Flow Phenomena in Microscale Shock Tubes

Recent experiments on small shock tubes, at normal or reduced pressure, have revealed interesting phenomena. For example, Brouillette [1], using pressure instrumentation, has examined the operation of a 5.3 mm shock tube at initial pressures down to 1 mBar for diaphragm pressure ratios up to 105 and found a decrease in shock strength with decreasing scaling parameter ReD/L for a given diaphragm pressure ratio. Garen et al. [2], with an atmospheric 1 mm shock tube that used a quick opening valve instead of diaphragm, reached the same conclusions using laser differential interferometry observations.