The Potential of Wave Rotors in Complex Joule Cycles for Aviation

A parametric analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of various wave rotor enhancements on the performance of a complex Joule cycle. The wave rotor model was developed in Aspen Custom Modeler and integrated into Aspen Plus where different wave rotor, intercooling, and recuperation modifications were added to the base Joule cycle and examined. Key parameters such as the base cycle pressure ratio, turbine inlet temperature, heat exchanger effectiveness, and heat exchanger pressure drop were varied and their impact on the Joule cycle performance was studied. The theoretical results indicate that incorporating a wave rotor as a topping device significantly improves cycle performance compared to the base Joule cycle, and a two-stage wave rotor cascade as a topping device demonstrates even greater performance enhancements over the base Joule cycle. Furthermore, combining each wave rotor configuration with intercooling and recuperation stages further optimises cycle performance. The challenges of these enhancements are also outlined.