Wide-field shadowgraphy of tip vortices from a helicopter rotor
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Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Parthasarathy, S. P..
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Projectiles containing axisymmetric ring cavities constitute aeroacoustic sources. These produce high intensity tones which are used for coding in the SAWE (Simulation of Area Weapons Effects) system. Experimental data obtained in a free jet facility are presented describing the effects of yaw, spin and geometric projectile parameters on sound pressure and drag. In general, the sound pressure decreases with increasing yaw angle whereas the drag increases. Spin tends to increase sound pressure levels because of a reduction in asymmetry of flow. Drag increases at zero yaw approximately as the 1.5 power of sound wavelength. A significant part of the drag increase appears to be due to energy loss by sound radiation.
Training projectiles with nose ring cavities that produce intense whistles in stationary free-jet tests were shot in a relatively straight-line trajectory. A ground based microphone was used to obtain the angular distribution of sound intensity produced from the subsonically flying projectile. Data reduction required calculation of Doppler and attenuation factors which were determined based on a non-linear trajectory. Also, the directional sensitivity of the microphone was measured and used in the data reduction. Significant angular variation of sound intensity produced from the projectile was found which can be used to plot an intensity contour map on the ground. A full-scale field test confirmed the validity of the aeroacoustic concept of producing a relatively intense whistle from the projectile, and the usefulness of a real-time data acquisition system.
To develop a system for acoustic coding of moving objects containing drilled cylindrical cavities, the production of high-intensity tones by deep cylindrical cavities in a flat surface at low (0.12-0.24) Mach numbers was investigated. The sound intensity and frequency have been determined as functions of flow velocity, diameter, and depth of the cavities. It is shown that whistles can be designed for a given frequency (in the range of 5-17 kHz) and flow, and the sound pressure levels can be calculated by the equations given. Using these equations a whistle producing 106 dB at a 30.5-cm distance from a cylindrical cavity of 0.508 cm in diameter and 1.32 cm in depth with an airflow of 57.7 m/s past the cavity was designed.
The vortex trajectory and vortex wake generated by helicopter rotors are visualized using a wide-field shadowgraph technique. Use of a retro-reflective Scotchlite screen makes it possible to investigate the flow field generated by full-scale rotors. Tip vortex trajectories are visible in shadowgraphs for a range of tip Mach number of 0.38 to 0.60. The effect of the angle of attack is substantial. At an angle of attack greater than 8 degrees, the visibility of the vortex core is significant even at relatively low tip Mach numbers. The theoretical analysis of the sensitivity is carried out for a rotating blade. This analysis demonstrates that the sensitivity decreases with increasing dimensionless core radius and increases with increasing tip Mach number. The threshold value of the sensitivity is found to be 0.0015, below which the vortex core is not visible and above which it is visible. The effect of the optical path length is also discussed. Based on this investigation, it is concluded that the application of this wide-field shadowgraph technique to a large wind tunnel test should be feasible. In addition, two simultaneous shadowgraph views would allow three-dimensional reconstruction of vortex trajectories.
The vortex trajectory and vortex wake generated by helicopter rotors were visualized using a wide-field shadowgraph technique. Use of a retro-reflective Scotchlite screen made it possible to investigate the flow field generated by full-scale tail rotors. Tip vortex trajectories were visible in shadowgraphs for a range for tip Mach number of 0.38 - 0.60. The effect of the angle of attack was substantial. At an angle of attack greater than 8 degrees, the visibility of the vortex core was significant even at relatively low tip Mach numbers. The theoretical analysis of the visibility was carried out for a rotating blade. This analysis demonstrated that the visibility decreases with increasing dimensionless core radius (ro/c) and increases with increasing tip Mach number. Based on this investigation, it is concluded that the wide-field shadowgraph flow visualization technique should be feasible to study the flow field generated by a large main rotor in a wind tunnel and in an outdoor full-scale test stand. Of note is that the shadowgraph technique could easily be used with other on-going tests such as aerodynamic performance study, noise measurements, velocity measurements with LDV or hot-wire anemometer, local pressure measurement on the rotor surface, etc.
Unit simple, sensitive, rugged, and reliable. Diaphragmless microphone detects leaks from small boiler tubes. Porous plug retains carbon granules in tube while allowing pressure changes to penetrate to granules. Has greater life expectancy than previous controllers and used in variety of hot corrosive atmospheres.
A microphone which is not subject to corrosion is provided by employing carbon granules to sense sound waves. The granules are packed into a ceramic tube and no diaphragm is used. A pair of electrodes is located in the tube adjacent the carbon granules and are coupled to a sensing circuit. Sound waves cause pressure changes on the carbon granules which results in a change in resistance in the electrical path between the electrodes. This change in resistance is detected by the sensing circuit. The microphone is suitable for use as a leak detection probe in recovery boilers, where it provides reliable operation without corrosion problems associated with conventional microphones.
An experimental investigation has been conducted on the production of high intensity tones by small cylindrical cavities in a flat surface. The application of such a mechanism is to the acoustic coding of moving objects containing drilled holes. The sound intensity and frequency have been determined as functions of flow velocity, diameter and depth of the cavities. As a practical matter, it is possible to produce a whistle producing 106 dB at 30.5 cm distance from a cylindrical hole of 0.5 cm diameter and 1.2 cm deep with an airflow of 60 m/s past the hole.
An experimental investigation has been carried out on the production of high intensity tones by axisymmetric ring cavities. Maximum sound production occurs during a double resonance at Strouhal numbers which depend only on the local flow velocity independent of cavity location. Values of sound pressure of about 115 dB at 1 meter distance can be generated by axisymmetric ring cavities on projectiles moving at a relatively low flight speed equal to 65 m/s. Frequencies in the audible range up to several Kilo Hertz can be generated aeroacoustically.
A linear theory is developed for the amplification of disturbances along a jet containing shock waves. The theory indicates that near grazing angles (i.e., wave angles near 90 deg) horizontal vorticity is greatly amplified after passing through the two shock waves that exist in a shock cell. The cumulative amplification and the mode that is amplified most can be obtained if the changes in shock parameters from cell to cell are known. Rapid rates of growth of disturbances are exhibited by shadowgraphs and rates of angular displacement of about 10 are observed. The linear two-dimensional theory also indicates that such rates of amplification occur, and that the behavior of a two-dimensional jet is qualitatively similar to that of a round jet.
An analysis is conducted of the shielding of the noise emitted by a high speed round jet by a hot, subsonic, semicircular jet. A plane wave front in the primary jet is resolved into elementary plane waves which undergo multiple reflections at the jet boundaries of the primary and the shielding jets. The jet boundaries are idealized to be vortex sheets. The far field sound is evaluated asymptotically by a superposition of the waves that penetrate the shielding jet. The angular directivities are plotted for several values of jet temperature and velocity to examine the effectiveness of shielding by the semicircular jet layer.
Data for use in producing a tomograph of subsoil structure between boreholes is derived by pacing spaced geophones in one borehole, on the Earth surface if desired, and by producing a sequence of shots at spaced apart locations in the other borehole. The signals, detected by each of the geophones from the various shots, are processed either on a time of arrival basis, or on the basis of signal amplitude, to provide information of the characteristics of a large number of incremental areas between the boreholes. Such information is useable to produce a tomograph of the subsoil structure between the boreholes. By processing signals of relatively high frequencies, e.g., up to 100 Hz, and by closely spacing the geophones, a high resolution tomograph can be produced.
Measuring technique discriminates between jet noise and core noise of jet engine. Results of experimentation confirmed that core noise and jet noise can be separated by examining cross-correlation of far-field microphone signals and that crossover point between core noise and jet noise moves toward higher velocities at higher angles with respect to jet axis.
An analysis has been performed of sound waves which propagate in a pipe with gas flow. At the pipe exit these waves are partially reflected and the remainder are diffracted. The analysis is carried out by resolving the sound at the exit into its Fourier components and then continuing the solution, which is a combination of elementary plane waves, beyond the exit. These waves are of two types: homogeneous waves which propagate to infinity, and inhomogeneous waves with complex wave numbers which decay. The reflected waves are evaluated from the inhomogeneous waves. At the boundary of the jet, refraction of the elementary plane waves is accounted for and the far field sound is evaluated by the method of stationary phase. Comparisons of the theoretical calculations are made with experimental results and with calculations of other theories.
Sound propagation through a hot wall-jet flow over an absorbing wall is studied. The radiated sound field subject to the influence of flow convection and refraction is evaluated, and the nature of acoustic attenuation attributable to a sound absorbing liner is determined. Using a two-dimensional model, the noise field under the aircraft is also determined, and a slug-flow model is used to describe the influence of flow, density, and temperature on acoustic sources in jets. Results show significant changes in the radiated source due to the interference phenomenon, and a good absorber has the potential of changing the sound pressure range of variation to unity. A liner is also found to increase or decrease sound pressure, depending on the frequency.
Bursts of signals at different frequencies are induced into substructure, adjacent to a borehole. The return signals from each burst of signals are normalized to compensate for the attenuation, experienced by more distant return signals. The peak amplitudes of return signals, above a selected level, are cut off, and an average signal is produced from the normalized amplitude-limited return signals of each burst. The averaged signals of the return signals of all the signal bursts at the different frequencies are processed to provide a combined signal, whose amplitude is related to the microfracture density of the substructure adjacent to the borehole.
For an over-the-wing/under-the-wing engine configuration on an airplane, the noise produced by the upper jet flow is partially reflected by the lower jet. An analysis has been performed which can be used to predict the distribution of perceived noise levels along the ground plane at take-off for an airplane which is designed to take advantage of the over/under shielding concept. Typical contours of PNL, the shielding benefit in the shadow zone, and the EPNL values at 3.5 nautical miles from brake release as well as EPNL values at sideline at 0.35 nautical miles have been calculated. This has been done for a range of flow parameters characteristic of engines producing inverted velocity profile jets suitable for use in a supersonic cruise vehicle. Reductions up to 6.0 EPNdB in community noise levels can be realized when the over engines are operated at higher thrust and the lower engines simultaneously operated with reduced thrust keeping the total thrust constant.