Normal Shock

Only way a supersonic flow feels the presence of a body is through a shock wave.

A shock wave is termed as a normal shock if it is inclined at an angle of 90o with respect

to the incoming flow. Examples of flow involving normal shock include:

i. converging-diverging nozzle

ii. normal shock in front of a blunt body at supersonic speed

iii. traveling normal shock in a shock tube, and

iv. normal shock created by the sudden motion of a piston in a cylinder.

We can obtain properties across a normal shock by employing one-dimensional

compressible flow equation

ρ1V1 = ρ2V2 (1)

P1 P2
1 2
P1 + ρ 1V1
2
= P2 + ρ
2V2
2
(2) M2
M1
h1 +
V12 V2
= h2 + 2 (3) V1 V2
2 2

using

h = enthalpy = cpT and cp = γR/(γ−1) (note γ = k)

Eq. (3) can be written as

γR 1 V 2 (γ − 1) γR 1 V22 (γ − 1)
T1[1 + 1 ]= T2 [1 + ]
γ −1 2 γRT1 γ −1 2 γRT2

using a2=γRT and M2=V2/a2 above yields

1
 γ −1 2 γ −1 2
T1[1 + M1 ] = T2 [1 + M2 ] (4)
2 2

Eq. (2) can be written as

ρ1 2 ρ
P1[1 + V1 ] = P2 [1 + 2 V22 ]
P1 P2

using a2=γP/ρ, we get

P1 (1 + γM12 ) = P2 (1 + γM 22 ) (5)

using equation of state P=ρRT and V=M a, the continuity equation can be written as

P1 P
M1a1 = 2 M 2 a2
RT1 RT2

using Eq. (5) and a=(ρRT)1/2, the above equation becomes

1 + γM 22 M1 (γRT1 )1/ 2 M 2 (γRT2 )1/ 2

= =
1 + γM12 T1 T2

This can be written in the following form ( after using Eq.(4) )

γ −1 2
1+ M2
1 + γM 22 M1 2
=
1 + γM12 M 2 1 + γ − 1 M 2
1
2

Above equation can be solved ( by squaring both sides and writing the resulting

equation as a quadratic in M22 ) to yield

2
 2
M12 +
γ −1 M2 not possible
M 22 = (6)
2γ
M12 − 1
γ −1
1.0

This is shown plotted

1.0 M1
Note (i) as M1→1, M2→1

(ii) as M1→∞, M2=(γ−1)/2γ=0.143 for γ=1.4

using Eq. (6) in Eq. (4) yields

γ − 1 2 2γ
(1 + M1 )( M12 − 1)
T2 2 γ −1
= (7)
T1 2γ γ −1
M12 ( + )
γ −1 2
and similarly Eq. (5) yields

P2 1
= [2γM12 − (γ − 1)] (8)
P1 γ + 1

Then ρ2/ρ1=V1/V2 can be written as

V1 ρ2 P2 T2
= =
V2 ρ1 P1 T1

Now use Eqs. (7) and (8) above

γ +1 2
M1
V1 ρ2 2
= = (9)
V2 ρ1 1 + γ − 1 M 2
1
2

Thus, we have expressed all properties across a normal shock, i.e. P2/P1, ρ2/ρ1, T2/T1,

V1/V2, M2 etc., in term of M1. These are plotted in Fig. D.4 of the textbook.

3
Finally, the entropy change across a normal shock can be obtained by using

S2 − S1 γ T P
= ln 2 − ln 2
R γ − 1 T1 P1

using Eqs. (7), (8) and (6) yields

γ −1 2 γ
1+ M1 R
S2 − S1 2 γ −1 2γ γ − 1 γ −1
= ln[ ] [ M1 −
2
] (10)
R γ +1 2 γ +1 γ +1
M1
2

Note: (i) As M1 →1, S2 -S1→ 0 isentropic process

(ii) For M1 < 1, S2 -S1 < 0 which is impossible, i.e. normal shock exists only for

M1 > 1

Also using

γ
γ − 1 2 γ −1
P0 = P (1 + M )
2

S2 − S1 P
= −ln 02 (11)
R P01