DEVELOPMENT AND CALIBRATION OF A COLD WIRE PROBE FOR USE IN SHOCK TUBES

Abstract

The use of a fine unheated wire for making shock tube flow measurements is investigated. The operation of the instrument depends on the transient nature of the shock tube flow. It operates in a non-steady manner which is completely different from the usual hot wire operation. The rate of gain of heat to the wire is determined over a range of Mach numbers from 0.4 to 1.9 and a range of Reynolds numbers from 0.035 to 3,500. Measurements cover the continuum region, the slip and transitional regions, and extend into the free-molecule flow region. Dimensionless results are compared with hot wire measurements obtained in wind tunnels and are found to differ slightly, because the cold wire gains heat from the fluid while the hot wire loses heat to the fluid. Measurements are repeatable and self-consistent, and indicate that the wire can be used to give an accurate flow measurement in the shock tube. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1961
Accession Number
AD0263726

Entities

People

  • Walter H. Christiansen

Organizations

  • California Institute of Technology

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Calibration
  • Hot Wire
  • Mach Number
  • Measurement
  • Reynolds Number
  • Shock Tubes
  • Tubes
  • Wind Tunnels
  • Wire

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.