Research

Detonation structural modulation

Detonations exhibit a characteristic cellular structure. This structure seems to govern how robust detonations are in an engine, and how destructive they may be in an accident scenario. We are interested in how this structure could be controlled by using geometric obstacles, we call ‘waveguides’, within a detonation reactor. This could open a new avenue of exploration about the role cellular structure plays on detonation robustness.

Bubbles as microscale hotspots

We think hotspots are critical for detonation propagation, but we have no way of artificially generating hotspots to test this theory. Introducing reactive bubbles may offer such a technique. We carefully introduce bubbles with a controllable gas mixture into our detonation reactor to see how they interact with the detonation, and ultimately how they could control detonation propagation.

Geometric modeling

Detonation engine development, detonation suppression, and detonation-based material synthesis all require accurate models to predict propagation. These applications rely either on empirical correlations which have limited applicability or on CFD simulations which are extremely expensive and difficult to perform. We pioneered a new approach that can run on a laptop: a model that simulates macroscopic detonation propagation by leveraging detonation physics and pre-calculated blast dynamics. We are further improving the model to be more versatile and expanding the methodology to perform 3D simulations.

Fuel synthesis via electrocatalysis modeling

Synthesizing renewable fuels via CO2-reduction electrocatalysis offers a pathway to decarbonize sectors that are reliant on liquid fuels such as aviation and remote power generation. To better design electrochemical devices, the transport and chemical environment must be well-understood and controlled. We are building multiphysics models to better understand and optimize the dynamics within these devices. We are also active in optimizing the fuel performance resultant from electrochemical synthesis.