A Study on the interaction of shock tube-generated blast waves with a circular object at different pressure ratios

Abstract

The interaction of high peak overpressure blast waves with a circular object placed at two different axial locations from the shock tube exit is studied through numerical simulation using an in-house developed multi-component Navier–Stokes solver. The driver and driven sections of the shock tube were 0.8 m and 6 m, respectively. Helium is used in the driver section, while atmospheric air is used in the driven section and outside the shock tube. The evolution of blast waves inside an open-ended shock tube and its interaction with a rectangular object is reported in Murugan et al.. (2022). Here, the blast wave interacting with a circular object is examined for diaphragm pressure ratios of 13 and 57 by placing the objects at 250 mm and 500 mm from the shock tube exit. The flow field is evaluated through numerical Schlieren, vorticity, density, pressure plots, and the enstrophy plot, which shows the vortical structures that originated in the flow field. The blast load acting on the circular object is calculated for two diaphragm pressure ratios and axial locations. This study helps understand the reflection and diffraction of blast waves and associated flow fields around circular objects used in blast wave attenuation.