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A new sliding joint to accommodate recoil of a free-piston-driven expansion tube facility

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Abstract

This paper describes a new device to decouple free-piston driver recoil and its associated mechanical vibration from the acceleration tube and test section of The University of Queensland’s X3 expansion tube. A sliding joint is introduced to the acceleration tube which axially decouples the facility at this station. When the facility is fired, the upstream section of the facility, which includes the free-piston driver, can recoil upstream freely. The downstream acceleration tube remains stationary. This arrangement provides two important benefits. Firstly, it eliminates nozzle movement relative to the test section before and during the experiment. This has benefits in terms of experimental setup and alignment. Secondly, it prevents transmission of mechanical disturbances from the free-piston driver to the acceleration tube, thereby eliminating mechanically-induced transducer noise in the sensitive pressure transducers installed in this low-pressure tube. This paper details the new design, and presents experimental confirmation of its performance.

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References

  1. Stalker, R.J.: Isentropic compression of shock tube driver gas. ARS J. 30, 564 (1960)

  2. Gildfind, D.E., Jacobs, P.A., Morgan, R.G.: Vibration isolation in a free-piston driven expansion tube facility. Shock Waves 23(5), 431–438 (2013)

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  3. Gildfind, D.E.: X3 recoil sliding joint drawing set (drawing number ‘x3-recoil-000-0’). Can be accessed at http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:370669 (2014)

  4. Gildfind, D.E., Morgan, R.G., Sancho, J.: Design and commissioning of a new lightweight piston for the X3 expansion tube. In: The 29th International Symposium on Shock Waves, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 14–19 July (2013)

  5. Gildfind, D.E., Morgan, R.G., Sancho, J.: High Mach number scramjet test flows in the X3 expansion tube. In: The 29th International Symposium on Shock Waves, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 14–19 July (2013)

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Mr. Frans De Beurs for technical support; HMG Hardchrome Pty Ltd for manufacturing support; the Australian Research Council for support and funding; and The Queensland Smart State Research Facilities Fund 2005 for support and funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    D. E. Gildfind & R. G. Morgan

Authors
  1. D. E. Gildfind
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  2. R. G. Morgan
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Correspondence to D. E. Gildfind.

Additional information

Communicated by K. Hannemann.

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Gildfind, D.E., Morgan, R.G. A new sliding joint to accommodate recoil of a free-piston-driven expansion tube facility. Shock Waves 26, 825–833 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-015-0609-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-015-0609-9

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