114 CHAPTER 6. NORMAL SHOCK
In one of the best book in fluid mechanics provides a problem that is the similar
to the piston pushing but with a twist. In this section analysis will carried for the error
in neglecting the moving shock. This problem is discussed here because at first glance
looks a simple problem, however, the physics of the problem is a bit complicated and
deserve a discussion
7
.
Fig. -6.14. Schematic of showing the
piston pushing air.
A piston with a known dimensions (shown in
Figure 6.14 is pushed by a constant force. The
gas (air) with an initial temperature is pushed
through a converging nozzle (shown in the origi-
nal schematic). The point where the moving shock
reaches to the exit there are two situations:choked
and unchoked flow. If the flow is choked, then
the Mach number at the exit is one. If the flow
is unchoked, then the exit Mach number is un-
known but the pressure ratio is know. Assuming
the flow is choked (see later for the calculation) the exit Mach number is 1 and there-
for, U
e
=
√
kRT =
√
1.4 ×287 × 0.833 ×293.15 ∼ 313[m/sec] The velocity at the
cylinder is assumed to be isentropic and hence area ratio is A/A
∗
= 1600 the condition
at the cylinder can be obtained from Potto-GDC as
M
T
T
0
ρ
ρ
0
A
A
?
P
P
0
A×P
A
∗
×P
0
F
F
∗
3.614E−4 1.0 1.0 1.6E+3 1.0 1.6E+3 6.7E+2
The piston velocity is then U
piston
= 0.000361425 ×
√
1.4 ×287 × 297.15 ∼
0.124[m/sec].
Before the semi state state is achieved, the piston is accelerated to the constant
velocity (or at least most constant velocity). A this stage, a shock wave is moving
away from piston toward the nozzle. If this shock reaches to exit before the semi
state is achieved, the only way to solve this problem is by a numerical method (either
characteristic methods or other numerical method) and it is out of the scope of this
chapter. The transition of the moving shock through the converging nozzle is neglected
in this discussion. However, if a quasi steady state is obtained, this discussion deals with
that case. Before the shock is reaching to exit no flow occur at the exit (as opposite
to the solution which neglects the moving shock).
The first case (choked, which is the more common, for example, syringe when
pushing air has similar situations), is determined from the fact that pressure at the
cylinder can be calculated. If the pressure ratio is equal or higher than the critical ratio
then the flow is choked. For the unchoked case, the exit Mach number is unknown.
However, the pressure ratio between the cylinder and the outside world is known. The
temperature in the cylinder has to be calculated using moving shock relationship.
7
A student from France forward this problem to this author after argument with his instructor. The
instructor used the book’s manual solution and refused to accept the student improved solution which
he learned from this book/author. Therefore, this problem will be referred as the French problem.