A critical study of numerical methods for the solution of nonlinear hyperbolic equations for resonance systems (Q1074445)

This paper presents the results of an investigation to select a satisfactory finite difference integration scheme for solving the one- dimensional, Eulerian form of the equations describing the propagation of steep-fronted, shock-like waveforms in variable cross-sectional area ducts and two-phase solid rocket combustion chambers [the first author and \textit{F. E. C. Culick}, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory Report, AFRPL-TR-74-75 (1974)]. The suitability of candidate finite difference integration schemes for the intended purpose was tested by applying them to a similar but simpler problem: that of finite amplitude shock-like wave propagation in a closed-end tube. The equations describing the flow of gas in the tube are identical to those describing the flow in a uniform cross-sectional area rocket motor - after deleting terms contributed by the presence of particles in the flow and terms describing the addition of mass, momentum, and energy by the combustion processes.