US Patent 7621118 Constant volume combustor having a rotating wave rotor

A constant volume combustor device includes, in one form, a detonative combustion. In one form the wave rotor of the constant volume combustor is supported by magnetic bearings. The constant volume combustor device includes a rotor having a number of fluid passageways that rotate about an axis. End plates having at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port are located on either end of the rotor. Relatively compressed air enters the rotor through the at least one inlet port, is burned with fuel in a pulsed combustion process, and exits at least one exit port. The pulsed combustion process can be a pulsed detonation combustion process or a pulsed deflagration combustion process.