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Area change effects on shock wave propagation

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Abstract

Experimental testing was conducted for a planar shock wave of incident Mach number \(M_\mathrm{s} = 1.33\) propagating through one of three compound parabolic profiles of 130, 195 or 260 mm in length, all of which exhibit an 80 % reduction in area. Both high-resolution single shot and low-resolution video were used in a schlieren arrangement. Results showed three main types of flow scenarios for propagation through a gradual area reduction, and an optimal net increase of 12.7 % in shock Mach number was determined for the longest profile, which is within 5 % of theoretical predictions using Milton’s modified Chester–Chisnell–Whitham relation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Flow Research Unit, School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, PO WITS, Johannesburg , 2050, South Africa

    J. Dowse & B. Skews

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  1. J. Dowse
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  2. B. Skews
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Correspondence to B. Skews.

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Communicated by H. Kleine.

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Dowse, J., Skews, B. Area change effects on shock wave propagation. Shock Waves 24, 365–373 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-014-0501-z

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