After Decades of Research, Additive Manufacturing Helps Unlock Rotating Detonation Engines

A rotating detonation engine is a kind of propulsion system that has been theorized about and researched for years, but this design only existed on paper and in prototypes. This year, a team of engineers at RTX built and tested one at scale. This propulsion system is unique because it requires no moving parts, and is lighter and more powerful than traditional engines. This test was a major victory for the RTX team, and they achieved it, in part, thanks to the use of additive manufacturing and other advanced technologies.

Rotating detonation engines have an enclosed, ring-shaped chamber where combustion occurs. When in flight, fast-moving air is drawn into the chamber, and a precise mixture of fuel is injected. This injection ignites a flame-like detonation wave that moves around the ring for as long as fuel is injected. This energy is then converted into thrust, which propels the vehicle forward.

Rotating detonation engines are lighter and more powerful than traditional engines.

RTX tested its rotating detonation engine at the RTX Technology Research Center (RTRC) in Connecticut, where the engineers had access to specialized facilities for testing. This includes the Center’s Jet Burner Test Stand, one of a few in the United States, that is capable of reaching the airflow rates, temperatures, and pressures to emulate high-speed flight.