Chapter 9

Oblique shock and expansion waves

• Mach angle
• Oblique shock wave relations
• M – β – θ relation
• Attached/detached shock waves
• Supersonic inlets
• Prandtl-Meyer expansion
• Shock interactions and reflections

1
2
Wave angle
Consider a source of small disturbances in a quiescent medium
a
observer hears the sound
at at a frequency f = 1
t

Distance between wavefronts: a × t

The wavefronts are concentric with the source in the centre

3
 If the source is in motion
wavefronts not anymore concentric

hears a 3at
2at hears a
high tone low tone
at
vt
wavefronts more rarefied
in the direction opposite
to the motion and denser
in the direction of motion

The difference in perceived frequency is the Doppler effect

If V < a the source is always inside the circles
4
Source moving faster than sound speed
C
µ When the source
at moves from
A B
vt
B A
the sound wave
disturbed region travelled from
A C

Mach cone: envelope of spherical wavefronts

at a 1 æ 1 ö
Mach angle: sin µ = = = µ = arcsin ç ÷
vt v M èM ø
5
Disturbances stronger than sound (non-isentropic
disturbances)
A finite size object in motion produces shock waves

Since the sound speed a is altered (increased) after the shock

the wave angle will be larger OSW

Shock wave angle: b b MW

Mach wave angle: µ µ

with b ³µ M >1

6
7
Oblique shock relations
Planar oblique SW inclined at an angle b w.r.t. free stream

w1 u1 w2 u2
q
v1 , M 1 b v2 , M 2

b -q
v1
v v2

control volume

8
Introducing the Mach relative to velocity components:

w1 w2
Mt = ; Mt =
1 a1 2 a2
where u1 = V1 sin b
u2 = V2 sin ( b - q )

u1 v1
and M n = = sin b = M 1 sin b
1 a1 a1
M n = M 2 sin ( b - q )
2

9
Introducing the governing equations for OSW
Continuity, momentum, energy over the control volume
(no mass flow through side walls)

 
Continuity: ∫ S ρv ⋅ dS = 0
   
∫ S1 ρ1v1 ⋅ dS + ∫ S2 ρ2v2 ⋅ dS = 0
 
∫ S1 ρ1v1 ⋅ dS = −ρ1v1 A1 sin β
! !
∫ ρ 2v2 ⋅ dS = ρ 2v2 A2 sin ( β − θ )
S2

ρ1 v1 sin β = ρ2 v2 sin ( β − θ ) r1u1 = r2u2

 
u1 u2
10
momentum
tangential component
 
∫(
S
)
ρ v ⋅ dS w = − ∫ S
( pdS ) tangential

But 𝑑𝑆⃑ is perpendicular to the control surface ( pdS )tang

over the inlet and outlet surfaces is zero
− ( ρ1 A1u1 ) w1 + ( ρ 2 A2u2 ) w2 = 0

considering that A1 = A2 and that r1u1 = r2u2

w1 = w2

The tangential velocity component is unaltered across an OSW

11
normal component
 
∫(S
)
ρ v ⋅ dS u = − ∫ S
( pdS ) normal

- ( r1u1 A1 ) u1 + ( r2u2 A2 ) u2 = - ( - p1 A1 + p2 A2 )

p1 + r1u12 = p2 + r 2u22

p + ru 2 = const

The only velocity component appearing in the eq. is u

12
Energy equation
⎛ v2 ⎞ ! ! ! !
∫S ρ ⎜⎝ e + 2 ⎟⎠ v ⋅ dS = − ∫S pv ⋅ dS
æ v12 ö æ v22 ö
- r1 ç e1 + ÷ u1 A1 + r2 ç e2 + ÷ u2 A2 = - ( - p1u1 A1 + p2u2 A2 )
è 2ø è 2ø
! p1 v12 $ ! p2 v22 $
ρ1u1 ## e1 + + && = ρ2u2 ## e2 + + &&
" ρ1 2 % " ρ2 2 %
  
h1 h2
v12 v22
h1 + = h2 + with v 2 = u 2 + w2
2 2
u12 + w12 u22 + w22
h1 + = h2 +
2 2
13
 u12 u22
h1 + = h2 +
2 2
u2 again only u changes
or h + = const
2 across the OSW

Summarizing:
r u = const
p + ru 2 = const w = const
u2
h + = const
2
relations identical to NSW provided we substitute v with u
and M 1 with M n ,1

14
 1 + g 2-1 M n2,1
M n,2 = M n,2 = f (g , M n,1 )
gM - 2
n ,1
g -1
2
M n,2 = f (g , M1 , b )
r2 ( g + 1) M 2

= n ,1
® f ( g , M1 , b )
r1 2 + (g - 1) M n,1 2

similarly p2
= f (g , M1, b )
p1
T2
= f (g , M1 , b )
T1
M n ,2
moreover we can write M 2 =
sin ( b - q )
M 2 = f (g , M1 , b ,q )
15
apparently q is an additional variable, but it is not
independent. In fact from geometry

u1
tan b =
w1
u2
and tan ( b - q ) =
w2
tan ( b - q ) u2 w1 r1
= = = f (g , M1 , b )
tan b u1 w2 r2
which returns
M - b - q relation
M 12 sin 2 b - 1
tan q = 2 cot b 2
M 1 ( g + cos 2 b ) + 2

16
Therefore
q = f ( g , M1 , b )
and consequently
M 2 = f ( g , M1 , b )
The M - b - q relation allows to obtain the third parameter
(usually b ) once the other two are known

90°
It is given as a family b
of graphs

problems: 9.2, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8,

9.10, 9.11, 9.12, 9.13, 9.14, 9.17 q
45°
17
18
Some considerations on the M - b - q relation

M >1 q < q max

If q > q max detached shock

locally the shock becomes normal

M >1 q > q max

q max increases with the Mach number

19
For any given couple M 1 , q
with q < q max , there are two possible solutions
ì b1 = 45.3°
e.g. M1 = 2.0 and q = 15° ® í
îb 2 = 79.8°
M2 >1
b1 corresponds to a weak shock M1

b 2 corresponds to a strong shock M1 M2 <1

Weak shocks are more common to occur in nature

If q = 0 then b = 90° or b = µ
when b = 90° NSW strongest possible SW
when b = µ Mach wave (weakest)
20
Detached SW in front of blunt body
D weak
C’ A
C
B 90° B
M >1 b C
A
strong C’
D

q
45°
@A NSW: max deceleration M 2 < 1, q = 0
@B OSW: strong solution M 2 < 1, q > 0
@C OSW: max deflection θ , M 2 <! 1
@C’ OSW: M 2 = 1
@D OSW: weak solution
21
example: supersonic inlet
A Mach 3 flow is to be decelerated to subsonic regime (prior
to combustion).
2 possible ways of deceleration
-NSW
-several oblique shocks followed by NSW
Case 1 Case 2
OSW NSW
M1 = 3 M2 <1
M1 = 3 M3 < 1
b = 40o M 2 = 1.9 æ
NSW p0,3 ö
ç ÷
ç p0,1 ÷

0.767 
0.753 è ø2
p0,2 NSW
p0,3 p p æ
= 1.76
p0,2 ö
= 0.328 = 0,3 ⋅ 0,2 = 0.578 ç
ç
÷
p0,1 p0,1 p0,2 p0,1 p0,1 ÷
è ø1
22
An oblique shock deceleration is realized with “spike inlets”

Normal shock inlet Oblique shock inlet

NSW (at low Mach)

M2
M1 > 1 NSW M2 <1 M1 > 1 M3 < 1

Higher deceleration efficiency higher engine thrust

23
Total pressure losses at supersonic inlets

pt
pt¥

24
Prandtl-Meyer expansion
a supersonic stream turned “out of itself”

M¥ > 1 µ2 < µ1
µ1

q M2

expansion fan: an infinite number of Mach waves making a

continuous region
Since the expansion is made out of Mach waves
ds = 0 (isentropic)
25
Problem statement:
Determine conditions 2 from conditions 1 and deflection q
OMW

p
-µ
2
µ B
V V p
A dq +µ
2

æp ö
sin ç + µ ÷
V + dV è2 ø
=
V æp ö
sin ç - µ - dq ÷
è2 ø
26
 æp ö æp ö
sin ç + µ ÷ = sin ç - µ ÷ = cos µ
è2 ø è2 ø
æp ö
sin ç - µ - dq ÷ = cos ( µ + dq ) = cos µ cos dq - sin µ sin dq
è2 ø
dV cos µ
1+ =
V cos µ cos dq - sin µ sin dq
hypothesis: dq << 1
sin dq » dq and cos dq » 1
dV cos µ 1
1+ = =
V cos µ - dq sin µ 1 - dq tan µ
1
Expanding the function : ( x < 1)
1- x
1
= 1+ x + x 2 + x 3 +…
1− x
27
 dV
1+ = 1 + dq tan µ
V dV
or dq = V
tan µ M
1
Consider that µ
1
tan µ = M 2 -1
M 2 -1
Therefore:
dV
dq = M - 1 2

V
This is valid for M > 1 and dq > 0 if dV > 0

28
Finite form:
q M2
dV
ò dq = ò M -1
2

0 M1
V
introducing v ( M )
V ln V = ln M + ln a
M= V = Ma
a
dV dM da
= +
V M a
recall energy equation
2
æ 0 ö T0
a g -1 2
ç ÷ = = 1+ M
èaø T 2 1
-
æ g -1 2 ö 2
a = a0 ç1 + M ÷
è 2 ø
29
by differentiation and manipulation
-1
da g -1 æ g -1 2 ö
=- M ç1 + M ÷ dM
a 2 è 2 ø
dV 1 dM
=
V 1 + g -1 M 2 M
2
M2
M 2 - 1 dM
finally q= ò
M1 1 +
g -1 2 M
M
2
We define the function v ( M ) defined by integral
M2
M 2 - 1 dM
v(M ) º ò Prandtl-Meyer function
M1 1 +
g -1 2 M
M
2
30
by integration
g + 1 -1 g + 1 2
v(M ) =
g -1
tan
g -1
( M - 1) - tan -1
M 2
-1 + C

The integration constant has to comply with the condition that

v ( M = 1) = 0
In conclusion the relation between the deflection q and Mach
in 1 and 2

q = v ( M 2 ) - v ( M1 )
Known q and M 1 we determine M 2

Problems 9.2, 9.4, 9.7, 9.8, 9.10, 9.12

31
Shock interactions / reflections
Case 1: reflection from a wall

1 b2 3
M1 q2
q1 M3
b1
M2
2
q

q1 = q and q 2 = -q1

The flow after the refflection must be again parallel to the

top wall

32
If M 1 is only slightly above the minimum for a straight OSW
at given q The 1st shock may exist but the 2nd shock is
not possible. Nature arranges the situation with a λ-shock
called Mach reflection

M1 slip line

33
Shock-Shock interaction
same family opposite family

M1
M1

shock free pressure boundary interact

M1

34
X-15 test plane: max Mach 6.72

35
Local heating on X-15 due to Shock-interaction effects

36
Local heating on X-15 due to Shock-interaction effects

Wind tunnel test (free flight model)

Mach 3.5 Mach 6

37
Local heating on X-15 due to Shock-interaction effects

38
 30o

15o

Double ramp model at Mach 7.5

45o

39

15o
40
41