Development of a Detonation Driver for a Shock Tunnel

Abstract

The need for high enthalpy facilities for simulating the atmospheric entry of bodies has required the development of hypervelocity wind tunnels. From the various possibilities to produce stagnation enthalpies in the range up to 20 MJ/kg the shock tunnels still are very attractive. The required high temperature driver is accomplished in the present work by a oxyhydrogen detonation in the driver section of the shock tunnel. To study the performance range of such a driver type we investigated the behaviour of a detonation driven shock tube. The experimental research aimed at the improvement of the diaphragms, the history of pressures and the structural stresses. © 1998, The Japan Society of High Pressure Science and Technology. All rights reserved.