Flow Visualization and Measurements of the Mixing Evolution of a Shock-Accelerated Gas Curtain
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
We describe a highly-detailed experimental characterization of the impulsively driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability, called the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. This instability is produced by flowing a diffuse, vertical curtain of heavy gas (SF{sub 6}) into the test section of an air-filled horizontally oriented shock tube. The instability evolves after the passage of a Mach 1.2 shock past the curtain, and the development of the curtain is visualized by seeding the SF{sub 6} with small (d{approximately}0.5 and micro;m) glycol droplets using a modified theatrical fog generator. Because the event lasts only 1 ms and the initial conditions vary from test to test, rapid and complete data acquisition is required in order to characterize the initial and dynamic conditions for each experimental shot. Through the use of a custom-built pulsed Nd: YAG laser, we are able to image the flowfield at seven different times. We acquire a double-pulsed image of the flow with the use of a second pulsed Nd:YAG, which is used to determine the instantaneous velocity field using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). During a single experiment, high resolution images of the initial conditions and dynamic conditions are acquired using three CCD cameras. Issues of the fidelity of the flow seeding technique and the reliability of the PIV technique will be addressed. We have successfully provided interesting data through analysis of the images alone, and we are hoping that PIV information will be able to add further physical insight to the evolution of the RM instability and the transition to turbulence.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 760445
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-99-2595
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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