Rotating valve assembly for high temperature and high pressure operation

A rotating valve assembly (10) includes an inner cup (12) having at least one inlet port (40); an outer cup (14) having at least one inlet port (38), the outer cup rotatably mounted concentric with the inner cup by a bearing arrangement (28); and a cooling system (32) located between the inner cup and the bearing arrangement for providing a thermal barrier between the inner cup and the bearing arrangement. The valve assembly also includes a sealing arrangement (44) located around the at least one inlet port of one of the inner and outer cups for preventing leakage of pressure waves generated by detonations or quasi-detonations within a combustion chamber (18) of the inner cup.