NORMAL SHOCK

WAVES and RELATED

TOPICS
Aldecoa
Introduction: NSW
Introduction: NSW
 region of the shock closest to
the nose is essentially Normal
to the flow
 streamline that passes through
this bow shock later impinges
on the nose of the body and
controls the total pressure and
temperature at the nose

 Nose Region; Properties of the

flow behind the NSW:
 practical interest in the
Calculation of Drag and
Aerodynamic Heating
Introduction: NSW

 Supersonic wind tunnel;

Rocket engine
 Back pressure is high enough
to cause a normal wave to
stand inside the nozzle
Topics:
Basic Normal Shock
Equations
Basic Normal Shock Equations
 Usual problem of the NSW are stated as follows:
 given the flow properties Upstream of the wave (P1, T1, M1,
etc.), calculate the flow properties (P2, T2, M2, etc.) Downstream
of the wave.

 Three Important Physical Facts about NSW flow:

1. Steady
2. Adiabatic; Temperature Increases across (NOT because heat is
being added, but rather, KE is converted to Internal Energy)
3. NO Viscous effects on the sides of the control volume
4. No body forces; f = 0
Basic Normal Shock Equations
1. Continuity

2. Momentum

3. Energy

 Note: not limited to NSW; governing equations for One-

dimensional, Steady, Adiabatic, Inviscid flow.
Speed of Sound
Speed of Sound
 Physical mechanism of sound propagation in a gas:
 based on molecular motion
 for example: When a firecracker detonates, chemical energy is
transferred to the air molecules adjacent to the firecracker
 energized molecules are moving about in Random motion;
“Domino” effect

 Sound Wave:
 nothing more than an Infinitely weak normal shock wave
 Flow through is Isentropic (Adiabatic and Reversible)
Speed of Sound in a Calorically
Perfect Gas

 Speed of Sound at SSLC:

Special Forms of Energy
Equation
Special Forms of Energy Equation
 Energy Equation

 W/ Total condition:

 W/ Sonic condition:
Special Forms of Energy Equation
 Total-Sonic Relation

 Total-to-Static ratios

 Sonic-to-Total ratios

Note: Function of k only

 If k = 1.4:
Characteristic Mach #
 In theory of supersonic flow, this is sometimes convenient to
introduce
 “a*” not to be confused w/ the actual local mach #; speed of
sound at sonic conditions
 just like the stagnation properties
 imaginary situation when a real state in the flow is brought to
sonic state
 maximum value of Mach # it can attain in a choked nozzle
flow
Characteristic Mach #

 Relation between the Actual Mach # (M) and Characteristic

Mach # (M*):
Example:
Activity #1
 At a point in the flow over an F-15 high-performance fighter
airplane, the pressure, temperature, and Mach number are
1890 psf, 450˚R, and 1.5 respectively. At this point, calculate
To, po, T*, p*, M*, and the flow velocity (V).