DON27BZ02-NV019 TITLE: Navy Shipboard Gas Turbine Rotating Detonation Combustor Operation with Diesel Fuel

OUSW (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG)

COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY AREA(S): Advanced Materials;Sustainment

PROJECTED CMMC LEVEL REQUIREMENT: Level 2 (Self)

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. 

OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate a scaled high density Rotating Detonation Combustor (RDC) that uses NATO F76 diesel fuel (MIL-DTL-16884R) and perform thermodynamic analysis on developed Navy RDC equipped shipboard gas turbine concepts to determine related performance benefits including reduction of stack up length, efficiency improvements, design limitations, and development gaps.

DESCRIPTION: As background, the typical arrangement used on U.S. Navy surface combatants consists of four (4) large (20+MW class – GE LM-2500) gas turbines for propulsion and three 3 smaller (3 MW class – Rolls Royce 501-K34) gas turbines for ship service electrical power generation.

Presently U.S. gas turbine powered warships use simple cycle machines. However, complex cycles with reheat and other cycle enhancements have been considered and analyzed with the potential for increased efficiency. Further examinations have been performed to evaluate improvements in maintainability/reliability, overall generator set power density/stack up length, and alternative configuration installation flexibility for use in overall electric plant designs.

RDCs are advanced power-generation and propulsion devices that operate by propagating one or more supersonic detonation waves continuously around an annular chamber. As fresh fuel and oxidizer are continuously injected into the channel, the rotating shock wave rapidly compresses and ignites the mixture, creating a self-sustaining zone of intense heat and pressure. Thermodynamically, RDCs utilize a detonation-driven pressure-gain cycle, which is most accurately modeled by the Fickett-Jacobs-Salsburg (FJS) cycle and frequently approximated as the constant-volume Humphrey cycle. Unlike conventional gas turbines that rely on the constant-pressure Brayton cycle, the FJS detonation cycle in an RDC generates a substantial net increase in total pressure across the combustor. This inherent pressure gain drastically reduces the workload required by upstream mechanical compressors and significantly boosts the overall thermal efficiency and power output of the gas turbine system. While initial government and industry investigations have centered on the use of RDCs in aerospace applications, future shipboard applications will require a greater understanding of the ability to operate with diesel fuel for long continuous operation as well as a quantification of performance benefits that can be achieved in overall shipboard electric architecture design.

While not required, discussions with Navy shipboard gas turbine Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) are recommended.

PHASE I: Perform an analysis of an RDC combustor ignition and continuous operation with NATO F76 fuel by the end of the Base period. Assemble and demonstrate an initial limited laboratory experiment/subscale test to verify analysis findings in coordination with Navy personnel. Complete a conceptual design for a combustor prototype and associated liquid fuel system, to include prototype design refinements, fabrication approach, and testing strategy that should include ignition and endurance operation with defined measurements in coordination with Navy personnel and within the scope of a Phase II budget. Prepare a Phase II plan.

PHASE II: Construct a combustor prototype and associated liquid fuel system. Perform startup and endurance testing for up to 500 hours as defined in Phase I utilizing F76 fuel. Based upon results generated from testing, conduct thermodynamic analyses/model of a marine gas turbine utilizing an RDC primary combustor as well as a thermodynamic analysis/models of marine gas turbine reheat cycles utilizing an RDC inter-turbine (single reheat) and intra-turbine (continuous reheat) in collaboration with Navy personnel. From this analysis, determine impact on overall efficiency, reliability, operating life, power density, and future development gaps. Prepare a Phase III commercialization/transition plan.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Demonstrate a full-scale liquid fuel combustor operating continuously for 500 hours. Based on Phase II analysis, develop a full-scale RDC-based gas turbine, either simple or complex cycle, and conduct performance testing prior to an at sea demonstration. Once complete, examine and upgrade the system for marinization requirements accounting material and maintainability improvements to successfully operate in a naval environment.

Examine and demonstrate the RDC based gas turbine in a CIPES electric plant configuration to validate ship benefits for overall operational performance and improvement in platform increases in power density. Commercial dual use application may include commercial maritime ships and offshore drilling and production platforms.

REFERENCES:

1. Naval Sea Systems Command. "Fuel, Naval Distillate." MIL-DTL-16884R, 3 January 2025. http://quicksearch.dla.mil/
2. Hoeper, M. "Liquid Fuel Transport Phenomena in Rotating Detonation Engines." Proceeding of the Combustion Institute, Vol 39, Issue 3, 2023, pp. 3051-3061. https://hammer.purdue.edu/articles/thesis/LIQUID_FUEL_TRANSPORT_PHENOMENA_IN_ROTATING_DETONATION_ENGINES/27195012?file=49735404
3. Zhou, S., Wang, R., Liu, F., Ning, H., Ma, Y., Zhang, T. and Hu, H. "Experimental Investigation on Propagation Characteristics of Rotating Detonation Wave Fueled by Diesel." Acta Astronautica, Volume 225, December 225, pp. 949-959. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009457652400586
4. Clark, N. "Design and Application of Compact Combustors in Small-Scale Jet Engines." Air Force Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Thesis, 2022. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/html/trecms/AD1175595/index.html
5. Millsaps, K, Rodman, B. "Thermodynamic Analysis of "Inter-Turbine" and "Intra-Turbine" Reheat for Marine Gas Turbines." Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2004: Power for Land, Sea and Air, Volume 5: Turbo Expo 2004, Parts A and B, Vienna, Austria, June 14-17, 2004, pp. 1877-1882. ASME-IGTI GT2004-54174. https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/GT/proceedings-abstract/GT20024/41707/1877/307076
6. Russom, D. and Daransky, T. "Fuel Manifold Air Purge System for Allison 501-K17/K34 Marine Gas Turbine Engines." Proceedings of the ASME 1994 International Gas Turbine and Aeroengine Congress and Exposition, Volume 2: Aircraft Engine; Marine; Microturbines and Small Micromachinery, The Hague, Netherlands, June 13-16, 1994. V002T03408. ASME-IGTI 94-GT-234. https://doi.org/10.1115/94-GT-243
7. Office of Naval Research (ONR) STTR Topic N24A-T016 (2024). "Plasma Assisted Combustion for Enhanced Performance and Operability in Naval Air Vehicles and Weapons." https://www.navysbir.com/n24_A/N24A-T016.htm
8. Office of Naval Research (ONR) STTR Topic N21A-T011 (2021). "Enhancement of Detonation Wave Dynamics in Rotating Detonation Combustors (RDC)." https://navysbir.us/n21_A/N21A-T011.htm
9. Wolanski, P. "Application of the Continuous Rotating Detonation to Gas Turbine." Applied Mechanics and Materials, 782, 2015, pp. 3-12. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.782.3
10. Wolanski, P. et al. "Experimental research of liquid-fueled continuously rotating detonation chamber." Shock Waves 31, 2021, pp. 807-812. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-021-01014-w
11. Schwer, D. and Kailasanath, K. "Fluid dynamics of rotating detonation engines with hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels." Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, Volume 34, Issue 2, 2013, pp. 1991-1998. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/articleabs/pii/S1540748912000478
12. Schwer, Douglas and Kailasanath, Kailas. "Feedback into Mixture Plenums in Rotating Detonation Engines." 50th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Expostition, Nashville, Tennessee, 9-12 January 2012. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2012-617
13. "Naval Power & Energy Technology Development Roadmap (2019)." https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Documents/2019_NPES_TDR_Distribution_A_Approved_Final.pdf?ver=2019-06-26-132556-223

KEYWORDS: Rotating Detonation; Plasma Assisted Combustion; Power Density; Diesel Fuel, Gas Turbine

TPOC 1: Scott Higgins
scott.r.higgins2.civ@us.navy.mil

TPOC 2: John Sisti
john.sisti4.civ@us.navy.mil

TPOC3: Jacob Guthrie
jacob.d.guthrie.civ@us.navy.mil