A Study on the Choke Phenomenon of Unsteady Gas Flow through a Critical Nozzle

임계노즐을 통한 비정상 기체유동의 초크현상에 관한 연구

A computational study is performed to better understand the choke phenomenon of unsteady gas flow through a critical nozzle. The axisymmetric, unsteady, compressible, Navier-Stokes equations are solved using a finite volume method. In order to simulate the effects of back pressure fluctuations on the critical nozzle flow, a forced sinusoidal pressure wave is assumed downstream the exit of the critical nozzle. It's frequency is 20kHz and amplitude is varied below 15% of time-mean back pressure. The results obtained show that for low Reynolds numbers, the unsteady effects of the pressure fluctuations can propagate upstream of the throat of critical nozzle, and thereby giving rise to applicable fluctuations of mass flow through the critical nozzle. The effect of the amplitude of the excited pressure fluctuations on the choke phenomenon is discussed in details.