A MAGNETICALLY INSULATED SHOCK TUBE

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1960

OSTI ID:4140487

Fowler, R G; Turner, E B

Experimental results obtained with a magnetically insulated shock tube are presented. The 1-in.-diameter tube is enclosed by a solenoid field coil which produces a longitudinal magnetic field of up to 20,000 gauss throughout both the electrical discharge and expansion chambers. Peak currents of up to 95,000 amp are produced in the discharge tube by a 50- mu f capacitor bank charged up to about 8 kv. The electrical characteristics of the discharge were determined from voltage and current signals. The magnetic field was found to substantially reduce the attenuation of the shock wave moving down the tube, presumably by a reduction of the boundary layer thickness behind the shock wave. With a magnetic field strength of 7500 gauss and higher, a contact surface, such as occurs in diaphragm type shock tubes, is clearly defined in the wave speed pictures, while at zero and low magnetic field strengths the contact surface is not visible. There was evidence from the reflected shock velocities and from the convex shape of the shock front that the magnetic field was inhibiting the degrees of freedom perpendicular to the field lines resulting in a gas with a higher effective gamma . (auth)

• Research Organization: Space Technology Labs., Inc. Physical Research Lab., Los Angeles
• NSA Number: NSA-14-024676
• OSTI ID: 4140487
• Report Number(s): NP-8982; STL/TR-60-0000-09180
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

COILS
CURRENTS
DIAGRAMS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRON TUBES
EXPANSION
GASES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MEASURED VALUES
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICS
SHOCK TUBES
SHOCK WAVES
SURFACES
THICKNESS
TUBES
VELOCITY