Experimental Investigation of Normal Shock Wave-Counter Flow Interactions

Abstract

The interactions between a shock wave and various flows are important research subjects in various fields. Investigations of shock wave interaction with hot bubbles and that with turbulence lead to important applications in aerospace engineering. Energy deposition in supersonic flow has been investigated in recent years as the method to moderate a shock wave and reduce the wave drag. Previous results showed the drag was reduced by up to 21 % with laser-induced bubbles at Mach number of 1.92 flow [1]. Yet, if hot bubbles are connected with each other to form a long column, the drag reduction is expected to be much enhanced [2]. The shock wave-hot bubble column interaction was investigated using a single shock tube and a repetitive pulse laser; however the deformation of the shock wave was not observed because of the limitation of the facility performance [3]. Also, the interaction between a weak shock wave and turbulence has been investigated in order to understand basic processes of sonic boom propagating through the atmospheric turbulence. Some reports indicated that a weak shock wave is greatly modulated by the turbulence [4]; however the mechanisms of the modulation have not been well understood.