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Meecham, W. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Meecham, W. C..

Pressure fluctuations in the tip region of a blunt-tipped airfoil

The characteristics of turbulence generated in the tip region of a blunt-tipped airfoil were studied using surface pressure measurements. The model was a NACA 0012; tests were performed at flow speeds of 75, 55, and 35 m/s and angles of attack of 6, 12, and 16 deg. Reynolds numbers based on the wing chord were 1.9, 3.0, and 4.1 million. Pressure fluctuations measured near the primary tip-vortex on the upper, low pressure side of the wing tip were uncorrelated with those on the blunt tip. Fluctuations on the high pressure side of the wing were strongly correlated with those on the flat tip, but 10-20 dB less intense. Spectra measured on the flat tip displayed pronounced peaks at dimensionless frequencies of 0.8 to 1.3. Cross correlations between some of the flat-tip pressures displayed two echolike groupings. A model is proposed that explains these correlations.

Mcinerny, S. A.↗

An experimental investigation of wing tip turbulence with applications to aerosound

Wind tunnel tests were performed to measure the turbulence characteristics of flow in the wing tip region of a blunt tipped NACA 0012 airfoil at angles of attack of 16, 12 and 6 deg and flow speeds of 75, 55, and 35 m/s. Reynolds numbers based on the chord length ranged from 1.8 x 10(exp6) to 3.8 x 10(exp 6). Hot wire measurements were made at an angle of attack of 12 deg and U(infinity) = 55 ms. These indicate fluctuation velocities on the order of 0.13 U(infinity) in the tip region. Surface pressure spectra are presented for alpha = 12 deg and 16 deg; surface-pressure cross-correlations are presented for alpha = 16 deg. These suggest the presence of a well organized turbulence structure with a peak Strouhal number 0.8 to 1.1 based on the wing thickness. High frequency turbulence of lesser intensity was measured at positions near the primary tip vortex on the upper wing surface. A separation region with a spectral peak of St approximately equal to 0.4 was recorded at alpha = 16 deg for the transducer located on the low pressure side of the wing nearest the trailing edge. Surface-surface cross correlations display a double, echo like structure. Near-far field correlations indicate that the well ordered tip turbulence and the separation region on the upper surface both radiate significant levels of far field sound. The use of cross correlation techniques in the wind tunnel has permitted treatment of radiated sound levels which are 25 and more dB below tunnel background levels.

Mcinerny, S. A.↗

An experimental investigation of wing tip turbulence with applications to aerosound

Wind tunnel tests were carried out to measure the turbulence characteristics of flow in the wing tip region of a blunt tipped NACA 0012 airfoil at 16-, 12-, and 6-deg angles of attack and 75-, 55-, and 35-m/s flow speeds. Results suggest the presence of a well organized turbulence structure with a peak Strouhal number 0.8 to 1.1 based on the wing thickness. At positions near the primary tip vortex on the upper wing surface, high frequency turbulence of lesser intensity was measured. Near-far field correlations reveal that the well-ordered tip turbulence and the separation region surface on the upper surface both radiate significant levels of far field sound.

Mcinerny, S. A.↗

Diffraction of a baffled dipole - Frequency dependence

Experimental results are presented which confirm the diffraction effects predicted by the MacDonald (1915) form of the Green's function for the baffled field in the theory of trailing edge noise. Using this Green's function, the acoustic intensity of noise generated by flow over a trailing edge has been determined to be proportional to the 5th-power of the flow velocity.

Mcinerny, S. A.↗

Aerosound from corner flow and flap flow

Noise generation at the edge of a wing flap is analyzed. The phenomenon as a single vortex moving around a corner in an incompressible, potential flow is modelled. Vortex image retarding effects are proposed as an explanation for small Strouhal numbers. The model surface pressures, sound pressures (using Curle's theory), and Mach number dependencies agree with wind tunnel experiments. A double pressure peak is found in the model (credited to image action) which is qualitatively similar to measured sound correlations. Incompressible flow aerosound calculations are discussed. The effects of a series of vortices moving in the same idealized potential flow are also studied. The vortices are assumed to be statistically independent so their intensities can be added. The frequency of appearance of the vortices are determined from measurements. Diffraction effects caused by the presence of the wing near the dipole sound radiators on the flap surfaces are included.

Meecham, W. C.↗

Large scale model measurements of airframe noise using cross-correlation techniques

Cross-correlation techniques are used to measure the sound radiated by wing/flap airfoil configurations in the NASA-Ames 40 x 80 ft wind tunnel using a 6.7-m semispan model with three deployed flaps. The dominant source of flap noise is identified as the flap side edges, which exceeds that radiated by the midspan region by more than 10 dB. The turbulent surface eddies at the flap side edge have scales on the order of one-half the flap chord. The installation of flap actuator fairings at the flap side edge reduces the noise radiated from that location by 10 to 15 dB. The cross-correlation technique extracts airframe noise radiated by specific surface locations from the tunnel background noise, even when the noise is 25 dB higher than the measured airframe noise level.

Miller, W. R.↗

Multitube turbojet noise-suppression studies using cross-correlation techniques

The noise-generating region of a suppressed turbojet exhaust is studied by cross-correlating static pressure fluctuations within the exhaust with far-field sound for Mach numbers up to 0.99, using a 31-tube nozzle having an area ratio of 3.1. Measurements made with an unsuppressed turbojet exhaust having an equivalent area ratio and operating under effectively equal thrust loads serve as the experimental control. Static pressure-level measurements, made with a calibrated high-temperature acoustically damped probe tube, show that noise suppression by multitube nozzles results from reduced turbulence levels. The maximum fluctuating static-pressure level in the unsuppressed turbojet exhaust is typically 5-6 dB higher than static-pressure levels in the suppressed exhaust under conditions of effectively equal static thrust. This suggests that the turbulence intensity in the multitube suppressor flow is reduced in excess of 20% compared with the unsuppressed jet exhaust.

Regan, D. R.↗

The Wiener-Hermite expansion applied to decaying isotropic turbulence using a renormalized time-dependent base

The problem of decaying isotropic turbulence has been studied using a Wiener-Hermite expansion with a renormalized time-dependent base. The theory is largely deductive and uses no modeling approximations. It has been found that many properties of large-Reynolds-number turbulence can be calculated (at least for moderate time) using the moving-base expansion alone. Such properties found are the spectrum shape in the dissipation range, the Kolmogorov constant, and the energy cascade in the inertial subrange. Furthermore, by using a renormalization scheme, it is possible to extend the calculation to larger times and to initial conditions significantly different from the equilibrium form. If the initial spectrum is the Kolmogorov spectrum perturbed with a spike or dip in the inertial subrange, the process proceeds to eliminate the perturbation and relax to the preferred spectrum shape. The turbulence decays with the proper dissipation rate, and several other properties are found to agree with measured data. The theory is also used to calculate the energy transfer and the flatness factor of turbulence.

Hogge, H. D.↗

Cross-correlation of noise produced inside a hot turbojet exhaust with and without suppression using a new, hot probe

The noise producing region of a hot turbojet exhaust is studied by cross-correlating hydrodynamic pressure fluctuations within the exhaust with far field sound for Mach numbers up to 0.99. Measurements are made on unsuppressed engine and on a suppressed engine fitted with a 31-tube multijet nozzle. Hydrodynamic pressure fluctuations inside the hot exhaust are measured using a special 1/4 inch diameter probe tube (acoustically damped and air cooled), fitted with a ported nose cone. Maximum, normalized cross-correlations of 0.2 are found for Ma = 0.99 at an angle of 30 deg.

Meecham, W. C.↗

Investigation of the aerodynamic noise generating region of a jet engine by means of the simple source fluid dilatation model

An experiment was conducted on a full-scale jet engine to investigate the aerodynamic noise generating regions in the free jet. Cross-correlation measurements were made between the static pressure fluctuations and the farfield radiated sound. These measurements were made for two different static pressure probe positions and a large number of farfield positions (at various angles). In addition, each test geometry was run for four different jet exit velocities. The measured, normalized cross-correlation functions varied between 0.004 and 0.155. A new Q-function, based on the above normalized cross correlation is defined and plotted. This function represents the source strength per unit volume within the jet region. This Q-function shows dependence on the probe position, the angular position of the farfield microphone, and the jet exit Mach number. Third-octave analyses of both the probe signal and the farfield radiated sound were made. The results show that cross-correlation techniques are a valuable tool in the investigation of the aerodynamic noise generating regions of an actual jet engine.

Hurdle, P. M.↗

Measurements of V/STOL aircraft noise mechanisms using pressure cross-correlation techniques in a reverberant wind tunnel

A 3.8 cm. model jet was operated in a wind tunnel with cross-flow in order to determine the effect on jet noise radiated characteristics. A method was developed for the determination of noise radiating characteristics of sources within reverberant wind tunnels; cross-correlation measurements were used. The averaging time in the cross-correlation is determined by the amount of background noise within the wind tunnel. It was found that cross-flow increases the radiated noise by 10 db. There was some indication of downstream radiation exceeding the sideline radiation.

Meecham, W. C.↗

Use of cross-correlation measurements to investigate noise generating regions of a real jet engine and a model jet

Cross-correlations are reported of the jet static pressure fluctuations (as measured with a B and K microphone fitted with a nose cone), with the far-field radiated sound pressure. These measurements were made for various probe positions and a large number of far-field positions (at various angles). In addition, the tests were run for a number of different jet exit velocities. The measured, normalized cross-correlation functions vary between 0.004 and 0.155. These values depend upon the angular position of the far-field microphone, the jet exit Mach number, and the position of the probe. In addition, the cross-correlation technique was employed to study the symmetry of the far-field radiated sound about the jet axis. Third-octave analyses of both the probe signal and the far-field radiated sound were made. This is the first time correlation measurements have been made on a jet engine. In addition, a report is given on an extensive noise survey of a model jet. The correlations are related to sound source functions and jet source regions are discussed.

Meecham, W. C.↗

Sound directivity pattern radiated from small airfoils.

Verification of Curle's (1955) point dipole sound theory as a means for predicting the level and directivity of sound radiated from rigid surfaces in flow. A presented comparison between theory and experiment is shown to provide evidence that airfoils in flow, whose dimensions are small in relation to the wavelength of the radiated sound, radiate like point dipoles in apparent support of Curle's theory.

Hersh, A. S.↗