Conical Mach reflection of moving shock waves, Part 2: Physical and CFD experimentation

Analytical consideration of Mach reflections over cones using the ray-shock theory showed that they differ from those of the two-dimensional Mach reflection over wedges. Conical configurations include both self-similar and non-self-similar cases. However, even when self-similar, the conical configurations exhibit triple-point locus trajectory angles with values which, for any given reflection angle, differ from those of self-similar, wedge cases. Additionally, within the range of possible conical configurations, different values of self-similar triple-point locus angles exist for any given reflection angle depending on the geometry of the particular reflection process. While the ray-shock theory, as discussed in a previous paper on this research, provides a useful guide and a means of readily identifying these variations, verification using both shock tube and numerical simulations is required and is now available. Results of experimentation for both self-similar and non-self-similar axisym metric cases using these techniques are reported here and comparisons are made with the previous analysis. These support the calculations of the ray-shock theory over much of the reflection angle, Mach number range as well as highlighting some limitations of the theory. Received 15 October 1996 / Accepted 14 April 1997