Improvement of Damper for Thrust Force Measurement during Continuous Operation of A Pulse Detonation Engine

Pulse Detonation Engines (PDE) are promising for next-generation aerospace propulsion. This study aimed to improve the accuracy and reliability of PDE thrust measurement using a load cell system, focusing on stabilizing the dynamic characteristics of the apparatus. We optimized the damper structure within the thrust measurement system and verified the influence of the internal working fluid. Results revealed that the damper's damping characteristics strongly depend on the fluid's viscosity, indicating that precise viscosity control is crucial for high-accuracy measurement. Initial tests showed a significant thrust variation of up to three times attributed not only to fluid properties but primarily to the system's dynamic instability. We conclude that establishing a reliable PDE thrust evaluation requires selecting the optimal combination of spring constant and damping coefficient to match the engine's pulsed response.