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Characterization of rarefaction waves in van der Waals fluids
1Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; and Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|January 15, 2016
Summary
This study analyzes the isentropic expansion of a heated foil near its critical point, revealing phase transitions and universal behavior in rarefaction waves.
Area of Science:
- Thermodynamics
- Fluid Dynamics
- Materials Science
Background:
- The study extends previous work on foil expansion using a van der Waals equation of state.
- Focuses on heating near the critical point, a region with complex thermodynamic behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the isentropic evolution of an instantaneously heated foil.
- To analyze rarefaction waves and phase transitions using a van der Waals model.
- To extend existing analysis to systems with three degrees of freedom.
Main Methods:
- Calculated the isentropic evolution of a heated foil.
- Applied a van der Waals equation of state with Maxwell construction.
- Analyzed self-similar profiles of rarefaction waves in dimensionless form.
Main Results:
- Observed plateaus in density and temperature due to single-phase to two-phase transitions.
- Solutions formed universal curves dependent on dimensionless initial entropy.
- Characterized rarefaction wave properties (plateau length, density, pressure, etc.) as a function of initial entropy.
Conclusions:
- The dimensionless initial entropy is a key parameter governing foil expansion dynamics.
- Rarefaction waves exhibit universal behavior, including phase transitions, near the critical point.
- The study provides a detailed characterization of thermodynamic and hydrodynamic properties during foil expansion.
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