Vortex ring formation at the open end of a shock tube: A particle image velocimetry study

The vortex ring generated subsequent to the diffraction of a shock wave from the open end of a shock tube is studied using particle image velocimetry. We examine the early evolution of the compressible vortex ring for three-exit shock Mach numbers, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. For the three cases studied, the ring formation is complete at about tU(b)/D=2, where t is time, U-b is fluid velocity behind shock as it exits the tube and D is tube diameter. Unlike in the case of piston generated incompressible vortex rings where the piston velocity variation with time is usually trapezoidal, in the shock-generated vortex ring case the exit fluid velocity doubles from its initial value U-b before it slowly decays to zero. At the end of the ring formation, its translation speed is observed to be about 0.7 U-b. During initial formation and propagation, a jet-like flow exists behind the vortex ring. The vortex ring detachment from the tailing jet, commonly referred to as pinch-off, is briefly discussed. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.