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 is 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 are formulated and solved numerically. The solution was repeated for a similar inert suspension flow. Comparing the two solutions revealed that the carbon burning has 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 are obtained in the reactive suspension while the pressure is lower than in a similar inert case. Longer relaxation zones are obtained for the reactive suspension.