Department Of Aerospace Engineering,

Indian Institute Of Technology Madras

AS3520: Aero Lab

Shock tube experiment

ANIK BHOWMICK
AE20B102
February 8, 2023
Contents
1 Aim 3

2 Theory 3

3 Shock Mach number from Experiment 3

4 Shock Mach number from Theory 3

5 Procedure 4

6 Apparatus 4

7 Observations 4

8 Calculations 4

9 Results 5

10 Discussion 5

11 Conclusion 6
11.1 Source of Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
11.2 Remedies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

List of Figures
1 Shock Tube Schematic Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

1
1 Aim
ˆ To understand the operation of a shock tube facility.
ˆ Obtain the shock Mach number of the moving normal shock in a shock tube theo-
retically and experimentally.

2 Theory
Shock tubes are facilities used to generate high pressure, high temperature gases, by
utilizing the propagation of shock wave through the gas. Shock tube consists of a high
pressure driver section and a low pressure driven section separated by a diaphragm. The
diaphragm bursts due to the pressure difference between the two sections and a shock
wave propagates through the driven section while an expansion fan propagates through
the driver section. This facility is widely used to carryout studies on propagating shock
waves. The Driver section can be pressurized by either combustion of Hydrogen and
Oxygen or by introducing gas at 140 Bar pressure from Pressurized Cylinder.

Figure 1: Shock Tube Schematic Diagram

3 Shock Mach number from Experiment

As the incident shock pass through the driven section, the pressure jump across the shock
will be clearly visible on the sensor readings. The sensors are placed at a known distance
and the time delay between the pressure jumps can be obtained from the sensor readings.
therefore shock velocity,
dx
S=
dt
And the corresponding Mach number is :
S
M=
a1
Where a1 is upstream speed of sound at that time.

4 Shock Mach number from Theory

Using the Pressure transducers we can find the pressure past the shock. Using p1 and p2
we can find the shock Mach number from Normal Shock relation.
p2 2γ γ−1
= M2 −
p1 γ+1 1 γ+1

2
5 Procedure
ˆ Set the initial pressure in the driven section.

ˆ Release the high pressure gas to the driver section.

ˆ Take all the pressure sensor reading by setting sufficient pre-trigger and post-trigger
timings.

6 Apparatus
ˆ Shock tube facility

ˆ Pressure transducers

ˆ DAQ

7 Observations

Figure 2: Transducer reading

Below is the table with all observations.

Transducer Reading
Temperature (K) Length (m) ∆t µs
∆V1 (Volt) ∆V2 (Volt)
310 2.4 1.76 1.5 940

The transducer calibration factor is c = 50mV/Psi.

8 Calculations
The Pressure sensed at transducer 1 is given below:

∆V 2.4
p2 = = = 48 Psi
c 50 × 10−3

3
The Pressure sensed at transducer 2 is given below:

∆V 1.76
p2 = = = 35.2 Psi
c 50 × 10−3

The shock speed is:

L 1.5
S= = = 1595.74 m/s
∆t 940 × 10−6

Assuming the γ of the air used is 1.4, the Experimental Mach number of the shock wave
is:

S 1595.74
M=√ = = 4.52
γRT1 352.93

We have p1 = 150 Torr. So for a Pressure ratio p2 /p1 of 16.55 the Theoretical Mach
number at transducer 1 is:
r
γ − 1 γ + 1 p2
M= +
2γ 2γ p1

M = 3.78

We have p1 = 150 Torr. So for a Pressure ratio p2 /p1 of 12.14 the Theoretical Mach
number at transducer 2 is:

M = 3.25

9 Results
The table below lists all the Calculated Data:
Theoretical
Pressure (Psi) Experimental
Shock Speed (m/s) Mach Number
Mach Number
At Transducer 1 At Transducer 2 At Transducer 1 At Transducer 2
48 35.2 1595.74 4.52 3.78 3.25

10 Discussion
From the table above we can see there is a mismatch between Experimental and Theo-
retical Mach number. The reason can be multiple.

ˆ The shock speed we assumed is uniform that need not be the case.

ˆ Random assumption of Temperature as 310 K may also be a probable cause.

ˆ Theoretical formula doesn’t consider any frictional effects including viscous bound-
ary layer and so on. The pressure transducer may suffer effects from the boundary
layer.

4
If we see the table then can figure out that the pressures at two transducers are different.
The cause is simply due to shock strength attenuation due to frictional effects. So the
downstream Transducer records less pressure and hence Less mach number. The differ-
ence in mach number is also a clear indication that the flow is under retardation due to
fanno effect. So any way the experimental Mach 4.52 is not a reasonable number.

11 Conclusion
The shock tube has many practical applications. One very important one to mention
is in Supersonic Wind Tunnel we can’t go beyond Mach 4. As the temperature falls so
less that the air gets condensed by the moisture content. Again heat addition to the
supersonic flow is not a good idea as due to Rayleigh Effect it will reduce the Mach
number. So a preheated air is needed to be sent. Shock tube enables the supersonic wind
tunnel to operate even upto Mach 15. The Air due to shock wave gets heated to quite
high temperature. But shock tube has some drawbacks like its operation period is very
short (1-2 ms). Our experiment has some errors to be noted

11.1 Source of Error

ˆ We didn’t have correct data of driven section pressure and Temperature. So we
Assumed some random reasonable figures.

ˆ Because we didn’t know the rupture pressure. So we couldn’t find the Theoretical
Mach Number using the formula given in the lab manual.

ˆ The correct composition of the air we didn’t know. So considering γ as 1.4 may
not be a good idea for Theoretical Calculations.

ˆ The transducers might have slight callibration errors.

Followings can be considered as few steps for Remedy.

11.2 Remedies
ˆ Use of instrument for measuring the Temperature and Pressure in the driven section.

ˆ Use of Air of known Composition for combustion in the driver section.

ˆ Using more accurate Transducers and more in numbers too. So that we can capture
the instantaneous shock speed even with better accuracy.