Analysis of normal shock waves in a carbon particle-laden oxygen gas.

The propagation of a normal shock wave into a quiescent oxygen gas seeded with carbon particles was studied. Due to the elevated postshock temperature the carbon particles ignite and burn until they disappear. For evaluating the effect of the burning carbon particles on the postshock wave flow field, i.e. the relaxation zone, the conservation equations for a steady one dimensional reactive suspension flow were formulated and solved numerically. The solution was repeated for a similar inert suspension flow. Comparing the two solutions revealed that the carbon burning had a major effect on the suspension properties in the relaxation zone and on the eventually reached postshock equilibrium state. For example, much higher temperatures and velocities were obtained in the reactive suspension while the pressure was lower than in a similar inert case. Longer relaxation zones were obtained for the reactive suspension. (A)