Design of a high-pressure single pulse shock tube for chemical kinetic investigations

A single pulse shock tube has been designed and constructed in order to ach ieve extremely high pressures and temperatures to facilitate gas-phase chem ical kinetic experiments. Postshock pressures of greater than 1000 atmosphe res have been obtained. Temperatures greater than 1400 K have been achieved and, in principle, temperatures greater than 2000 K are easily attainable. These high temperatures and pressures permit the investigation of hydrocar bon species pyrolysis and oxidation reactions. Since these reactions occur on the time scale of 0.5-2 ms the shock tube has been constructed with an a djustable length driven section that permits variation of reaction viewing times. For any given reaction viewing time, samples can be withdrawn throug h a specially constructed automated sampling apparatus for subsequent speci es analysis with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The details of t he design and construction that have permitted the successful generation of very high-pressure shocks in this unique apparatus are described. Addition al information is provided concerning the diaphragms used in the high-press ure shock tube. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.