Shock-Tube Operation with Laser-Beam-Induced Diaphragm Rupture

Abstract

Introduction A SHOCK tube is a fundamental experimental tool for research on shock waves and compressible fluid dynamics. The lowand high-pressure channels in a shock tube are usually separated from each other by a diaphragm. For operations in a moderate pressure range, plastic material, such as Mylar or cellophane, is used for the diaphragm. In ideal shock-tube operation, the separation should be instantly and completely removed so that a plane shock wave is generated immediately. However, in practice it takes a finite time for the diaphragm to be ruptured before the flow past the diaphragm reaches the full channel value.1,2 If only a partial area of the diaphragm is ruptured or the time required for the rupture is too long, the shock formation distance cannot be neglected, and/or the postshock pressure deviates from the ideal value. This problem becomes significant when the fill pressure difference between the