Evolution of shock waves and the primary vortex loop discharged from a square cross-sectional tube

In this paper, a numerical and experimental investigation of the evolution of a transmitting shock wave and its associated primary vortex loop, which are discharged from the open end of a square cross-sectional tube, is described. The experiments were conducted in the square tube connected to a diaphragmless shock tube and the flowfield was visualized from the axial direction with diffusive holographic interferometry. The numerical simulations were carried out by solving the three-dimensional Euler equations with a dispersion-controlled scheme. The numerical results were displayed in the form of interferograms to compare them with experimental interferograms. Good agreement between the numerical and experimental results was obtained. More detailed numerical calculations were carried out, from which the three-dimensional transition of the shock wave configuration from an initial planar to a spherical shape and the development of the primary vortex loop from a square shaped to a three-dimensional structure were clearly observed and interpreted. Received 29 January 1998 / Accepted 22 May 1998