Numerical simulation of a free piston shock tunnel

A numerical simulation of the operation of a free piston shock tunnel actually in project in Marseille is presented. (x, t) diagrams in the compression chamber are computed as well as wave systems created after the rupture of the diaphragm initially separating the compression chamber from the shock tube. After the reflection of the incident shock wave at the end of the shock tube, the non‐equilibrium air flow in a two‐dimensional hypersonic nozzle is also computed by solving complete Navier Stokes equations coupled with kinetic equations.