Experimental and numerical study on double wedge shock/shock interaction controlled by a single-pulse plasma synthetic jet

Abstract The phenomenon of shock/shock interaction (SSI) is widely observed in high-speed flow, and the double wedge SSI represents one of the typical problems encountered. The control effect of single-pulse plasma synthetic jet (PSJ) on double wedge type-VI and type-V SSI was investigated experimentally and numerically, and the influence of discharge energy was also explored. The findings indicate that the interaction between PSJ and the high-speed freestream results in the formation of a plasma layer and a jet shock, which collectively governs the control of SSI. The control mechanism of single-pulse PSJ on SSI lies in its capacity to attenuate both shock and SSI. For type-VI SSI, the original second-wedge oblique shock is eliminated under the control of PSJ, resulting in a new type-VI SSI formed by the jet shock and the first-wedge oblique shock. For type-V SSI, the presence of PSJ effectively mitigates the intensity of Mach stem, supersonic jet, and reflected shocks, thereby facilitating its transition into type-VI SSI. The numerical results indicate that the peak pressure can be reduced by approximately 32.26% at maximum. Furthermore, the development of PSJ also extends in the Z direction. The pressure decreases in the area affected by both PSJ and jet shock due to the attenuation of the SSI zone. With increasing discharge energy, the control effect of PSJ on SSI is gradually enhanced.