Optimal shock-wave systems

Abstract

Academician G. I. Petrov was among the first to investigate systems consisting of several plane inclined shocks and a closing normal shock [1]. In his studies the intensities of the inclined shocks in which the static and total pressure restoration coefficients reach maximum values were determined by numerical investigation. These shock systems were called optimal. A theoretical analysis of these systems is presented in [2, 5]. Exact analytic solutions determining the intensities in the optimal system in which there are maxima of not only the pressure restoration coefficients but also the values of the velocity head or density, as well as the angle of flow rotation in the wave, are obtained. Apart from shocks, the system include simple rarefaction and compression waves. The solutions obtained are not only theoretically meaningful but also have practical applications and can be used in the gasdynamic design of supersonic air intakes, jet technology devices, and other technical apparatus.