Passage of a shock wave through inhomogeneous media and its impact on gas-bubble deformation.

Abstract

The paper investigates shock-induced vortical flows within inhomogeneous media of nonuniform thermodynamic properties. Numerical simulations are performed using a Eulerian type mathematical model for compressible multicomponent flow problems. The model, which accounts for pressure nonequilibrium and applies different equations of state for individual flow components, shows excellent capabilities for the resolution of interfaces separating compressible fluids as well as for capturing the baroclinic source of vorticity generation. The developed finite volume Godunov type computational approach is equipped with an approximate Riemann solver for calculating fluxes and handles numerically diffused zones at flow component interfaces. The computations are performed for various initial conditions and are compared with available experimental data. The initial conditions promoting a shock-bubble interaction process include weak to high planar shock waves with a Mach number ranging from 1.2 to 3 and isolated cylindrical bubble inhomogeneities of helium, argon, nitrogen, krypton, and sulphur hexafluoride. The numerical results reveal the characteristic features of the evolving flow topology. The impulsively generated flow perturbations are dominated by the reflection and refraction of the shock, the compression, and acceleration as well as the vorticity generation within the medium. The study is further extended to investigate the influence of the ratio of the heat capacities on the interface deformation.