Hydraulic Analogy for Isentropic Flow Through a Nozzle

Modelling aspects of isentropic compressible gas flow using hydraulic analogy are discussed. Subsonic and supersonic flows through a typical nozzle are simulated as free surface incompressible water flow in an equivalent 2-D model on a water table. The results are first compared for the well known classical analogy in order to estimate experimental errors. Correction factors for pressure and temperature, to account for non-ideal compressible gas flow are presented and the results obtained on the water table are modified and compared with gas dynamic solution. Within the experimental errors, it is shown that the hydraulic analogy can be used as an effective tool for the study of two dimensional isentropic flows of gases