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A comment on In the US, a rotating detonation rocket engine takes flight. Parent comment

Re:In the US, a rotating detonation rocket engine takes flight by Symmetry on Thursday May 15, 2025 @10:33AM (#43995515)
The energy produced by the combustion is the same but different fractions of it are converted into work. Just like efficiency differences in other types of heat engine.
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Re:In the US, a rotating detonation rocket engine takes flight by slow_typist on Thursday May 15, 2025 @12:52PM (#43996895)
η = 1 - ( T_c / T_h )

Carnot-Efficiency is the theoretical limit of the cycle’s ability to get work out of the thermal energy where T_c is the exhaust (coldest) temperature after expansion and T_h the hottest temperature (before expansion). Temperatures given in K (Kelvin), so 100% if you manage to get T_c to absolute zero temperature.

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