Shock formation distance in a pressure driven shock tube

Abstract

Measurements of the shock formation distance in a conventional pressure driven shock tube of 5.2 cm i.d. using two different diaphragm types and three different driver gases with a driven gas of air are presented. The shock formation distance is found to be approximately proportional to the effective opening time of the diaphragm and inversely proportional to the average speeds of sound of the driver and driven gases.