An experimental investigation of the sonic criterion for transition from regular to Mach reflection of weak shock waves

The signal speed, namely the local sound speed plus the flow velocity, behind the reflected shocks produced by the interaction of weak shock waves (M _i < 1.4) with rigid inclined surfaces has been measured for several shock strengths close to the point of transition from regular to Mach reflection. The signal speed was measured using piezo-electric transducers, and with a multiple schlieren system to photograph acoustic signals created by a spark discharge behind a small aperture in the reflecting surfaces. Both methods yielded results with equal values within experimental error. The theoretical signal speeds behind regularly reflected shocks were calculated using a non-stationary model, and these agreed with the measured results at large angles of incidence. As the angle of incidence was reduced, for the same incident shock Mach number, so as to approach the point of transition from regular to Mach reflection, the measured values of the signal speed deviated significantly from the theoretical predictions. It was found, within experimental uncertainty, that transition from regular to Mach reflection occurred at the experimentally observed sonic point, namely, when the signal speed was equal to the speed of the reflection point along the reflecting surface. This sonic condition did not coincide with the theoretical value.     

Shock wave reflection off coupled surfaces

It has been shown that when a plane shock wave is reflected off a surface consisting of a 75-mm radius circular arc followed by a plane section inclined at 45°, it takes some time for the interaction to reach a pseudosteady reflection configuration. The current study extends this work at a constant Mach number of 1.346, with three compound walls, consisting of leading circular sections of 30, 50 and 75 mm radius, joined to a plane wall section. Testing was done at various wall angles for each of the test pieces. The reflected wave angle was measured and was found to increase along the plane wall section until it reached an asymptotic value, at which time pseudosteady flow was established. The asymptotic values are consistent with reflection off plane wedges and are independent of the leading radius. For lower wall angles which lead to Mach reflection the length required to reach pseudosteady flow increases as the wall angle increases to the pseudosteady transition angle. The reverse occurs when the final pseudosteady reflection is regular, in that as the wall angle increases the distance travelled to reach pseudosteady flow conditions decreases. Additional tests were conducted on a specimen consisting of a plane section at 60° wall angle with 30-mm radius circular arc sections at either end. It is demonstrated how the information from the two slope changes influences the shape of the reflected shock. The trajectories of two perturbations on the reflected shock arising from the joints between the circular sections and the plane wall show that the reflected wave remains linear between these two points, as it received no knowledge from either circular section until the perturbations from the upper and lower joints cross.     

On the persistence of regular reflection

It is well accepted that the persistence of regular reflection of a shock wave off a wedge beyond the ideal theoretical prediction is due to viscous and thermal boundary layers induced behind the reflection point. Experiments have been done by reflecting two shock waves of equal strength off each other so that the plane of symmetry between them becomes an ideal inviscid and adiabatic reflection plane thereby experimentally mimicking the assumptions of the theory. There is one definitive experiment done at a wall angle of 40° using a bifurcated shock tube that indicates that the actual transition angle is the theoretical detachment condition. This paper extends these results to two cases near limiting conditions; one at a very low incidence shock Mach number and one at a wall angle very close to the theoretical transition limit. The first confirms the reasons for the von Neumann Paradox but cannot discriminate between sonic and detachment conditions, but is within about 0.5% of them, and the second shows transition much closer to the sonic than the detachment condition but with both within the experimental error bounds. In both cases, the results are notably different from transition conditions off a wedge and confirm the effects of transport properties being the cause of persistence of regular reflection.     

The flow field near the triple point in steady shock reflection

This paper investigates the flow field near three intersecting shock waves appearing in steady Mach reflection. Results of numerical computations reveal a “von Neumann Paradox”—like feature for weak shock waves, in which the flow field between the reflected and the Mach stem is smooth with no distinct slip flow region and changes rather smoothly. An analytical solution of the Navier–Stokes equations constructed using a polar–coordinate system gives a flow field with the same properties as the numerical simulation.     

Theory of regular and mach reflection of shock waves in a two-phase gas-liquid medium

An equilibrium model of a two-phase gas-liquid medium, with allowance for the proportion, density, and compressibility of the components, and with a difference from [1] in that the adiabatic velocity of sound is introduced, has been used in order to study the regular and Mach (elementary theory) reflection of a shock wave of moderate intensity from a solid wall throughout the whole range of gas proportions. A complicated nonmonotonic variation has been found for the pressure on the wall behind the reflected wave, the angle of reflection, and the angle of departure of the triple point as functions of the gas proportion, the angle of incidence, and the intensity of the incident wave. In particular, it is shown that oblique reflection for moderate and low gas contents leads to the formation of a stronger reflected shock wave than does normal reflection. The effect of the gas proportion on the position of the boundary between the regions of regular and Mach reflection has already been studied in [2]. The results are described of serial calculations of the parameters of reflection for an air-water mixture, and these results agree fairly well for normal reflection with the known experimental data [3] for low and moderate gas contents. In the limiting case, the results agree with the known results for single-phase media [4, 5].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 188–190, March–April, 1985.     

The interaction of a shock wave with the boundary layer in a reflected shock tunnel

The influence of a nontotal reflection on the interaction of a reflected shock wave with the boundary layer in a reflected shock tunnel has been investigated. The calculating method of the velocity, the temperature and the Mach number profiles in the boundary layer in reflected shock fixed coordinates has been obtained. To account for equilibrium real gas effects of nitrogen, the numerical results show that the minimum Mach number in the boundary layer has been moved from the wall into the boundary layer with the increasing of the incident shock Mach number. The minimum Mach number, the shock angle in the bifurcated foot and the jet velocity along the wall to the end plate are reduced owing to the increasing of the area of nozzle throat. The numerical results are in good agreement with measurements.     

A numerical study of oblique shock wave reflections over wedges in an ideal quantum gas

The various oblique shock wave reflection patterns generated by a moving incident shock on a planar wedge using an ideal quantum gas model are numerically studied using a novel high resolution quantum kinetic flux splitting scheme. With different incident shock Mach numbers and wedge angles as flow parameters, four different types of reflection patterns, namely, the regular reflection, simple Mach reflection, complex Mach reflection and the double Mach reflection as in the classical gas can be classified and observed. Both Bose–Einstein and Fermi–Dirac gases are considered.      

Mach reflection of a plane shock wave passing a mountain of 45° inclination

The transition from regular reflection (RR) to Mach reflection (MR) as a plane shock wave diffracts around a triangular mountain of 45° inclination is analysed in this paper, both by optical measurement in a shock tube and by numerical simulation the numerical method developed by Li Yingfan^[1] is of the FLIC type with triangular mesh. The dependence of the critical transition point Lk ofRR→MR on shock Mach numberM _i is analyzed and the variations of the incidence angle ω _i of the impinging shock and the reflection angle ω _r with the distanceL ^* are investigated. Our experimental and numerical results agree well with the theoretical results of Iton and Italya.     

Numerical simulation for nonstationary Mach reflection of a shock wave: A kinetic-model approach

A numerical simulation was performed for the process of formation of single Mach reflection on a wedge by solving a BGK type kinetic equation for the reduced distribution function with a finite difference scheme. The calculations were carried out for a shock Mach number 2.75 and wedge angle 25° in a monatomic gas, which corresponds to the conditions of single Mach reflection in the classical von Neumann theory. The calculations were performed for both diffuse and specular reflection of molecules at the wall surface. It is concluded that the diffuse reflection of molecules at the wall surface or the existence of the viscous or thermal layer is an essential factor for a nonstationary process at the initial stage of Mach reflection. Furthermore, the numerical results for diffuse reflection are found to simulate the experimental results very well, such as a transient process from regular reflection to Mach reflection along with shock propagation.This article was processed using Springer-Verlag T_EX Shock Waves macro package 1990.     

Three-dimensional effects on regular reflection in steady supersonic flows

The reflection of shock waves between two symmetrical wedges is investigated for the case of three-dimensional flows. Oblique shadowgraphs at various optical angles of yaw and pitch were used to examine the nature of fully three-dimensional flows, with wedge aspect ratios as low as 0.25 being considered. These images were used to construct surface models of the overall flow field for various reflection patterns and aspect ratios, which provides a visual indication of the flow field shape. For a Mach number of 3.1, and suitable wedge angles, the flow field with regular reflection on the tunnel centreline and Mach reflection further out is examined. The point of transition from regular reflection to the peripheral Mach surfaces is identified for various wedge angles and aspect ratios. It is shown that the transition points move outwards from the central plane as the aspect ratio decreases. This shows that three-dimensional flows favor regular reflection, because of the increasing curvature of the incident shock as the wedge becomes narrower, causing a decrease in the local angle of incidence. The height of the Mach stem is shown to be highly dependent on the geometry of the test wedge models. The Mach stem height decreases with aspect ratio due to the three-dimensional relieving effect, where the increase in lateral flow relieves the pressure over the surfaces of the wedges. Experimental evidence of the existence of the strong oblique shock solution in steady flows is presented.Received: 7 July 2003, Revised: 20 October 2003, Accepted: 6 November 2003, Published online: 10 February 2004PACS: 47.40.Nm Correspondence to: B.W. Skews     

Effect of boundary layer on Mach reflection over a wedge surface

Abstract. In this paper, we consider the phenomenon of unsteady Mach reflection generated by a plane shock wave advancing over a straight wedge surface, with particular attention to the deviation of the flow field from the self-similar nature. We examine the observed change in angle between incident and reflected shocks, which is in contrast to the fact that the angle should remain constant with time in a self-similar flow. The effect of the boundary layer behind the advancing shock wave over the surface of the wedge is considered to cause this, and boundary layer theory is utilized to estimate the thickness of the layer. It is found that the thickness increases as to the time t compared with t by the overall expansion in the self-similar flow. Assuming that the thicker boundary layer is effectively equivalent to a change in wedge angle, the effect of the boundary layer on the flow field should be less in later stages with larger t values in accordance with the observation above. Received 6 March 2000 / Accepted 23 April 2001     

Three-dimensional supersonic internal flows

In order to examine the transition between regular and Mach reflection in a three-dimensional flow, a range of special geometry test pieces, and inlets, were designed. The concept is to have a geometry consisting of two plane wedges which results in regular reflection between the incident waves off the top and bottom of the inlet capped by two curved end sections causing Mach reflection. The merging of these two reflection patterns and the resulting downstream flow are studied using laser vapor screen and shadowgraph imaging supported by numerical simulation. An angled Mach disc is formed which merges with the line of regular reflection. A complex wave pattern results with the generation of a bridging shock connecting the reflected wave from the Mach reflection with the reflected waves from the regular reflection. In order to experimentally access the flow within the duct, a number of tests were conducted with one end cap removed. This resulted in a modified flow due to the expansive flow at the open end the influence of which was also studied in more detail.     

Gas content factor in the interaction of shock waves of different intensity in a two-phase gas-liquid medium

The transition from regular to Mach interaction is investigated in connection with the interaction of two plane weak or moderate shock waves of different intensity in a two-phase gas-liquid medium over the entire range of gas contents. A nonmonotonic dependence of the transition limit and the flow parameters on the gas content is detected. The investigation extends the results of [1] corresponding to the reflection of a shock wave from a wall. At intermediate gas contents in the case of opposing shock waves, analogous to the normal reflection of a shock wave from a solid wall, the results are in agreement with [2]. In the case of weak shock waves non-linear asymptotic expansions [3] are employed. In the extreme cases of single-phase media the results coincide with the findings of [3, 4]. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, pp. 172–174, November–December, 1986.     

Least energy as a criterion for transition between regular and Mach reflection

A new criterion is suggested to define the point of transition between regular and Mach reflection. The suggested criterion is based on the natural tendency of a physical system to minimize its energy. The increases of the specific energy behind the reflected shock of a regular reflection and behind the Mach stem of a Mach reflection are calculated. It is hypothesized that the type of reflection that will occur is that which produces the smaller change of specific energy. The transition angles predicted using this criterion show better agreement with experimental results than those predicted using the detachment criterion for incident shock waves with Mach numbers between 1.1 and 2.0.This article was processed using Springer-Verlag TEX Shock Waves macro package     

Study on the Fuel Air Mixing Induced by a Shock Wave Propagating into a H2-Air Interface

2nd-order upwind TVD scheme was used to solve the laminar, fully Navier-Stokes equations. The numerical simulations were done on the propagation of a shock wave with Ma _S = 2 and 4 into a hydrogen and air mixture in a duct and a duct with a rearward step. The results indicate that a swirling vortex may be generated in the lopsided interface behind the moving shock. Meanwhile, the complex shock system is also formed in this shear flow region. A large swirling vortex is produced and the fuel mixing can be enhanced by a shock wave at low Mach number. But in a duct with a rearward step, the shock almost disappears in hydrogen for Ma _S = 2. The shock in hydrogen will become strong if Ma _S is large. Similar to the condition of a shock moving in a duct full of hydrogen and air, a large vortex can be formed in the shear flow region. The large swirling vortex even gets through the reflected shock and impacts on the lower wall. Then, the distribution of hydrogen behind the rearward step is divided into two regions. The transition from regular reflection to Mach reflection was observed as well in case Ma _S = 4.     

Re-initiation phenomenon of gaseous detonation induced by shock reflection

The two-dimensional, time-dependent, reactive Navier–Stokes equations including the effects of viscosity, thermal conduction and molecular diffusion were solved to reveal the wave evolution and chemical dynamics involved in the re-initiation process. The computation was performed for hydrogen–oxygen–argon mixtures at the low initial pressure (8.00 kPa), using detailed chemical reaction model. The results show that, the decoupled leading shock reflects on the right wall of the vertical branch. High temperature and pressure behind the reflected shock induce the generation of hot spots and local explosion. Therefore, the re-initiation of gaseous detonation occurs. In the re-initiation area, there exist very high OH concentration and no H ₂ concentration. However, in front of reflected shock, there exist relatively high H ₂ concentration and no OH radicals. Additionally, the shock–flame interaction induces RM instability. This results in the fast mixing between hot reacted gas mixture and the relatively cold unreacted gas mixture and accelerates the chemical reactions. However, the shock–flame interaction contributes much less to the re-initiation, in contrast with shock reflection. The transition of leading shock from regular reflection to Mach reflection happens during the re-initiation. The computed evolution of wave structures involved in the re-initiation is qualitatively agreeable with that from the experimental schlieren images.      

Diffuse holographic interferometric observation of shock wave reflection from a skewed wedge

The pattern of shock wave reflection over a wedge is, in general, either a regular reflection or a Mach reflection, depending on wedge angles, shock wave Mach numbers, and specific heat ratios of gases. However, regular and Mach reflections can coexist, in particular, over a three-dimensional wedge surface, whose inclination angles locally vary normal to the direction of shock propagation. This paper reports a result of diffuse double exposure holographic interferometric observations of shock wave reflections over a skewed wedge surface placed in a 100 × 180 mm shock tube. The wedge consists of a straight generating line whose local inclination angle varies continuously from 30° to 60°. Painting its surface with fluorescent spray paint and irradiating its surface with a collimated object beam at a time interval of a few microseconds, we succeeded in visualizing three-dimensional shock reflection over the skewed wedge surface. Experiments were performed at shock Mach numbers, 1.55, 2.02, and 2.53 in air. From reconstructed holographic images, we estimated critical transition angles at these shock wave Mach numbers and found that these were very close to those over straight wedges. This is attributable to the flow three-dimensionality.      

Shock wave diffraction on multi-facetted and curved walls

The two-dimensional diffraction of a shock wave over a wall made up of a series of plane and/or curved sections is considered. The analysis is based on the theory presented by, for the interaction of an originally plane shock wave with a corner. A method is presented by which the shock profile may be determined for a wall of any shape and for any incident Mach number, in regions where the characteristics form a simple wave. Comparisons are made between experimental measurements and theoretical predictions for convex walls consisting of a number of facets, and for circular arcs, for a range of incident shock wave Mach numbers. It is shown that the theory gives a satisfactory prediction of the wave shape, which improves as the Mach number increases. Modifications in the flow field behind the shock, compared to that for a simple corner made up of two plane walls is discussed, particularly relating to flow separation. For circular arc concave walls a inverse Mach reflection results experimentally, leading to regular reflection, for which the theory is of no use. PACS 47.40.Nm     

Holographic interferometric investigation of shock wave interaction with a ramp

The internal flowfield including shock reflections structure inside a 2-D half inlet model was examined by a double exposure holographic interferometry using a Q-switched pulse laser. The interferograms give detailed flow visualization pictures. The structures of regular reflection, lambda reflection and Mach reflection in the inlet channel were observed. From the analysis of fringe patterns, the quantitative distributions of flow density, pressure and Mach number of the internal flowfield have been reconstructed. The boundary layer thickening and separation in the case of lambda reflection and the Mach stem in the case of Mach reflection were clearly demonstrated in the holographic fringe patterns. The results show that the shock interacitons with the ramp and the wall introduce a complicated flow structure which could strongly affect the efficiency of the inlet.This article was processed using Springer-Verlag T_EX Shock Waves macro package 1.0 and the AMS fonts, developed by the American Mathematical Society.     

On flows behind shock waves reflected from a solid wall

The flow fields associated with the interaction of a normal shock wave with a plane wall kept at a constant temperature were studied based on kinetic theory which can describe appropriately the shock structure and its reflection process. With the use of a difference scheme, the time developments of the distributions of the fluid dynamic quantities (velocity, temperature, pressure and number density of the gas) were obtained numerically from the BGK model of the Boltzmann equation subject to the condition of diffusive-reflection at the wall for several cases of incident Mach number:M ₁=1.2, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0. The reflection process of the shocks is shown explicitly together with the resulting formation of the flow fields as time goes on. The nonzero uniform velocity toward the wall occurring between the viscous boundary layer and the reflected shock wave is found to be fairly large, the magnitude of which is of the order of several percent of the velocity induced behind the incident shock, decreasing as the incident Mach number increases. It is also seen that a region of positive velocity (away from the wall) within the viscous boundary layer manifests itself in the immediate vicinity of the wall, which is distinct for larger incident Mach numbers. Some of the calculated density profiles are compared with available experimental data and also with numerical results based on the Navier-Stokes equations. The agreement between the three results is fairly good except in the region close to the wall, where the difference in the conditions of these studies and the inappropriateness of the Navier-Stokes equations manifest themselves greatly in the gas behavior.This article was processed using Springer-Verlag TEX Shock Waves macro package 1990.