Supersonic Flow over Convex and Concave Corners
Concave Corner → Oblique Shock Wave:
- Flow turned into itself (deflection upward).
- Shock inclined at angle β.
- Mach decreases, pressure, T, ρ increase.
- Discontinuous change.
Convex Corner → Expansion Wave:
- Flow turned away from itself (deflection downward).
- Prandtl–Meyer expansion fan develops.
- Mach increases, pressure, T, ρ decrease.
- Continuous process.
Key Contrast:
Concave → Shock, M decreases, p/T/ρ increase.
Convex → Expansion, M increases, p/T/ρ decrease.
Attached and Detached Shocks
Attached Shock:
- Forms when θ < θmax for given M1.
- Straight, oblique shock attached to wedge tip.
- Weak or strong solution possible.
- Downstream flow direction follows wedge surface.
Detached Shock:
- Occurs when θ > θmax (no oblique solution).
- Shock stands ahead of body as bow shock.
- Flow is strongly compressed, usually M2 < 1.
- Seen in blunt bodies and high deflections.
Weak and Strong Shocks (θ–β–M Relation)
Weak Shock:
- Smaller shock angle β from θ–β–M relation.
- M2 remains supersonic (except near θmax).
- Pressure rise is moderate, entropy rise small.
- Stable, commonly observed in nature.
Strong Shock:
- Larger β solution of θ–β–M relation.
- M2 is subsonic.
- Strong compression: large rise in p, T, ρ, entropy.
- Rare, occurs with high back pressure forcing.
Moving Shock Theory
Concept:
- Shock can move into stationary gas (shock tube, blast wave).
- Shock-fixed frame vs lab frame are equivalent by Galilean transformation.
Equations:
- Mass: ρ1(Vs - u1) = ρ2(Vs - u2)
- Momentum: p2 - p1 = ρ1 Vs u2
- For u1=0: Vs = (ρ2 / (ρ2 - ρ1)) u2
Key Results:
- Weak shock speed ~ a1 (sonic).
- Strong shocks move much faster, with high compression.
Applications:
- Shock tubes, blast waves, wind tunnel starting.
Flow through CD Nozzle
Flow regimes:
1. Subsonic everywhere (not choked).
2. Choked: M=1 at throat, divergent flow depends on back pressure.
3. Supersonic region forms, terminated by normal shock.
4. Shock moves to exit → subsonic jet.
5. Overexpanded: pe < pa, shocks outside nozzle.
6. Design: pe = pa, fully supersonic jet.
7. Underexpanded: pe > pa, expansion waves at exit.
Effect of Back Pressure:
- High pb: subsonic flow.
- Lower pb: flow chokes at throat.
- Further lowering: shocks inside nozzle.
- Shock at exit → overexpanded.
- Design: pb = pe → ideal.
- Underexpanded: pe > pb → expansion fans outside nozzle.
Weak Oblique vs Detached Shocks
Weak Oblique Shock:
- θ < θmax, attached to wedge.
- Small β, M2 supersonic.
- Moderate p/T/ρ increase.
- Stable, favored in nature.
Detached Shock:
- θ > θmax → curved bow shock.
- Strong compression, M2 subsonic.
- High p/T/ρ rise, large entropy increase.
- Seen ahead of blunt bodies.
Oblique Shock Relations and Shock Polar
Oblique Shock Relations:
- θ–β–M relation links θ, β, M1.
- Normal Mach: Mn1 = M1 sin β.
- Post-shock Mach: M2 = Mn2 / sin(β - θ).
- Pressure, density, temperature from normal shock relations.
Shock Polar:
- Curve of all possible downstream velocity vectors for given M1.
- Weak branch (supersonic M2), strong branch (subsonic M2).
- Limit point = θmax.
- Used to analyze supersonic wedges, intakes.
Influence:
- Determines attached/detached shocks.
- Predicts pressures and flow angles in supersonic systems.
Shock Polar and Hodograph
Shock Polar:
- Locus of all downstream velocity vectors after oblique shock for fixed M1.
- Weak and strong branches.
- Limit corresponds to θmax.
- Useful in airfoils, intakes, wedges.
Velocities in Hodograph:
- Hodograph = velocity plane (u vs v).
- Shock polar drawn in hodograph plane.
- Shows velocity magnitude reduction and deflection angle θ after shock.
Weak Oblique Shocks
Characteristics:
- Smaller β solution of θ–β–M relation.
- Downstream Mach usually supersonic.
- Moderate rise in p/T/ρ, small entropy increase.
- Inclined close to Mach angle.
- Stable and favored in nature.
Significance:
- Common in supersonic wings, intakes, nozzles.
- Efficient (low losses).
- Maintains supersonic flow downstream.
- Preferred in design over strong shocks.
Shock–Expansion Theory (Q9)
Definition:
- Method for pressure distribution on supersonic bodies.
- Compression corners → shocks, pressure rises.
- Expansion corners → Prandtl–Meyer fans, pressure drops.
Application:
- Alternate use of oblique shock and expansion relations for full surface.
Relevance in Propulsion:
- Used in supersonic inlets of jet/ramjet/scramjets.
- Optimize multiple weak shocks to reduce losses.
- Ensures efficient compression before combustion.
Shock–Expansion Theory in Flows (Q10)
Relationship:
- Shocks (compression) and expansions always appear together.
- Shocks → p↑, M↓, entropy↑.
- Expansions → p↓, M↑, entropy constant.
Impact on Aerodynamic Systems:
- Airfoils: expansions on upper, shocks on lower → lift/drag balance.
- Nozzles: expansions accelerate; shocks cause losses.
- Inlets: multiple shocks compress efficiently; instability causes unstart.
Efficiency:
- Expansions = isentropic, no total pressure loss.
- Shocks = entropy rise, total pressure loss.
- Performance depends on balance of both phenomena.
