Shock Tubes and Shock Tunnels: Design and Experiments

Abstract

The experimental study of non-equilibrium gas flows requires the design, creation and operation of specific facilities and the development of particular diagnostic techniques. Most experiments are carried out in ground facilities which can generate non-equilibrium flows. These facilities generally require important equipment and investment. The essential purpose is to create high enthalpy gas flows undergoing more or less intense perturbations (shock wave, rapid expansion ), so that, physical and chemical processes evolve on a time scale equal to or longer than the characteristic flow time scale. Two types of facilities are described here, depending on the type of phenomena or the processes analysed, shock tubes and shock tunnels. Thus, if the analysis of the physical and chemical processes themselves is considered as essential, simple facilities, such as shock tubes generating one-dimensional, non-dissipative flows are to be used. On the contrary, if the simulation of the conditions of real flight is required, facilities such as shock tunnels generating hypersonic flow around various bodies must be used.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA568015

Entities

People

  • Raymond Brun

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundary Layer
  • Chemical Kinetics
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Combustion
  • Gas Dynamics
  • Gas Flow
  • Heat Flux
  • High Pressure
  • Hypersonic Flow
  • Mach Number
  • Measurement
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Relaxation Time
  • Shock Tubes
  • Shock Tunnels
  • Tubes

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Plasma Physics.
  • Software Engineering

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flight
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flow