Visualization of the shock wave diffraction on the wedge in a rectangular channel

The evolution of a shock wave interaction with a boundary layer on the surface of a shock tube channel after its reflection from a thin wedge is investigated. Visualization of the incident plane shock wave, the bow detached shock wave and flow behind the wedge in 48x24 mm channel was performed using the shadow method based on high-speed recording. The zone of boundary layer separation that occurs when the plane attached bow shock intersects with the channel wall is visualized on the basis of the pulse discharge glow recording. The flow evolution at incident shock wave Mach number of 2.3÷3.8 for the time interval up to 5 ms after the diffraction is investigated. The obtained data is compared with the corresponding CFD results: a numerical simulation based on the Euler equations of a nonstationary two-dimensional flow was performed under experimental conditions. (paper)