Robust simulation of nonclassical gas - dynamics phenomena

A computational study of the occurrence of rarefaction shock-wave (RSW) in a dense gas shock-tube is presented. The approach is based on the characterization of experimental variability and uncertainties in the thermodynamic properties of the fluid to investigate the realizability and reproducibility of a RSW in the FAST shock-tube at Delft University of Technology. The weakness of the RSW makes its occurrence highly sensitive to uncertainties on the initial conditions and on the equation of state. In this work, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and uncertainty quantification tools are combined to predict the probability of the RSW to occur and also to define experimental error levels required to ensure the reproducibility of the measurements.