In experimental rotating detonation combustor (RDC) studies, the detonation wave often propagates at 70 − 80% of the Chapman–Jouguet (CJ) speed. This discrepancy between experiments and theory partly stems from idealized flow assumptions of Zeldovich-von Neumann-Döring (ZND) theory, which does not account for losses. It is hypothesized that the differences in detonation characteristics between experiments and theory are due to a partial heat release generated by these loss mechanisms. Injection loss mechanisms (non-ideal mixing, backflow of products into the plenum and interaction of products with fresh reactants) affect detonation characteristics and pre-detonation gas states. The objective of this study is to estimate the impact these mechanisms may have on the combustion and detonation properties