Shock wave propagation in a branched duct

The propagation of a planar shock wave in a 90 degrees branched duct is stu died experimentally and numerically. It is shown that the interaction of th e transmitted shock wave with the branching segment results in a complex, t wo-dimensional unsteady flow. Multiple shock wave reflections from the duct 's walls cause weakening of transmitted waves and, at late times, an approa ch to an equilibrium, one-dimensional flow. While at most places along the branched duct walls calculated pressures are lower than that existing behin d the original incident shock wave, at the branching segment's right corner , where a head on-collision between the transmitted wave and the corner is experienced, pressures that are significantly higher than those existing be hind the original incident shuck wave are encountered. The numerically eval uated pressures can be accepted with confidence, due to the very good agree ment found between experimental and numerical results with respect to the g eometry of the complex wave pattern observed inside the branched duct.