Shocks and Flames

Shocks and flames are irreversible changes of flow properties in inert or reacting gas flows over short distance, which are described as singular surfaces. In this chapter, after reviewing sub- and supersonic nozzle flows, we study both phenomena for the accessible case of ideal gases with constant specific heats, and a simplified reaction model. Shock and flame solutions arise from the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy across the shock, with the second law determining which solutions are possible. Specifically, we study normal and oblique shocks as well as Chapman-Jouguet flames.