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Modelling the complete operation of a free-piston shock tunnel for a low enthalpy condition

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Abstract

Only a limited number of free-stream flow properties can be measured in hypersonic impulse facilities at the nozzle exit. This poses challenges for experimenters when subsequently analysing experimental data obtained from these facilities. Typically in a reflected shock tunnel, a simple analysis that requires small amounts of computational resources is used to calculate quasi-steady gas properties. This simple analysis requires initial fill conditions and experimental measurements in analytical calculations of each major flow process, using forward coupling with minor corrections to include processes that are not directly modeled. However, this simplistic approach leads to an unknown level of discrepancy to the true flow properties. To explore the simple modelling techniques accuracy, this paper details the use of transient one and two-dimensional numerical simulations of a complete facility to obtain more refined free-stream flow properties from a free-piston reflected shock tunnel operating at low-enthalpy conditions. These calculations were verified by comparison to experimental data obtained from the facility. For the condition and facility investigated, the test conditions at nozzle exit produced with the simple modelling technique agree with the time and space averaged results from the complete facility calculations to within the accuracy of the experimental measurements.

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Abbreviations

\(\alpha \) :

Property

\(\bar{\alpha }\) :

Mean of given property

\(\sigma \) :

Standard deviation

\(t\) :

Temporal

\(y\) :

Spatial in the radial direction

References

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Acknowledgments

This work has been supported by the Australian Research Council. The authors would like to acknowledge the following contributions to this work: Wilson Chan, Rowan Gollan and Rainer Kirchhartz for tireless efforts in operating the computational facilities; Richard Morgan for both his guidance and support for both the experimental campaign and data analysis; Brian Loughrey and Keith Hitchcock for construction of experimental model and maintenance of the \(T^2\) facility.

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Author notes

  1. A. G. Dann

    Present address: Oxford University, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oxford University, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK

    M. McGilvray

  2. Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK

    A. G. Dann

  3. The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia

    P. A. Jacobs

Authors
  1. M. McGilvray
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  2. A. G. Dann
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  3. P. A. Jacobs
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. McGilvray.

Additional information

Communicated by A. Sasoh and K. Kontis.

The paper was based on work that was presented at the 28th International Symposium on Shock Waves, 17–22 July, 2011, Manchester, UK.

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McGilvray, M., Dann, A.G. & Jacobs, P.A. Modelling the complete operation of a free-piston shock tunnel for a low enthalpy condition. Shock Waves 23, 399–406 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-013-0437-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-013-0437-8

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