performance, and Thermal State

by Sergey M. Frolov, Vladislav S. Ivanov, Yurii V. Kozarenko and Igor O. Shamshin

Aerospace 2026, 13(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13010030 - 28 Dec 2025

Viewed by 597

Abstract

Test fires of a rotating detonation engine (RDE) annular combustor operating on a methane–oxygen mixture were conducted. Compared to the original RDE combustor previously tested, it was modified in terms of changing the layout of the water cooling system, the positions of ports for sensors, and the shape of the supersonic nozzle. The stable operation process with a single detonation wave continuously rotating in the annular gap with the velocity of ~1900 m/s (rotation frequency of ~6 kHz) was obtained in the wide range of flow rates of propellant components. This is an important distinguishing feature of the present RDE combustor compared to the analogs known from the literature, which usually exhibit an increase in the number of simultaneously rotating detonation waves with an increase in the flow rates of propellant components. Compared to the original RDE combustor, the maximum duration of operation and the attained sea-level specific impulse were increased from 1 to 30 s and from 250 to 277 s, respectively. The thermal states of all heat-stressed elements of the combustor were obtained. The maximum heat fluxes are registered in the water cooling jackets of the central body and the combustor outer wall. Heat losses in the water cooling system are shown to increase with the average pressure in the combustor. The maximum value of the average heat flux over 20 MW/m² is achieved on the combustor outer wall. The average heat flux into the combustor outer wall is approximately 20% higher than that into the central body. The average heat flux into the nozzle is several times lower than similar values for the combustor outer wall and central body. The total heat loss into the water-cooled walls of the combustor reach about 10% of the total thermal power of the combustor. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Detonative Propulsion (2nd Edition))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

30 pages, 5354 KB

Open AccessArticle

Convective Flux Analysis on the Instability of One-Dimensional Detonation

by Yunfeng Liu

Aerospace 2025, 12(11), 1024; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12111024 - 19 Nov 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1064

Abstract

One-dimensional numerical simulations using the Euler equations and irreversible one-step Arrhenius kinetics are conducted to study the instability mechanism of a one-dimensional gaseous detonation. By increasing the activation energy, this study identifies the characteristics of stable detonation, periodic detonation, pulsating detonation, and detonation quenching. The key difference between this study and previous research is that it is the first quantitative analysis of convective flux, kinetic energy flux, and chemical reaction heat flux. These three fluxes undergo intensive change on the detonation front and the flow field at each time step depends on the algebraic summation of them. The mechanisms of detonation instability, detonation reignition, and the detonation quenching process can be revealed quantitatively by analyzing these fluxes. The detonation instability is the intrinsic property of the reactive Euler system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Detonative Propulsion (2nd Edition))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 4024 KB

Open AccessArticle

Launch Experiment of Microwave Rocket Equipped with Six-Staged Reed Valve Air-Breathing System

by Kosuke Irie, Ayuto Manabe, Tomonori Nakatani, Tatsuki Kinoshita, Toshinobu Nomura, Matthias Weiand, Kimiya Komurasaki, Takahiro Shinya, Ryosuke Ikeda, Keito Ishita, Taku Nakai, Ken Kajiwara and Yasuhisa Oda

Aerospace 2025, 12(7), 577; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12070577 - 25 Jun 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1310

Abstract

Millimeter-wave-supported detonation (MSD) is a unique detonation phenomenon driven by a supersonically propagating ionization front, sustained by intense millimeter-wave beams. Microwave Rocket, which utilizes MSD to generate thrust from atmospheric air in a pulse detonation engine (PDE) cycle, is a promising low-cost alternative to conventional chemical propulsion systems for space transportation. However, insufficient air intake during repetitive PDE cycles has limited achievable thrust performance. To address this issue, a model equipped with a six-stage reed valve system (36 valves in total) was developed to ensure sufficient air intake, which measured 500 mm in length, 28 mm in radius, and 539 g in weight. Launch demonstration experiments were conducted using a 170 GHz, 550 kW gyrotron developed at the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST). Continuous thrust was successfully generated by irradiating up to 50 pulses per experiment at each frequency between 75 and 150 Hz, in 25 Hz increments, corresponding duty cycles ranging from 0.09 to 0.18. A maximum thrust of 9.56 N and a momentum coupling coefficient

C_{m}

of 116 N/MW were obtained. These values represent a fourfold increase compared to previous launch experiments without reed valves, thereby demonstrating the effectiveness of the reed valve configuration in enhancing thrust performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Detonative Propulsion (2nd Edition))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1620 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Objective Optimization of Rocket-Type Pulse Detonation Engine Nozzles

by Alberto Gonzalez-Viana, Francisco Sastre, Elena Martin and Angel Velazquez

Aerospace 2025, 12(6), 502; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12060502 - 1 Jun 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3211

Abstract

This numerical study addressed the multi-objective optimization of a rocket-type Pulse Detonation Engine nozzle. The Pulse Detonation Engine consisted of a constant length, constant diameter cylindrical section plus a nozzle that could be either convergent, divergent, or convergent–divergent. The space of five design variables contained: equivalence ratio of the H2-Air mixture, convergent contraction ratio, divergent expansion ratio, dimensionless nozzle length, and convergent to divergent length ratio. The unsteady Euler-type numerical solver was quasi-one-dimensional with variable cross-sectional area. Chemistry was simulated by means of a one-step global reaction. The solver was used to generate three coarse five-dimensional data tensors that contained: specific impulse based on fuel, total impulse, and nozzle surface area, for each configuration. The tensors were decomposed using the High Order singular Value Decomposition technique. The eigenvectors of the decompositions were used to generate continuous descriptions of the data tensors. A genetic algorithm plus a Gradient Method optimization algorithm acted on the densified data tensors. Five different objective functions were considered that involved specific impulse based on fuel, total impulse, and nozzle surface area either separately or in doublets/triplets. The results obtained were discussed, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in terms of the different objective functions. Design guidelines were provided that could be of interest in the growing area of Pulse Detonation Engine engineering applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Detonative Propulsion (2nd Edition))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 5057 KB

Open AccessArticle

Reduced-Order Model for Performance Simulation and Conceptual Design of Rocket-Type Pulse Detonation Engines

by Luis Sánchez de León, Francisco Sastre, Elena Martin and Angel Velazquez

Aerospace 2025, 12(2), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12020132 - 10 Feb 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3082

Abstract

A model-based method has been developed for the performance simulation and conceptual design of rocket-type pulse detonation engines (PDEs). A reduced-order model (ROM) has been generated based on the high order singular value decomposition of a data tensor obtained from CFD computations. This ROM could be used to solve the direct (performance) and inverse (design) problems in the context of the early phases of pulse detonation engine design. Output performance parameters are predicted from prescribed input operation/geometry parameters in the direct problem, and vice versa in the inverse problem. The focus of this method is industrial application in situations where large parametric searches are to be performed with a reasonable level of fidelity at a low computational cost. It was found that the performance and conceptual design tool thus developed provides results that deviate, on average, by less than 10% from the CFD results. Regarding practical implementation, the method allows for shifting the heavier computational load off-line. In this way, when working on-line, the user can obtain results in less than a second for every single case. The main contribution of this study is showing that a model-based approach that combines CFD and tensor decomposition has the potential to extract a maximum of information from a given computational effort. This characteristic makes the method of interest for early design phases in the aerospace industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Detonative Propulsion (2nd Edition))

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Advances in Detonative Propulsion (2nd Edition)

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI