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Determination of the interaction potential of the noble gases from shock wave structure experiments. Feasibility of a modified electron beam densitometer technique to measure diffusive separation in shock waves in helium-argon mixtures

Citation

Barcelo, Brian Thomas (1971) Determination of the interaction potential of the noble gases from shock wave structure experiments. Feasibility of a modified electron beam densitometer technique to measure diffusive separation in shock waves in helium-argon mixtures. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/QH9Z-BH10. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-04022009-092506

Abstract

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Shock wave experiments were conducted in the GALCIT* seventeen-inch low density shock tube to measure the interaction potential of the following nonradioactive noble gases: neon, argon, krypton, and xenon. The experimental shock profiles obtained by employing the electron beam densitometer technique were compared to the Monte Carlo numerical simulation of the shock wave structure. The comparison determined the intermolecular potential for these gases, a potential assumed to be of the form [...] = const/r[superscript s]. The values resulting for the free parameter s in the inverse repulsive power law were 9, 10, 11, and 12 for xenon, krypton, argon, and neon, respectively.

In a second phase of the experiments, the feasibility of a modified electron beam densitometer technique was investigated for measuring the shock wave structure in a binary mixture of helium and argon. It was desired to obtain both the argon and helium density profiles through the shock wave by varying the electron beam energy in two experiments of identical shock conditions (gas concentrations, Mach number, initial pressure, etc.). Theoretical calculations of the collision cross-section indicated only a slight possibility of separating the density profiles of the two species with the range of electron energy possible in the experimental apparatus (7000 to 15000 volts). Experiments conducted with initial gas concentrations of 10%, 20%, 50%, and 80% argon in shock waves with a Mach number of approximately four confirmed these suspicions but permitted qualitative conclusions in agreement with other similar investigations.

*Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories California Institute of Technology.

Item Type:Thesis (Dissertation (Ph.D.))
Degree Grantor:California Institute of Technology
Division:Engineering and Applied Science
Major Option:Aeronautics
Thesis Availability:Public (worldwide access)
Research Advisor(s):
  • Sturtevant, Bradford
Group:GALCIT
Thesis Committee:
  • Sturtevant, Bradford (chair)
  • Roshko, Anatol
  • Coles, Donald Earl
  • Liepmann, Hans Wolfgang
Defense Date:4 December 1970
Record Number:CaltechETD:etd-04022009-092506
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-04022009-092506
DOI:10.7907/QH9Z-BH10
Default Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:1253
Collection:CaltechTHESIS
Deposited By: Imported from ETD-db
Deposited On:02 Apr 2009
Last Modified:21 Dec 2019 01:53

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