The purpose of this investigation was to experimentally characterize a pulse combustor with respect to ambient conditions, pressure amplitudes, wall temperature, combustor geometry and type of centerbody used. The wall temperatures were recorded and the pressure variation was obtained using a sampling rate of 10,000 readings per second. These parameters were recorded for two different tailpipe lengths and centerbodies, and for different ambient conditions. Power spectrums were then obtained from the pressure variations. These spectrums displayed the peak amplitudes and the frequencies at which they occurred. The experiment showed distinct repeatability. It was concluded that combustor displayed the steady, pulsing and flame-out modes. The pulse combustor behaved just like any other combustion engine in terms of its efficiency with respect to ambient temperature and pressure. It was deduced that the inlet pressures dictated the achievement of the pulsing mode. The effect of increasing the length of the tailpipe proved advantageous to a certain limit. A change in the centerbody proved advantageous in some cases and had no effect in others.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this investigation was to experimentally characterize a pulse combustor with respect to ambient conditions, pressure amplitudes, wall temperature, combustor geometry and type of centerbody used. The wall temperatures were recorded and the pressure variation was obtained using a sampling rate of 10,000 readings per second. These parameters were recorded for two different tailpipe lengths and centerbodies, and for different ambient conditions. Power spectrums were then obtained from the pressure variations. These spectrums displayed the peak amplitudes and the frequencies at which they occurred. The experiment showed distinct repeatability. It was concluded that combustor displayed the steady, pulsing and flame-out modes. The pulse combustor behaved just like any other combustion engine in terms of its efficiency with respect to ambient temperature and pressure. It was deduced that the inlet pressures dictated the achievement of the pulsing mode. The effect of increasing the length of the tailpipe proved advantageous to a certain limit. A change in the centerbody proved advantageous in some cases and had no effect in others.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Femandes, Michael P."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Aerospace Engineering","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Graduate Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["L.L. Narayanaswami","Luther R. Reisbig","Ernest R. Jones"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1995,"date_issued":"1995-04-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1995-04-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z","subjects":["pulse combustors","transient flows","Aerospace Engineering"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/290","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["L.L. Narayanaswami","Luther R. Reisbig","Ernest R. Jones"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Femandes, Michael P."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Graduate Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Aerospace Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["pulse combustors","transient flows","Aerospace Engineering"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/290"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this investigation was to experimentally characterize a pulse combustor with respect to ambient conditions, pressure amplitudes, wall temperature, combustor geometry and type of centerbody used. The wall temperatures were recorded and the pressure variation was obtained using a sampling rate of 10,000 readings per second. These parameters were recorded for two different tailpipe lengths and centerbodies, and for different ambient conditions. Power spectrums were then obtained from the pressure variations. These spectrums displayed the peak amplitudes and the frequencies at which they occurred. The experiment showed distinct repeatability. It was concluded that combustor displayed the steady, pulsing and flame-out modes. The pulse combustor behaved just like any other combustion engine in terms of its efficiency with respect to ambient temperature and pressure. It was deduced that the inlet pressures dictated the achievement of the pulsing mode. The effect of increasing the length of the tailpipe proved advantageous to a certain limit. A change in the centerbody proved advantageous in some cases and had no effect in others.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Experimental Study of Transient Flows in Pulse Combustors"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["L.L. Narayanaswami","Luther R. Reisbig","Ernest R. Jones"],"dc:creator":["Femandes, Michael P."],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this investigation was to experimentally characterize a pulse combustor with respect to ambient conditions, pressure amplitudes, wall temperature, combustor geometry and type of centerbody used. The wall temperatures were recorded and the pressure variation was obtained using a sampling rate of 10,000 readings per second. These parameters were recorded for two different tailpipe lengths and centerbodies, and for different ambient conditions. Power spectrums were then obtained from the pressure variations. These spectrums displayed the peak amplitudes and the frequencies at which they occurred. The experiment showed distinct repeatability. It was concluded that combustor displayed the steady, pulsing and flame-out modes. The pulse combustor behaved just like any other combustion engine in terms of its efficiency with respect to ambient temperature and pressure. It was deduced that the inlet pressures dictated the achievement of the pulsing mode. The effect of increasing the length of the tailpipe proved advantageous to a certain limit. A change in the centerbody proved advantageous in some cases and had no effect in others.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/290"],"dc:subject":["pulse combustors","transient flows","Aerospace Engineering"],"dc:title":["An Experimental Study of Transient Flows in Pulse Combustors"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Graduate Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Aerospace Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z"}