Numerical investigation of the micro radial disk internal combustion engine

This work presents a numerical analysis of the flow and combustion phenomena inside the Radial Disk Internal Combustion Engine. In the set of arch chambers forming the engine disk, a mixture of hydrogen peroxide with hydrogen is burned under constant volume conditions. The thermal decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is used as a pilot and stabilizing process of the hydrogen combustion, addressing effectively important challenges for the small dimensions of the channels. The cycle consists of the filling process preceded by the cooling and separation process that is realized by injection of water steam, the combustion, and the expansion process. In the considered numerical model, the cycle is simulated numerically with the commercial software package FLUENT, including the tracking of species and reaction. The inner rotating part of the engine, the disk, is modeled as a moving grid geometry that exchanges flow streams with ports located in the stationary part of the engine, the housing. The implemented model considers problems of sealing, ignition, and quenching. Results of the simulations are presented in form of pressure, temperature, velocity, and species concentration contours as well as torque variation over time.