The effect of tailpipe friction on pressure and velocity oscillations in a nonlinear, lumped parameter, pulse combustor model

A lumped parameter model of pulse combustor behavior is formulated which takes into account the effect of tailpipe friction. The model is analyzed by employing asymptotic expansions of the pressure in the chamber and the velocity of the combustion products in the tailpipe and invoking the Poincarè-Lindstedt methodology. It is shown that the presence of frictional damping in the tailpipe can lead to situations where periodic pressure and velocity oscillations occur with periods so large that they would, in effect, not be physically observable.