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A pulsejet engine (or pulse jet) is a type of jet engine in which combustion occurs in pulses. A pulsejet engine can be made with few[1] or no moving parts,[2][3][4] and is capable of running statically (that is, it does not need to have air forced into its inlet, typically by forward motion). The best known example is the Argus As 109-014 used to propel Nazi Germany's V-1 flying bomb.
Pulsejet engines are a lightweight form of jet propulsion, but usually have a poor compression ratio, and hence give a low specific impulse.
The two main types of pulsejet engines use resonant combustion and harness the combustion products to form a pulsating exhaust jet that intermittently produces thrust.
The traditional valved pulsejet has one-way valves through which incoming air passes. When the fuel mix is ignited, the valves close, which means that the heated gases can only leave through the engine's tailpipe, thus creating forward thrust.
The second type is the valveless pulsejet.[5] The technical terms for this engine are acoustic-type pulsejet, or aerodynamically valved pulsejet.
One notable line of research includes the pulse detonation engine, which involves repeated detonations in the engine, and which can potentially give high compression and reasonably good efficiency.
- ^ "Pulse Detonation Engine". Gofurther.utsi.edu. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ "Google News". Retrieved 23 February 2016.[dead link]
- ^ "Patent US6216446 – Valveless pulse-jet engine with forward facing intake duct – Google Patents". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ "Valveless Pulsjet". Home.no. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ Geng, T.; Schoen, M. A.; Kuznetsov, A. V.; Roberts, W. L. (2007). "Combined Numerical and Experimental Investigation of a 15-cm Valveless Pulsejet". Flow, Turbulence and Combustion. 78 (1): 17–33. doi:10.1007/s10494-006-9032-8. S2CID 122906134.