Parameters affecting the relaxation zone behind normal shock waves in a dusty gas.

A numerical solution for the problem of shock wave propagation into a dusty gas is presented for a steady one-dimensional case. The solution focuses on the extent of the relaxation zone length and identifies the parameters affecting it. It is shown that for high shock Mach numbers, radiative heat transfer plays an important role and should therefore be included in the energy balance equations of the flow. A few different correlations for the particle drag coefficient and its Nusselt number are presented and their influence on the extent of the relaxation zone length is discussed. (A)