EXPANSION WAVES

(PRANDTL MEYER
FLOW)

FLOW ON CONVEX
CORNER
To determine the type of waves occur
at the convex corner in supersonic
flow, let us assume that these waves
are oblique shock waves.
M1 > 1
N2

L1

N1

V2

L2

Now analyzing the flow we see that

L1= L2 for

FLOW ON CONVEX
CORNER
only if N2 is greater than N1. But N2and
N1 are related through normal shock
wave relations in dealing with normal
shock waves it was shown that an
expansion wave was not possible as
it violates the second law of
thermodynamics. It is therefore not
possible for N2 to be greater than N2
and flow over convex corner can not
take place through an oblique shock.

FLOW ON CONVEX
CORNER
In order to understand the actual flow
that occurs when supersonic flow
passes about a convex corner,
consider what happens, when the
flow is turned through a differentially
small angle d, thus producing
differentially small changes dP, d,
and dT . The present analysis applies
whether d is positive or negative, i.e
whether the corner is concave or

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
produced being isentropic. Consider
unit area of the wave , the equations
of continuity momentum give
Continuity
N = ( +d)(N + dN)
i.e dN+Nd =0 (1)
Momentum
P (P + dP) = N[(N +dN )N}

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
-dP= N dN
(2)
dN = - dP/N
(3)
Substituting dN from (3) to (1)
-dP/N + Nd =0
N2=dP/d
Now in the limiting case of a very weak
wave being considered, dP/d will be
equal to the square of the upstream
speed of sound i.e N2=a2 or N=a (4)

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
since L is unchanged it follows that
(V+dV)cos( d) = Vcos
N=a

Velocity components near

Weak wave sin = N/a= 1/M

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
Expanding and ignoring higher order
terms then gives
V cos + Vsin d + dV cos = Vcos
Therefore dV/V=- tan d
Since sin =1/M then
tan =- d/(M2-1)
(5)

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
Since the energy equation gives
(2/-1)P/ + V2 =(2/-1)(P +dP/+d) +
(V+dV)2
Ignoring higher order terms
(2/-1)P/ + V2 = (2/-1)P/ [1+dP/P d/]
+V2 + 2VdV
So that
(2/-1)(P/)[dP/PdP/P)(P/ )(d/)]=-2VdV (6)
But P/=dP/d =a2

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
Eq(6) becomes
2a2/-1)dP/P [1-1/] =-2VdV
dP/P=-VdV/a2=-M2dV/V
(7)
Using eq(5)
dP/P=[M2/ (M2-1)]d (8)
Since d/=d/dP.dP/P.P/= (1/ a 2)(dP/P )(a2/)
=1/ dP/P
It follows using (8) that
d/= [M2/(M2-1)]d
(9)

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
Similarly
ds/R = 1/-1 ln(P2/P1) (/-1)ln(2/1)
= 1/-1 ln(1 + dP/P) - (/1)ln(1+d/)
= (1/-1 )[ M2d/(M2-1)]- (/-1) M2d/(M2-1]=0
(10)

Lastly since M2= V2/a2 =V2/P

The differential change is given by
2MdM=2VdV (/P) + (V/P)d2

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
So that 2dM/M= 2dV/V +d/dP/P
= [-2+M2 - M2 ]d/(M2 -1)
Hence
dM/M = [1+(-1/2) M2 ][- d/(M2 -1)]
(11)
Thus a differentially small change in
flow direction produces an isentropic
distrubance such that
dV d, dP d, d d, dM -d
and ds=0

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
d>0
compression

dM, dV <0,
d, dP >0
d<0
expansive
dM, dV>0
d, dP >0
For negative change in wall angle a region
consisting of Mach waves is generated and
the flow remains isentropic through out. Such
flows are called Prandtl Mayer flows

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
The relation between the flow
properties and the change in the flow
direction can be by integrating eq
(11) which gives
-d={(M2 -1)/[1+(-1/2) M2 ]}dM/M +
constant (12)

Some standard condition is used to

evalute the constant in Eq(12). The
initial boundary condition is taken as
=0 when M=1 i.e =0 when V=a

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
The application of the results to flow in which
the Mach No ahead of the corner is not 1
using 13 in 12 then gives
= [(+1/-1)]tan-1 [(-1/+1)(M2 1)] - tan-1 (M2 1)
(14)

has no meaning when M is less than 1.

As it is known that since tan-1
/2 as
it follows that as M

[(+1/-1)/2] /2
= (/2){[(+1/-1)] -1}
130.5deg

for =1.4 max=

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
To calculate the changes in the flow
produced by Prandtl-Mayer flow eq
(14) is considered.
Steps
1. From tables of isentropic flow find
the value of corresponding to M1.
This is equivalent to assuming that
the initial flow was generated by an
expansion around a hypothetical
corner from a Mach number 1.

EXPANSION WAVE
ANALYSIS
2. Calculate the for the flow
downstream of the corner. This will
be given by
2 = 1 + where is a turning angle.
3. Find , using tables, Mach no M2
corresponding to this value of 2.
4. Then other properties can be
calculated from isentropic tables.

REFLECTION AND INTERACTION

OF EXPANSION WAVES
Like, oblique shock waves, expansion
wave also can undergo reflection and
interac twith each other. Consider
the reflection of an expansion wave
from a straight wall.
If 1 is the Prandtl-Mayer angle
corresponding to the initial flow

Conditions,
1
2
3

REFLECTION AND INTERACTION

OF EXPANSION WAVES
Since the end flow i.e flow in the region 3
must again be parallel to the wall , the
reflected wave must turn the flow through
an angle of so that
3 = 2 + = 1 +2
Once this angle is determined, the Mach No
in the region 3 can be found and since the
whole flow is isentropic, the conditions in
the region 3 can be found in terms of those
in region1.