Thermo-Structural Analysis of

Pulse Detonation Engine

Combustor
1. Classification of Cylinders
Cylinders are briefly classified into two major categories according to thickness of cylinder walls
these categories are : Thin Cylinders
Thick Cylinders
A pressurized cylinder is considered a thin-walled vessel if the wall thickness is less than onetwentieth of the radius.
The cylinder has a thickness t and a radius r. This analysis is limited to "Thin Walled Pressure
Vessels". For a cylinder to qualify as "thin walled" the ratio of radius to thickness t/r must be at
least 10 or ratio of t/r < 1/20.

rt <
1/20

Thin-walled pressure vessel

Fig 2.0

For the current Pulse Detonation Combuster the cylinder will behave as thick cylinder for value
to thickness t > 1.295 mm and ratio t:r . 0.051. Table 1 the value of ratio t:r is compared with
varying thickness t with an fixed internal radai Ri and decreasing External Radai Ro
Table 1 t:r ratio & thickness t
Thickhess of tube t
(in mm)

3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

t/r ratio
[tcritical > 1.295 mm,
t:r>0.051 thick
cylinder]

0.157
48

0.1377
95

0.1181
1

0.0984
25

0.078
74

0.059
055

0.039
37

0.0196
85

Fig 1 Thick Cylinder Zone

2. stress acting on cylinders

Cylindrical pressure vessels, hydraulic cylinders, gun barrels and pipes carrying fluids at high
pressure, tend to develop tangential (Hoop stress or Circumferential Stress), longitudinal (axial
stress) and radial stresses.
Tangential stress

Hoop stress

Fig 1.0

The internal pressure, which is still acting on this portion of the cylinder, is represented in the
pressure field shown below. The pressure is constant over the entire cut of the cylinder. Note that
we draw the pressure in a manner which tends to inflate the cylinder. If the pressure acts in the
opposite sense to that shown below, the following analysis must be used with caution. When we
load vessels with "external pressure" the loading can result in buckling (crumpling) of the

cylinder. The difference between a thin cylinder and a thick cylinder is that a thick cylinder has a
stress in the radial direction as well as a circumferential stress and longitudinal stress. A rule of
thumb is that radial stress becomes important when the wall thickness exceeds 1/20th of the
diameter
#table stress comparison on thick and thick cylinders

3. Stresses in a Thick Walled Pressurized Cylinders

Thick walled pressure cylinders have considerable amount of wall thickness. In case of thickwalled pressurized cylinders, the radial stress, r can't be neglected for al practical purpose.
Assumption: longitudinal elongation is constant around the plane of cross section, there is
very little warping of the cross section l = constant

Fig 3.2
Equations:-

Fig 3.3

F=0

[l = length of cylinder]

2()(dr)(l) + r (2rl) (r + dr) [2(r + dr)l] = 0

(dr) (dr) is very small compared to other terms 0
r r (dr / dr)=0

..(1)

Deformation in the longitudinal direction:l = ( / E) (r / E ) --------> + r = l E / = 2C1 (2) [where l E /=constant]

r r (dr / dr ).(1)
Subtract equation (1) from (2),
r + r + r (dr / dr ) = 2C1

[:.Consider d (r r 2) / dr = r 2 (dr / dr ) + 2r r ]

Multiply the above equation by r

2rr + r2 (dr / dr ) = 2rC1-----------> d (r r 2) / dr = 2rC1
2rC1 = C1 + C2 / r2;
= C1 C2 / r2;
Boundary conditions { r = - pi at r = ri ; r = - po at r = ro }

= pi ri2 - po ro2 ri2 ro2[(po pi) / r2] / ro2 - ri2 Hoop stress
r = pi ri2 - po ro2 + ri2 ro2 [(po pi) / r2] / ro2 - ri2 Radial stress
l = pi ri2 - po ro2 / ro2 - ri2 Longitudinal stress

 Longitudinal stress
In order for the free-body diagram to satisfy equilibrium, there must be some force which
counteracts the internal pressure. When analyzing thin walled pressure vessels it is assumed that
all stresses act parallel to the surface of the vessel. This is often called "membrane action". In the
cylinder below, the only stress acting on the cut which can counteract the internal pressure is the
normal stress.

Pre
ssu
re
are
a
Fin 3.0
l = pi ri2 - po ro2 / ro2 - ri2 Longitudinal stress

Tangential (hoop) stress

The only stress acting in vertical direction to pressure is "Hoop stress" because it acts like a steel
hoop around a wooden barrel.

Fig 3.1

Equations: = pi ri2 - po ro2 ri2 ro2[(po pi) / r2] / ro2 - ri2 Hoop stress

Special case, po (external pressure) = 0

= pi ri2/ ro2 - ri2 (1+ ro2/ r2)

Fig 3.4
Hoop stress distribution,
maximum at the inner surface

Radial Stress Distribution

r = pi ri2 - po ro2 + ri2 ro2 [(po pi) / r2] / ro2 - ri2 Radial stress

r = pi ri2 / ro2 - ri2 (1- ro2/ r2)

Fig 3.5
Radial stress distribution, maximum at the inner surface

# Theoretical analysis of PDE Combuster

Geometry details table of 2 inch tube TABEL
Dia Internal external length Table 2 inch
As per calculations the present Combuster geometry was fond to be thick cylinder vessel
therefore various stresses within the vessel should be calculated by using thick cylinder
calculation
*stresses formula assumptions
Operation pressure 36 bar
Table value of pressure stress values

# FEM analysis of PDE combustor

1 FEM simulations of 10 mm thick channel
A Geometry modeling
SW modeling
Table length I dia O dia
B Meshing details
No of elements and node
Snap shot
C Simulation details
Material specifications
Property table
Operating pressures
D post possessing analysis
Max Principle stress table snapshot
Min Principle stress table snapshot
2 FEM simulation of 1000mm
### same as 1

Comparison of theoretical and simulation results

Table