Experimental investigation of shock wave propagation in a 90° branched duct

An experimental investigation was conducted examining the option of using branched duct geometry for shock wave attenuation. Experiments were done in an 80 mm × 80 mm square section shock tube to which a 20-mm diameter pipe was added vertically. Pressures were recorded along the shock tube wall (static pressure) and at the branched pipe end wall (stagnation pressure). Experiments were repeated with a constant incident shock wave Mach number (M_S =1.47) and with different pipe lengths. It was found that the length of the branched pipe has a significant effect on the flow inside the branched pipe and that in the present experimental configuration, the stagnation pressure recorded at the branched pipe end wall surpasses the pressure in the main channel behind the original incident shock wave. Finally, simulations were carried out using a commercial program, Star-CCM+, to complete the description of the flow studied here. The computed pressure profiles and shock wave locations agree quite well with the present experimental data.