FUNDAMENTALS OF GAS DYNAMICS

ME 678
SPRING 2024

Module 05

NORMAL SHOCK WAVES

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 INTRODUCTION
• It has been found experimentally that, under some
circumstances, it is possible for an almost spontaneous
change to occur in a flow, the velocity decreasing and the
pressure increasing through this region of sharp change.
• It has also been found experimentally, that such regions of
sharp change can only occur if the initial flow is supersonic.
• The extremely thin region in which the transition from the
supersonic velocity, relatively low pressure state to the state
that involves a relatively low velocity and high pressure is
termed a shock wave.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
The changes that occur through a normal shock wave, i.e., a
shock wave which is straight with the flow at right angles to
the wave, is shown in the following figure:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
A photograph of a normal shock wave is shown in the
following figure:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
• In the case of a normal shock wave, the velocities both
ahead (i.e. upstream) of the shock and after (i.e.,
downstream) of the shock are at right angles to the shock
wave.
• In the case of an oblique shock wave there is a change in
flow direction across the shock.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
A complete shock wave may be effectively normal in part of
the flow, curved in other parts of the flow and effectively
oblique in other parts of the flow as shown in the following
figure:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
• Because of their own importance and because, as will be
shown later, the oblique shock relations can be deduced
from those for a normal shock wave, the normal shock
wave will first be considered.

• Oblique shock waves will be discussed later.

• Curved shock waves are relatively difficult to analyze

and they will not be discussed in detail in the present
course.

• Normal shock waves occur, for example, in the intakes to

the engines in some supersonic aircraft, in the exhaust
system of reciprocating engines, in long distance gas
pipe-lines and in mine shafts as a result of the use of
explosives.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
• When a normal shock wave occurs, for example, in a
steady flow through duct, it can be stationary with respect
to the coordinate system which is fixed relative to the
walls of the duct.

• Such a shock wave is called a stationary shock wave since

it is not moving relative to the coordinate system used.

• On the other hand, when a sudden disturbance occurs in

a flow, such as, for example, the sudden closing of a valve
in a pipe-line or an explosive release of energy at a point
in a duct, a normal shock wave can be generated which is
moving relative to the duct walls.

• This is illustrated in the following figure.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 INTRODUCTION (contd.)

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
• To illustrate how a shock wave can form, consider the
generation of a sound wave as discussed earlier.

• It was assumed that there was a long duct containing a

gas at rest with a piston at one end of this duct that was
initially at rest.

• Then, at time 0, the piston was given a small velocity into

the duct giving rise to a weak pressure pulse, i.e., a sound
wave, that propagated down the duct (see following
figure).

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 INTRODUCTION (contd.)

Generation of a normal shock wave.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
• If dV is the velocity given to the piston, which is, of course,
the same as the velocity of the gas behind the wave, then
the increase in pressure and temperature behind the wave
are equal to ρ a dV and [(g - 1 ) T dV / a] respectively.

• Since ρ, a, and T are all positive, this shows that both the
pressure and the temperature increase across the wave.

• It was also shown that the velocity at which the wave

moves down the duct is equal to g RT which is by
definition the speed of sound.

• Therefore, since the temperature increases across the wave,

the speed of sound behind the wave will be a + da , where
da is positive.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
• Now consider what happens if some time after the piston
is given velocity dV into the duct, its velocity is suddenly
again increased to 2 dV.

• As a result of the second increase in piston speed, a

second weak pressure wave will be generated that follows
the first wave down the duct as shown in the above figure.

• This second wave will be moving relative to the gas ahead

of it at the speed of sound in the gas through which it is
propagating. But the gas ahead of the second wave has
velocity dV.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 INTRODUCTION (contd.)
• Hence, the second wave moves relative to the duct at a
velocity of a + da + dV. But, the first wave is moving at a
velocity of a relative to the duct.

• Therefore, since both da and dV are positive, the second

wave is moving faster than the first wave and, if the duct is
long enough, the second wave will overtake the first wave.

• But the second wave cannot pass through the first wave.
Instead, the two waves merge into a single stronger wave.
If, therefore, the piston is given a whole series of step
increases in velocity, a series of weak pressure waves will
be generated which will all eventually overtake each other
and merge into a single strong wave if the duct is long
enough, i.e., a moving normal shock wave will be
generated.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES
Attention will first be given to the changes that occur though a
stationary normal shock wave. In order to analyze the flow
though a stationary normal shock wave, consider a control
volume of the form indicated in the following figure:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

This control volume has a cross sectional area of A

normal to the flow direction. The shock wave relations are
obtained by applying the laws of conservation of mass,
momentum, and energy to this control volume.

Conservation of mass gives:

 = ρ1V1 A = ρ 2V2 A
m
i.e.:
r1V1 = r 2V2

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

Next consider conservation of momentum. Since the

only forces acting on the control volume in the flow direction
are the pressure forces, conservation of momentum applied
to the control volume gives:

p1 - p2 = r1V1 (V2 - V1 )
or

p1 - p2 = r 2V2 (V2 - V1 )

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

These two equations can be rearranged to give:

p1 - p2
V1 V2 - V = 2
1
r1
and:
p1 - p2
V - V2 V1 =
2
2
r2
Adding these two equations together then gives:

æ 1 1 ö
V - V = ( p1 - p2 ) ç + ÷
2 2

è r1 r 2 ø
2 1

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)
Lastly, consider the application of conservation of
energy to the flow across the shock wave. Because one-
dimensional flow is being considered there are no changes in
the flow properties in any direction that is normal to that of
the flow and, because the upstream and downstream faces of
the control volume lie upstream and downstream of the shock
wave, there are no temperature gradients normal to any face
of the control volume. The flow through the control volume is,
therefore, adiabatic and the energy equation, therefore, gives:
2 2
V1 V
+ c pT1 = 2
+ c pT2 = c pT0 = constant
2 2
The stagnation temperature therefore does not change across
the shock.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

Applying the equation of state across the wave gives:

p1 p2
=
r1T1 r 2T2
The above four equations obtained by applying
conservation of mass, conservation of momentum,
conservation of energy and the equation of state can be
combined to give the following:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

(" γ +1 % p + éæ g + 1 ö p2 ù
*$ 2
' +1 - êç ÷ +1 ú
ρ2 )# γ −1 & p1 , V1 ëè g -1 ø p1 û
= =
ρ1 (" γ +1 % p2 + V2 éæ g + 1 ö p2 ù
*$ '+ - êç ÷+ ú
)# γ −1 & p1 , ëè g -1 ø p1 û
éæ g + 1 ö p2 ù
êç ÷+ ú
T2 ëè g -1 ø p1 û
=
T1 éæ g + 1 ö p1 ù
êç ÷+ ú
ëè g - 1 ø p2 û
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

The above three equations give the density, velocity

and temperature ratios, r 2 / r1 , V2 / V1 , and T2 / T1, across
a normal shock wave in terms of the pressure ratio, p2 / p1 ,
across the shock wave. The pressure ratio, p2 / p1 , is often
termed the strength of the shock wave. This set of equations
is often termed the Rankine-Hugoniot normal shock wave
relations.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

While the application of conservation of mass,

momentum and energy principles shows that a shock wave
can exist, it does not indicate whether the shock can be either
compressive (i.e., p2 / p1 > 1 ) or expansive (i.e., p2 / p1 < 1 ). To
examine this, the second law of thermodynamics must be used.
Now, the entropy change across the shock wave is given by:

æ T2 ö æ p2 ö
s2 - s1 = c p ln ç ÷ - R ln ç ÷
è T1 ø è p1 ø
Using the relations for T2 / T1 and p2 / p1 given above then
gives:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

-g
ì ü
ï é p ù g -1
ï
1
(g + 1) 2
+ (g - 1)
s2 - s1 ïæ p2 ö g -1 ê p1 ú ï
= ln íç ÷ ê ú ý
R p ê p
ïè 1 ø (g + 1) + (g -1) 2 ú ï
ï êë p1 úû ï
î þ
The variations of (s2 - s1) / R for various values of g (g is always
greater than 1) as given by the above equation are shown in
the following figure:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

The second law of thermodynamics requires that for an

adiabatic process the entropy must remain unchanged or
must increase, i.e., it requires that:

s2 - s1
³0
R
Using the above equation for the entropy change, or the
figure given above, it is found that this will only occur if:

p2
³0
p1

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)
• It therefore follows that the shock wave must always be
compressive, i.e., that p2 / p1 must be greater than 1, i.e.,
the pressure must always increase across the shock wave.

• Using the equations for the changes across a normal

shock then shows that that the density always increases,
the velocity always decreases and the temperature always
increases across a shock wave.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)
• The entropy increase across the shock is, basically, the
result of the fact that, because the shock wave is very thin,
the gradients of velocity and temperature in the shock are
very high. As a result, the effects of viscosity and heat
conduction are important within the shock leading to the
entropy increase across the shock wave.

• Because the flow across a shock is adiabatic, the

stagnation temperature does not change across a shock
wave. However, because of the entropy increase across a
shock, the stagnation pressure always decreases across a
shock wave.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 STATIONARY NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.)

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER:

•While the relations derived in the previous section for the

changes across a normal shock in terms of the pressure ratio
across the shock, i.e., in terms of the shock strength, are the
most useful form of the normal shock wave relations for
some purposes, it is often more convenient to have these
relations in terms of the upstream Mach number M1 .

•To obtain these forms of the normal shock wave relations, it

is convenient to start again with a control volume across the
shock wave such as that shown in the following figure and to
again apply conservation of mass, momentum and energy to
this control volume but in this case to rearrange the
resulting relations in terms of Mach number.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)
In writing the conservation laws, no generality is lost
by taking the area of the control volume parallel to the wave
as unity. Conservation of mass then gives:

r1V1 = r 2V2
Dividing this equation by a1 then gives:
V1 V2 a2
ρ1 = ρ2
a1 a2 a1
which can be rewritten in terms of Mach numbers as:

ρ 2 M 1 a1
=
ρ1 M 2 a2
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)
Next consider conservation of momentum applied to
the control volume shown earlier. This gives:

p1 - p2 = r V - r V 2 2
2
1 1
2

Hence, since:

gp a r
2
a =
2
i.e., p=
r g
the above equation gives:
2
ρ2 ! 1+ γ M 2 $! a $
= ## 1
2
&&## 1 && (correction)
ρ1 " 1+ γ M 2 %" a2 %
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)
Lastly, consider the application of the conservation of
energy principle to the control volume used above. This gives:

æ 2 ö 2 æ 2 ö 2
V +ç
2
÷ a1 = V2 + ç
2
÷ a2
è g -1 ø è g -1 ø
1

Dividing this equation by 2a12 / ( g - 1) gives on rearrangement:

2
! a $ ! 2+(γ −1)M 2 $
## 2 && = ## 1
2&
& (Correction)
" a1 % " 2+(γ −1)M 2 %

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)

Combining the equations given above leads on

rearrangement to:

(g - 1) M + 2 2
p2 2g M 12 - (g - 1)
M =
2 1
=
2
2g M 1 - (g - 1)
2
p1 (g + 1)

r2 (g + 1) M 2
= 1
r1 2 + (g - 1) M 12

T2 æ a2 ö éë 2g M - (g - 1) ùû éë 2 + (g - 1) M ùû
2 2
1 1
=ç ÷=
T1 è a1 ø (g + 1) M 1
2 2

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)
The stagnation pressure ratio across a normal shock
wave is obtained by noting that:
γ /(γ −1)
p0 " γ −1 2 % p02 "p /p % p
= $1+ M ' and = $$ 02 2 '' 2
p # 2 & p01 # p01 / p1 & p1
From which it follows that:
γ /(γ −1)
( " γ −1 2 % +
* $1+ M 2 '-
(" 2γ % 2 " γ −1%+
p02 * # 2 &-
= *$ ' M1 − $ '-
p01 * " γ −1 2 % - )# γ +1& # γ +1 &,
* $1+ M1 '-
)# 2 &,
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)

The variations of
pressure ratio, density ratio,
temperature ratio and
downstream Mach number
with upstream Mach number
given by these equations are
shown in the following figure
for the case of g = 1.4:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)
Lastly, consideration will again be given to the change in
entropy across a normal shock wave in terms of the upstream
Mach number. Now, it was shown previously that the change
in entropy is given by: 1/( g -1) - g /( g -1)
s2 - s1 éæ p ö æ r2 ö ù
= ln êç 2 ÷ ç ÷ ú
R êëè p1 ø è r1 ø úû
The right hand side of this equation can be expressed in terms
of the upstream Mach number by using the relationships
derived above for the pressure and density ratios. Using these
gives:
- g /( g -1)
s2 - s1 ì
ï é 2g ù
1/( g -1)
é (g - 1) M 2
ù üï
= ln í ê ( M 12 -1) + 1ú ê
1
2ú ý
R ïî ë g + 1 û ë 2 + (g - 1) M 1 û ïþ
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)
The variation of ( s2 - s1 ) / R with M1 as given by this equation
for various values of g is shown in the following figure:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)
As discussed before , the second law of thermodynamics
requires that for an adiabatic process the entropy must remain
unchanged or must increase, i.e., it requires that:
s2 - s1
³0
R
It will be seen from the results given in the above figure that for
this to be satisfied it is necessary that:
M1 ³ 1
It, therefore, follows that the Mach number ahead of a shock
wave must always be greater than 1 and that the shock wave
must, therefore, as discussed before, always be compressive, i.e.,
the pressure must always increase across the shock wave.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)
It then follows from:

(g - 1) M + 2 2
M =2 1
2g M 1 - (g - 1)
2 2

that:

M2 £1
i.e., the flow downstream of a normal shock wave will always
be subsonic.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE RELATIONS IN TERMS OF
MACH NUMBER (contd.)
These conclusions about the changes across a normal
shock wave are summarized in the following figure:

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE TABLES:

• A number of sets of tables and graphs are available which

list the ratios of the various flow variables such as
pressure, temperature and density across a normal shock
wave and the downstream Mach number as a function of
the upstream Mach number for various gases, i.e. for
various values of γ . An example of a set of tables is shown
below.
• The values in these tables and graphs are, of course,
derived using the equations given in the previous section.
As with isentropic flow, instead of using tables, it is often
more convenient to use a computer program to find the
changes across a shock wave. Alternatively, most
calculators can be easily programmed to give results for a
normal shock wave.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE TABLES (contd.):

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 NORMAL SHOCK WAVE TABLES (contd.):

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES:
In the above discussion of normal shock waves, the
coordinate system was so chosen that the shock wave was at
rest. In many cases, however, it is necessary to derive results
for the case where the shock wave is moving relative to the
coordinate system.

Consider the case where the

gas ahead of the shock wave
is stationary with respect to
the coordinate system chosen
and where the normal shock
wave is moving into this
stationary gas inducing a
velocity in the direction of
shock motion as indicated in
the following figure.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):
Such moving shock waves occur, for example, in the
inlet and exhaust systems of I.C. engines, in air-compressors,
as the result of explosions and in pipe-lines following the
opening or closing of a valve.
The required results can be obtained from those that
were derived above for a stationary normal shock wave by
noting that the velocities relative to a coordinate system fixed
to the shock wave are as indicated in the following figure.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):
Hence, it follows that:
V1 = U S , V2 = U S - V
Since the direction of the flow is obvious, only the magnitudes
of the velocities will be considered here. The Mach numbers
upstream and downstream of the shock wave relative to the
shock wave are given by:
US
M1 = = MS
a1
U S V U S a1 V a1 V a1
M2 = - = - = MS - = MS - M 2'
a2 a2 a1 a2 a2 a2 a 2 a2

where: Us V
MS = and M = '
2
a1 a2
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):

Ms is the “shock Mach number”. Substituting the value

of M1 for the moving shock into the equations previously given
for a stationary normal shock wave then gives:

p2 2g M S - (g - 1)
2
r2 (g + 1) M S2
= =
p1 (g + 1) r1 2 + (g - 1) M S2

é
T2 æ a2 ö ë 2g M 2
S - (g - 1) ù
û é
ë 2 + (g - 1) M 2
Sû
ù
=ç ÷=
T1 è a1 ø (g + 1) 2 M S2

(g - 1) M S +2
2
M =
'2

2g M S - (g - 1)
2

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):
Normal shock wave tables and software can be used to
evaluate the properties of a moving normal shock wave. To do
this, M1 is set equal to Ms and the tables or software are then
used to directly find the pressure, density and temperature
ratios across the moving shock wave. Further, since:
a1
'
M2 = MS - M2
a2
and since M2 is given by the normal shock tables or software,
M'2 , can be found. Also since:
V ' a2 a2
= M2 = MS - M2
a1 a1 a1
V can also thus be deduced using normal shock tables or
software.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):
• Brief consideration will now be given to the “reflection” of
a moving shock wave off the closed end of a duct.
Consider a moving normal shock wave propagating into a
gas at rest in a duct.

• The shock, as discussed above, induces a flow behind it in

the direction of shock motion. If the end of the duct is
closed, however, there can be no flow out of the duct, i.e.,
the velocity of the gas in contact with the closed end must
always be zero.

• Therefore, a normal shock wave must be “reflected” off

the closed end, the strength of this “reflected” shock wave
being just sufficient to reduce the velocity to zero. This is
illustrated in the following figure.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):

Reflection of a moving normal shock wave from the closed

end of a duct.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):
Consider a set of coordinates attached to the reflected
normal shock wave. The gas velocities relative to this reflected
shock wave are, therefore, as shown in the following figure.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):

Now:

U SR + V
M R1 = = M SR + M 2
'

a2

U SR æ U SR ö æ a2 ö æ a2 ö
M R2 = =ç ÷ ç ÷ = M SR ç ÷
a3 è a2 øè a3 ø è a3 ø
These equations can be used in conjunction with the normal
shock relations previously given or shock tables or the software
provided to find the properties of the reflected shock.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):

Lastly, consider what happens if a gas is flowing out of a duct

at a steady rate when the end of the duct is suddenly closed.
Since the velocity of the gas in contact with the closed end
must again be zero, a shock wave is generated that moves into
the moving gas bringing it to rest, i.e., the strength of the
shock wave must be such that the velocity reduced to zero
behind it. This is illustrated in the following figure.

Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678

 MOVING NORMAL SHOCK WAVES (contd.):

Moving normal shock

wave generated by the
closing of the end of a
duct out of which a gas
is flowing.

A shock wave generated in

this way can be analyzed
using the same procedure
as used to analyze a
normal shock wave
reflected from a closed
end of a duct.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678
 CONCLUDING REMARKS:

• A normal shock wave is an extremely thin region at right

angles to the flow across which large changes in the flow
variables can occur.
• Although the flow within the shock wave is complex, it
was shown that expressions for the overall changes across
the shock can be relatively easily derived. It was also
shown that entropy considerations indicate that only
compressive shock waves, i.e., shock waves across which
the pressure increases, can occur and that the flow ahead
of the shock must be supersonic.
• It was also shown that the flow downstream of a normal
shock wave is always subsonic. The analysis of normal
shock waves that are moving through a gas was also
discussed.
Spring 2024 Prof. Abhilash J. Chandy Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics ME 678