Dr. Nikos J.

Mourtos AE 164 / ME 223

1
Example Laval Nozzle Analysis

The following information is given for a convergent divergent nozzle:
Exittothroat area

A
e
/ A
t
=1.53
Reservoir pressure

p
0
=1 atm
Calculate the exit Mach number when the exit pressure is:
(a) 0.94 atm (b) 0.886 atm (c) 0.75 atm (d) 0.154 atm


Solution
If we assume choked flow @ the throat then from IF tables it should be:

A
e
A
t
= 1.53 =
A
e
A
!

For this area ratio we find 2 solutions in the IFT:
Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos AE 164 / ME 223
2
! Fully isentropic subsonic flow with:

p
0
p
e
=1.129 or
p
e
p
0
= 0.886 and M
e
= 0.42 (curve a)
! Fully isentropic supersonic flow with:

p
0
p
e
= 6.5 or
p
e
p
0
= 0.154 and M
e
=1.88 (curve b)

Now lets see what we have:

(a)

p
0
p
e
=
1
0.94
=1.064 ! IFT ! M
e
= 0.3 and
A
e
A
"
= 2.035

so that


A
t
A
!
=
A
t
A
e
A
e
A
!
=
1
1.53
(2.035) =1.33 " A
t
! A
!

Hence the flow will be subsonic everywhere inside the nozzle and

M
e
= 0.3 as
found.

(b)

p
0
p
e
=
1
0.886
=1.129 ! IFT ! M
e
= 0.42 and
A
e
A
"
=1.529

Now

A
t
A
!
=
A
t
A
e
A
e
A
!
=
1
1.53
(1.529) "1.0 # A
t
" A
!
# M
t
"1.0
Although the flow gets sonic @ the throat it will be subsonic everywhere else (see curve
for exit pressure a above and

M
e
= 0.42 as found.

(c) Since


p
e
! p
e,cr
= 0.886 the flow will be chocked @ the throat (

M
t
=1.0)
Since


p
e
! p
e,is
= 0.154 the flow @ the exit cannot be supersonic
Hence, there will be a shock wave in the divergent section of the nozzle (curve d)

We can reach the same conclusion by examining the area ratios as follows:

p
0
p
e
=
1
0.75
= 1.333! IFT !
A
e
A
"
= 1.127



A
t
A
!
=
A
t
A
e
A
e
A
!
=
1
1.53
(1.127) = 0.7366 " A
t
! A
!
!!! but this is impossible, hence the flow
cannot be fully isentropic and a shock wave exists inside the divergent section of the
nozzle, which accounts for the change in

p
0
and A
!
across it.

One approach to find the location of the shock wave is by trial & error:

Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos AE 164 / ME 223
3
Assume that the shock wave is located @

A
2
A
t
=1.204
This value was selected because it is one of the numbers in the IFT. By selecting this
value we dont need to interpolate.

Define A
1
!
: sonic throat area ahead of the shock (obviously,

A
1
!
= A
t
)
Define A
2
!
: sonic throat area behind the shock. This area does not exist in the
divergent section of the nozzle; it is simply a reference area and


A
2
!
! A
1
!



p
01
is the total pressure of the flow ahead of the shock

p
02
is the total pressure of the flow behind the shock and


p
02
! p
01


The key eq. to be used in the iteration process is:


p
e
=
p
e
p
02
p
02
p
01
p
01



A
2
A
1
!
=1.204 " IFT " M
1
=1.54 " NST " M
2
= 0.6874 and
p
02
p
01
= 0.9166
M
2
= 0.6874 " IFT "
A
2
A
2
!
=1.1018
A
e
A
2
!
=
A
e
A
t
A
t
A
2
A
2
A
2
!
=1.53
1
1.204
1.1018 =1.4 " IFT " M
e
= 0.47 and
p
02
p
e
=1.163
p
e
=
1
1.163
(0.9166)(1) = 0.788atm


But it is given that

p
e
= 0.75 atm, hence we need to move the shock a bit downstream:

Assume that the shock wave is located @

A
2
A
t
=1.301

A
2
A
1
!
=1.301" IFT " M
1
=1.66 " NST " M
2
= 0.6512 and
p
02
p
01
= 0.872
M
2
= 0.6512 " IFT "
A
2
A
2
!
=1.1356
A
e
A
2
!
=
A
e
A
t
A
t
A
2
A
2
A
2
!
=1.53
1
1.301
1.1356 =1.335 " IFT " M
e
= 0.5 and
p
02
p
e
=1.1862
p
e
=
1
1.1862
(0.872)(1) = 0.735atm


Again, the pressure does not exactly match our given exit pressure. We can zero in to our
solution by interpolating between the two assumed values:
Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos AE 164 / ME 223
4


A
2
A
t
=1.301!(1.301!1.204)
0.75 !0.735
0.788 !0.735
=1.274 So then,

Assume that the shock wave is located @

A
2
A
t
=1.274

A
2
A
1
!
=1.274 " IFT " M
1
=1.63 " NST " M
2
= 0.6596 and
p
02
p
01
= 0.8838
M
2
= 0.6596 " IFT "
A
2
A
2
!
=1.1265
A
e
A
2
!
=
A
e
A
t
A
t
A
2
A
2
A
2
!
=1.53
1
1.274
1.1265 =1.353 " IFT " M
e
= 0.49 and
p
02
p
e
=1.178
p
e
=
1
1.178
(0.8838)(1) = 0.75atm


Thus,

M
e
= 0.49

(d)

p
0
p
e
=
1
0.154
= 6.5 ! IFT ! M
e
=1.88 and
A
e
A
"
=1.53

This (1.53) is precisely the area ratio given in this case. Hence, we have a fully isentropic
expansion (curve b) with an exit Mach number of

M
e
=1.88.