The influence of boundary layer growth on shock tube test times

Summary A theoretical and experimental investigation of the limitation on shock tube test times which is caused by the development of laminar and turbulent boundary layers behind the incident shock is presented. Two theoretical methods of predicting the test time have been developed. In the first a linearised solution of the unsteady one-dimensional conservation equations is obtained which describes the variations in the average flow properties external to the boundary layer. The boundary layer growth behind the shock is related to the actual extent of the hot flow and not, as in previous unsteady analyses, to its ideal extent. This new unsteady analysis is consequently not restricted to regions close to the diaphragm. Shock tube test times are determined from calculations of the perturbed shock and interface trajectories. In the second method a constant velocity shock is assumed and test times are determined by approximately satisfying only the condition of mass continuity between the shock and the interface. A critical comparison is made between this and previous theories which assume a constant velocity shock. Test times predicted by the constant shock speed theory are generally in agreement with those predicted by the unsteady theory, although the latter predicts a transient maximum test time in excess of the final asymptotic value. Shock tube test times have also been measured over a wide range of operating conditions and these measurements, supplemented by those reported elsewhere, are compared with the predictions of the theories; good agreement is generally obtained. Finally, a simple method of estimating shock tube test times is outlined, based on self similar solutions of the constant shock speed analysis.Nomenclature a speed of sound - A, B, C constants defined in section 5.3 - D shock tube diameter - K =/q ^m, boundary layer growth constant, see Appendices A and B - l hot flow length - m constant, =1/2 or 4/5 for laminar or turbulent boundary layers, respectively - M ₀ initial shock Mach number at the diaphragm - M _s shock Mach number at station x _s - M ₂ =(U ₀–u ₂)/a ₂, hot flow Mach number relative to the shock front - N = ₂ a ₂/ ₃ a ₃, the ratio of acoustic impedances across the interface - P pressure - P* =P _e–P ₂, perturbation pressure - q boundary layer growth coordinate defined in § 2 - Q =(W–1+S) K - r radial distance from shock tube axis - S boundary layer integral defined by equation A6 - t time - t =/ , dimensionless ratio of test times - T =l/l , Roshko's dimensionless ratio of hot flow lengths - u axial flow velocity in laboratory coordinate system, see figure 1a - u* =u _e–u₂, perturbation axial flow velocity - U shock velocity - U ₀ initial shock velocity at the diaphragm - U* =U–U ₀, perturbation shock velocity - v axial flow velocity in shock-fixed coordinate system, see figure 1b - w radial flow velocity - W =U ₀/(U ₀–u ₂), density ratio across the shock - x axial distance from shock tube diaphragm - x _s, x _s axial distance between shock wave and diaphragm - t = _I/ , dimensionless ratio of test times - X =l _I/l , Roshko's dimensionless ratio of hot flow lengths - y =(D/2)–r, radial distance from the shock tube wall - ratio of specific heats - boundary layer thickness; undefined - boundary layer displacement thickness - boundary layer thickness defined by equation A2 - characteristic direction defined by dx/dt = (u ₂–a ₂) - =(M ₀ ² +1)/(M ₀ ² –1) - viscosity - characteristic direction defined by dx/dt=(u ₂+a ₂) - density - * = _te–₂, perturbation density - Prandtl number - shock tube test time - =M ₀ ² /(M ₀ ² –1) Suffices 1 conditions in the undisturbed flow ahead of the shock - 2 conditions immediately behind an unattenuated shock - 3 conditions in the expanded driver gas - 4 conditions in the undisturbed driver gas - e conditions between the shock and the interface, averaged across the inviscid core flow - i conditions at the interface - I denotes the predictions of ideal shock tube theory - asymptotic conditions given when x _s and t - s conditions at or immediately behind the shock - w conditions at the shock tube wall - a, b, b ¹, c, d, d ¹, f, f ¹, g, g ¹, j, k, k ¹ conditions at the points indicated in figure 2