Cylindrically and spherically symmetrical rapid intense compression of an ideal perfect gas with adiabatic exponents from 1.001 to 3

The problem of the rapid intense cylindrically or spherically symmetrical compression of an ideal (non-viscous and non-heat-conducting) perfect gas with different adiabatic exponents is considered. We mean by rapid and intense a compression in a time much less than the time taken for the sound wave to propagate through the uncompressed target up to temperatures and densities as high as desired. It is found that the solution previously obtained with a focused non-self-similar compression wave at the point where the shock wave is reflected from the axis or centre of symmetry (henceforth the centre of symmetry) holds for adiabatic exponents not exceeding 1.9092 and 1.8698 respectively in the cylindrical and spherical cases. It was not possible to construct a complete solution with focusing at the centre of symmetry for gases with higher adiabatic exponents. On the other hand, one can focus the compression waves into a cylinder or sphere of as small, but finite, radius as desired at the instant of arrival on them, for example, of a special characteristic or reflected shock wave of the Guderley problem. It is shown that for high degrees of compression, the time dependences of the coordinates of the pistons which produce such focusing, and of the gas density on them are close to power laws.     

Self-similar time-varying flows of an ideal gas with a change in the adiabatic exponent in a “reflected” shock wave

Self-similar one-dimensional time-varying problems are considered under the assumption that there is a change in the adiabatic exponent in a shock wave (SW) running (“reflected”) from a centre or axis of symmetry (later from a centre of symmetry, CS) or from a plane. The medium is an ideal (inviscid and non-heat-conducting) perfect gas with constant heat capacities. In problems with strong SW, the change in the adiabatic exponent in a gas approximately simulates physicochemical processes such as dissociation and ionization and, in the problem of the collapse of a spherical cavity in a liquid, the conversion of liquid into vapour. In both cases, the adiabatic exponent decreases on passing across a reflected SW. Problems of the collapse of a spherical cavity, the reflection of a strong SW from a centre of symmetry and a simpler problem with a self-similarity index of one are examined. When it is assumed that there is an increase in the adiabatic exponent, the self-similar solutions of the first two problems are rejected due to the decrease in entropy from the instant when the SW is reflected. When it is assumed that there is a decrease in the adiabatic exponent, the solutions of these problems only become unsuitable after a finite time has elapsed for the same reason. Up to this time when the decrease in the adiabatic exponent has not reached a certain threshold, the structure of the self-similar solution does not undergo qualitative changes. When the above-mentioned threshold is exceeded, a self-similar solution is possible if a cylindrical or spherical piston expands according to a special law from the instant of SW reflection from the CS. When there is no piston, the flow behind the reflected wave becomes non-self- similar. In the case of the deceleration of a plane flow, conditions are possible with the joining of SW from different sides to a centred rarefaction wave.     

Self-similar convergence of a shock wave in a heat conducting gas

The problem of the convergence of a spherical shock wave (SW) to the centre, taking into account the thermal conductivity of the gas in front of the SW, is considered within the limits of a proposed approximate model of a heat conducting gas with an infinitely high thermal conductivity and a small temperature gradient, such that the heat flux is finite in a small region in front of the converging SW. In this model, there is a phase transition in the surface of the SW from a perfect gas to another gas with different constant specific heat and the heat outflow. The gas is polytropic and perfect behind the SW. Constraints are derived which are imposed on the self-similarity indices as a function of the adiabatic exponents on the two sides of the SW. In front of the SW, the temperature and density increase without limit. In the general case, a set of self-similar solutions with two self-similarity indices exists but, in the case of strong SW close to the limiting compression, there are two solutions, each of which is completely determined by the motion of the spherical piston causing the self-similar convergence of the SW.     

Spherical shock wave generated by a moving piston in mixture of a non-ideal gas and small solid particles under a gravitational field

Self-similar solutions are obtained for one-dimensional isothermal and adiabatic unsteady flows behind a strong spherical shock wave propagating in a dusty gas. The shock is assumed to be driven out by a moving piston and the dusty gas to be a mixture of a non-ideal (or perfect) gas and small solid particles, in which solid particles are continuously distributed. It is assumed that the equilibrium flow-conditions are maintained and variable energy input is continuously supplied by the piston. The medium is under the influence of the gravitational field due to a heavy nucleus at the origin (Roche model). The effects of an increase in the mass concentration of solid particles, the ratio of the density of the solid particles to the initial density of the gas, the gravitational parameter and the parameter of non-idealness of the gas in the mixture, are investigated. It is shown that due to presence of gravitational field the compressibility of the medium at any point in the flow-field behind the shock decreases and all other flow-variables and the shock strength increase. A comparison has also been made between the isothermal and adiabatic flows. It is investigated that the singularity in the density and compressibility distributions near the piston in the case of adiabatic flow are removed when the flow is isothermal.     

The reflection of a shock wave from a centre or axis of symmetry at adiabatic exponents from 1.2 to 3

The self-similar problem of the reflection of a shock wave from a centre or axis of symmetry for adiabatic exponents from 1.2 to 3 with a maximum step of 0.1 is solved. The distributions of the main parameters behind the reflected shock wave are obtained.     

Nonself-similar flow with a shock wave reflected from the center of symmetry and new self-similar solutions with two reflected shocks

In some problems concerning cylindrically and spherically symmetric unsteady ideal (inviscid and nonheat-conducting) gas flows at the axis and center of symmetry (hereafter, at the center of symmetry), the gas density vanishes and the speed of sound becomes infinite starting at some time. This situation occurs in the problem of a shock wave reflecting from the center of symmetry. For an ideal gas with constant heat capacities and their ratio γ (adiabatic exponent), the solution of this problem near the reflection point is self-similar with a self-similarity exponent determined in the course of the solution construction. Assuming that γ on the reflected shock wave decreases, if this decrease exceeds a threshold value, the flow changes substantially. Assuming that the type of the solution remains unchanged for such γ, self-similarity is preserved if a piston starts expanding from the center of symmetry at the reflection time preceded by a finite-intensity reflected shock wave propagating at the speed of sound. To answer some questions arising in this formulation, specifically, to find the solution in the absence of the piston, the evolution of a close-to-self-similar solution calculated by the method of characteristics is traced. The required modification of the method of characteristics and the results obtained with it are described. The numerical results reveal a number of unexpected features. As a result, new self-similar solutions are constructed in which two (rather than one) shock waves reflect from the center of symmetry in the absence of the piston.     

Localization of gas-dynamic processes and structure when the material is compressed adiabatically, in the peaking mode

Adiabatic compression of gas by a piston, the pressure on which increases in the peaking mode, is studied. The entropy is distributed over the mass. A class of selfsimilar solutions (the LS mode) is constructed and its properties are studied. It is shown that the effective dimensions of the compression wave decrease with time and all gas-dynamic perturbations are localized within a finite mass of the gas. The solutions obtained are characterized by the presence of a structure (inhomogeneities) in the density and temperature. The compression occurs without the formation of shock waves.     

Hypersonic flow past a sphere

The effects of dissociation or ionization of air on the analytical solution for hypersonic flow past a sphere are considered here, under certain assumptions. It has been assumed that the shock wave is in the shape of a sphere, that the density ratio across the shock is constant, that the flow behind the shock is at constant density and that dissociation or ionization only occurs behind the shock wave. Thus the effects of the compressibility of the air, variation of density ratio along the shock, and the department of the shock shape from being circular are not taken into account. Here the velocity, pressure, temperature, pressure coefficient and vorticity, etc., at any point between the shock and the surface of the sphere in the presence of dissociation or ionization are obtained. In addition, shock detachment distance, drag coefficient, stagnation point velocity gradient and sonic points on the shock and the surface have also been obtained. The results have been compared with the corresponding results obtained in the case when dissociation or ionization does not occur behind the shock.     

Analytic solution of self-similar strong shocks in an exponential medium for zero temperature gradient

The self-similar one-dimensional propagation of a strong shock wave in a medium with an exponentially decreasing density is studied. The flow behind the shock is assumed to be spatially isothermal rather than adiabatic to simulate the conditions of large radiative transfer behind the shock. The solution in closed form is obtained. An analytic expression for the similarity exponent has also been obtained.     

On the mechanism of pressure increase with increasing porosity of the media compressed in conical and cylindrical targets

The effect of porosity on the solution of the problem on a shock wave entering a porous medium is studied. The dependence of the wave parameters appearing under shock compression of porous graphite, aluminum, and polytetrafluoroethylene in a steel target with a cavity in the shape of a truncated cone on the relative initial density is investigated. For a steel target with a cylindrical cavity filled with graphite, the effect of increasing the peak pressure on the symmetry axis in the case when the solid graphite is replaced with porous one is investigated.     

On the acceleration of shock waves and concentration of energy

By a series of simple examples related to exact solutions of problems in gas dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics, possible mechanisms of acceleration of shock waves and concentration of energy are elucidated. The acceleration of a shock wave is investigated in the problem of motion of a plane piston at a constant velocity in the case when the initial density of the medium drops in the presence of constant counterpressure. It is shown that in this situation a “blow-up” regime is induced by a shock wave going to infinity in finite time even for limited work of the piston. A simple spherically symmetric solution with a converging shock wave is constructed and shown to lead to the concentration of energy. A general method for solving one-dimensional non-self-similar problems related to matching the equilibrium state to a motion with homogeneous deformation on a shock wave is discussed; this method leads to a solution in quadratures.     

Unlimited cumulation under one-dimensional unsteady compression of an ideal gas

Various methods of unlimited cumulation (UC) of an ideal (inviscid and non-heat-conducting) gas subject to one-dimensional unsteady compression by a plane, cylindrical, or spherical piston are considered. The most perfect method, namely, UC with isentropic compression from rest to rest, which is referred to as “ideal” (IUC), is compared with three other methods of UC, which correspond to well-known self-similar solutions of one-dimensional gas compression. The most effective of these is UC with a reflected shock wave, behind which the compressed gas is homogeneous and at rest, as in IUC. The efficiency of various methods of UC is estimated by the ratio of the work done during compression to the work in the case of IUC, the ratio of the internal energy to the total energy of the compressed gas, and the degree of gas homogeneity with respect to the Lagrangian variable. Computations of these characteristics are carried out for a perfect gas with various adiabatic exponents.     

Isothermal flow behind a shock wave propagating in the solar wind

A Parker-type blast wave, which is headed by a strong shock, driven out by a propelling contact surface, moving into an ambient solar wind having a strictly inverse square law radial decay in density, is studied. Assuming the self-similar flow behind the shock to be isothermal, approximate analytical and exact numerical solutions are obtained. There is a good agreement between the approximate analytical and exact numerical solutions. It is observed that the mathematical singularity in density at the contact surface is removed for the isothermal flow.     

Spherical rarefaction flow in the neighbourhood of a reflection point of a “boundary” characteristic

The structure of the one-dimensional steady spherically symmetric rarefaction flow of an ideal (inviscid and non-heat-conducting) gas in the neighbourhood of a reflection point of a “boundary” C⁻-characteristic is investigated in principal order. The “boundary” C⁻-characteristic separates the gas at rest from the flow due to the outward motion of a piston which confines the gas. In the rt plane, where r is the distance from the centre of symmetry and t is the time, the reflection point, which coincides with the point of arrival on the t axis of the boundary characteristic, coincides with the origin of coordinates. The initial velocity of the piston may be zero (for positive acceleration) or finite. When two symmetrical plane pistons advance, the “derived” derivatives of all the flow parameters on the C⁻-characteristic at the origin of coordinates, which in this case lies on the plane of symmetry, are finite. When a cylindrical and spherical piston advance, the derived derivative of the pressure (velocity) of the gas on the C⁻-characteristic at the origin of coordinates becomes minus (plus)-infinity although without intersecting characteristics of the same family [1–4].     

Dissociation effect on the hypersonic flow past a circular cylinder

The effects of dissociation of air on hypersonic flow past a circular cylinder at zero angle of incidence are considered under the assumptions that the shock wave is in the shape of a circular cylinder, the density ratio across the shock is constant, the flow behind the shock is at constant density and dissociation occurs only behind the shock wave. In the present paper, the velocity, pressure and drag coefficients, vorticity, shock detachment distance, stagnation point velocity gradient and sonic points on the shock and the surface have been obtained in the presence of dissociation. The results have been compared with the corresponding results obtained in the case when dissociation dose not occur and the corresponding results in the case of the sphere in the presence of dissociation.     

The asymptotic laws of shockless strong compression of quasi-one-dimensional gas layers

The solutions of initial-boundary-value problems describing the shockless compression of cylindrically and spherically symmetric layers on an ideal polytropic gas to infinite density are investigated. Attention is also devoted to the quasi-one-dimensional case, when the surface on which the compression takes place is in one-to-one correspondence with the sonic characteristic surface separating the initial background flow and the compression wave. The solutions are expanded in convergent power series in a space of special dependent and independent variables, both in the neighbourhood of the final time. Asymptotic laws of shockless strong compression are found, and it is proved that they are described by curves in the convergence domains of the series. The additional external energy resources required for the transition from the compression of plane layers to that of quasi-one-dimensional layers are shown to be finite, provided that the polytropy index of the gas is not greater than three.     

Study of the stability in the problem on flowing around a wedge. The case of strong wave

We consider the flow of an inviscid nonheatconducting gas in the thermodynamical equilibrium state around a plane infinite wedge and study the stationary solution to this problem, the so-called strong shock wave; the flow behind the shock front is subsonic.We find a solution to a mixed problem for a linear analog of the initial problem, prove that the solution trace on the shock wave is the superposition of direct and reflected waves, and, the main point, justify the Lyapunov asymptotical stability of the strong shock wave provided that the angle at the wedge vertex is small, the uniform Lopatinsky condition is fulfilled, the initial data have a compact support, and the solvability conditions take place if needed (their number depends on the class in which the generalized solution is found).     

Effect of impulsive change of wall velocity and wall temperature in viscous heat-conducting gas

A study of compression waves produced in a viscous heat-conducting gas by the impulsive start of a one-dimensional piston and by the inpulsive change of piston wall temperature is made using Laplace Transform Technique for Prandt1 number unity. Expressions for velocity, temperature and density have also been obtained using small-time expansion procedure in this case. For arbitrary Prandt1 number solutions have been developed using large-time expansion procedure. A number of graphs exhibiting the distribution of the fluid velocity, temperature and density have been drawn.     

Focusing of shock waves in a highly viscous fluid

The method of combined asymptotic expansions is used to solve the problem of the focusing of a shock wave (in a weakly compressible medium of high viscosity. Asymptotic forms of the solution are constructed in a number of spatial zones. The focusing zone is described by its asymptotic form obtained by combining it with the solution corresponding to viscous geometrical acoustics. The reflection of a shock wave formed as a result of velocity jump near one of the foci of the ellipsoid of revolution is discussed as an example. Analytical relationships descrbing the focusing zone around the second focus are obtained. It is shown that at the focus itself the wave profile has an antisymmetric form, and the compression wave is followed by a rarefaction wave of the same form.