Grid turbulence and its interaction with a shock wave

Abstract

Turbulent fluctuations of density and pressure in air and argon in a shock tube have been investigated as well as their interaction with a shock wave reflected from a perforated plate at the end of a shock tube. Air and argon were used as test gases. The Mach number of the incident shock was 1.9–3.9, that one of the reflected shock was 1.4–2.4. The turbulent length scale behind the incident shock was measured as well as that one behind the reflected shock. The last value is a few times less than the former. It was established that there is overpressure in the turbulent flow behind the reflected shock. The value of the overpressure is 12% in argon and 9% in air.