A shock tube research facility for high-resolution measurements of compressible turbulence

A new shock tube facility with a 30.5 cm (1 ft) inside diameter is currently in operation that allows for high-spatial-resolution measurements of compressible turbulence. Small scales of turbulence behave very differently from large scales when they interact with shock or expansion waves. Highly resolved measurements can provide new information on the interaction at small scales. Another notable characteristic of the present facility is the ability to control the flow velocity behind the reflected shock through the porosity of the reflecting wall. Tests showed good flow quality with sufficiently long observation times. Measurements of piecewise average skin friction over short segments of the tube indicated strong viscous effects very close to the diaphragm where the shock is developing. The skin friction and the shock propagation speed virtually remained constant inside the working section of the shock tube in all investigated flow cases, even in low Mach number cases where viscous effects are stronger. The experimental results are compared with numerical simulations, including the effects of the reflecting porous wall and viscous effects.