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At least 217 records · Page 12

Approach for Structurally Clearing an Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge Flap for Flight

The Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) flap was flown on the NASA Gulfstream GIII test bed at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center. This smoothly curving flap replaced the existing Fowler flaps creating a seamless control surface. This compliant structure, developed by FlexSys Inc. in partnership with Air Force Research Laboratory, supported NASA objectives for airframe structural noise reduction, aerodynamic efficiency, and wing weight reduction through gust load alleviation. A thorough structures airworthiness approach was developed to move this project safely to flight.

complaint trailing edge flap↗

Pressure Fluctuations due to ‘Trapped Waves’ in Heated Jets

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the presence and characteristics of ‘trapped waves’ in the near field of a small axisymmetric jet at heated conditions. Trapped waves occur within the potential core of compressible jets and manifest as distinct peaks in the unsteady pressure spectra measured just outside the jet near the nozzle exit. The existence and properties of the trapped wave spectral peaks in round and rectangular jets of various sizes in subsonic and supersonic conditions were studied in our recent experiments, at cold conditions [7]. The current work extends the study to heated jets. Pressure fluctuation spectra near the nozzle exit are analyzed for a small (D = 6.35 mm) axisymmetric jet at stagnation temperature ratios up to 1.6. It is shown that trapped waves continue to persist in heated jets. At sufficiently high Mach numbers, one of the trapped wave harmonics emerges as screech tone, a behavior consistent with that observed in cold jets. For a given Mach number, the frequencies of both trapped waves and screech increase with jet temperature with no significant change occurring in their amplitudes. The Strouhal numbers based on jet diameter for the trapped waves and screech continue to follow similar scaling laws as observed previously with cold jets.

aeroacoustics↗

Aeroacoustic probe design for microphone to reduce flow-induced self-noise

A new aerodynamic microphone forebody design was tested in the National Full-scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) at NASA Ames Research Center. An overview of the design theory is presented. The new microphone forebody was tested along with the industry standard Bruel and Kjaer (B&K) aerodynamic microphone forebody in the Ames 7- by 10-Foot Wind Tunnel, NFAC 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel and Anechoic Chamber. The wind tunnel results show that high frequency tones, present with the B&K microphone forebody, are eliminated with the new probe. Broad band background noise levels at lower frequencies are also shown to decrease with the 1/4 inch version of the new probe. Finally, the Anechoic Chamber results show no difference in the directional characteristics between the new and B&K microphone forebodies below 80 kHz.

Allew, Cristopher S.↗

Two-stage, low noise advanced technology fan. Volume 2: Aerodynamic data

Aerodynamic data from static tests of a two-stage advanced technology fan designed to minimize noise are presented. Fan design conditions include delivery of 209.1kg/sec/sq m (42.85 lbm/sec/sq ft) specific corrected flow at an overall pressure ratio of 1.9 and an adiabatic efficiency of 85.3 percent. The 0.836m (2.74ft) diameter first stage rotor has a hub/tip ratio of 0.4 and 365.8m/sec (1200ft/sec) design tip speed. In addition to the moderate tip speed and pressure rise per stage, other noise control design features involve widely spaced blade rows and proper selection of blade-vane ratios. Aerodynamic data are presented for tests with unifrom and with hub and tip radially distorted inlet flow. Aerodynamic data are also presented for tests of this fan with acoustic treatments, including acoustically treated casing walls, a flowpath exit acoustic ring, and a translating centerbody sonic inlet device. A complete tabulation of the overall performance data, the blade element data, and the power spectral density information relating to turbulence levels generated by the sonic inlet obtained during these tests is included. For vol. 1, see N74-33789.

Harley, K. G.↗

Understanding the Impact of a Serrated Trailing Edge on the Unsteady Hydrodynamic Field

Trailing edge noise is a common noise source in aerodynamic applications. Many prior experiments have shown that trailing edge serrations can reduce this noise, but the mechanism by which serrations reduce noise and their aerodynamic impact near the edge is not fully understood. Previous theoretical models have assumed that the turbulence convecting past a serrated trailing edge is unchanged by the presence of the serrations, but experiments have shown that this is not accurate. This work attempts to further the understanding of unsteady surface pressure fluctuations on sawtooth serrations. Experiments were performed in an anechoic wall-jet wind tunnel on an undercut trailing edge with a straight and serrated edge configuration. The magnitude of unsteady surface pressure fluctuations was found to increase near the tips of the serrations for Strouhal numbers near 0.5 based on edge thickness. Spanwise coherence was increased on a single serration, while coherence across the root of adjacent serrations was similar to results across a straight trailing edge at similar spanwise separation distance.

Stefan Letica↗

Modelling Aerodynamically Generated Sound: Recent Advances in Rotor Noise Prediction

A great deal of progress has been made in the modeling of aerodynamically generated sound for rotors over the past decade. The Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H ) equation has been the foundation for much of the development. Both subsonic and supersonic quadrupole noise formulations have been developed for the prediction of high-speed impulsive noise. In an effort to eliminate the need to compute the quadrupole contribution, the FW-H has also been utilized on permeable surfaces surrounding all physical noise sources. Comparison of the Kirchhoff formulation for moving surfaces with the FW-H equation have shown that the Kirchhoff formulation for moving surfaces can give erroneous results for aeroacoustic problems.

Brentner, Kenneth S.↗

Fan Noise Source Diagnostic Test: Rotor Alone Aerodynamic Performance Results

The aerodynamic performance of an isolated fan or rotor alone model was measured in the NASA Glenn Research Center 9- by 15- Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel as part of the Fan Broadband Source Diagnostic Test conducted at NASA Glenn. The Source Diagnostic Test was conducted to identify the noise sources within a wind tunnel scale model of a turbofan engine and quantify their contribution to the overall system noise level. The fan was part of a 1/5th scale model representation of the bypass stage of a current technology turbofan engine. For the rotor alone testing, the fan and nacelle, including the inlet, external cowl, and fixed area fan exit nozzle, were modeled in the test hardware; the internal outlet guide vanes located behind the fan were removed. Without the outlet guide vanes, the velocity at the nozzle exit changes significantly, thereby affecting the fan performance. As part of the investigation, variations in the fan nozzle area were tested in order to match as closely as possible the rotor alone performance with the fan performance obtained with the outlet guide vanes installed. The fan operating performance was determined using fixed pressure/temperature combination rakes and the corrected weight flow. The performance results indicate that a suitable nozzle exit was achieved to be able to closely match the rotor alone and fan/outlet guide vane configuration performance on the sea level operating line. A small shift in the slope of the sea level operating line was measured, which resulted in a slightly higher rotor alone fan pressure ratio at take-off conditions, matched fan performance at cutback conditions, and a slightly lower rotor alone fan pressure ratio at approach conditions. However, the small differences in fan performance at all fan conditions were considered too small to affect the fan acoustic performance.

Hughes, Christopher E.↗

Performance and noise generation studies of supersonic air ejectors

Experimental investigations were conducted to determine the aerodynamic performance and noise generation characteristics of five ejectors having subsonic secondary flow. Primary nozzles with equal exit area for Mach numbers 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 produced a variety of noise and pumping effects. The pumping capacity, specific power, and noise generation of the Mach 1 nozzle was the highest and its mass augmentation was the lowest among the nozzles tested. The Mach 3 nozzle was found superior in mass augmentation and it also produced the lowest noise, however its pumping capacity and specific power was the lowest.

Barna, P. S.↗

An Assessment of NASA Glenn's Aeroacoustic Experimental and Predictive Capabilities for Installed Cooling Fans

Quiet, high performance electronics cooling fans are needed for both commercial applications and future manned space exploration missions. Researchers at NASA Glenn focusing on aircraft engine noise, have long been familiar with the challenge of reducing fan noise without sacrificing aerodynamic performance. Is it possible to capitalize on the lessons-learned in aircraft engine noise reduction to identify inexpensive ways to improve the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of electronics cooling fans? Recent tests at NASA Glenn have begun to look for answers to this question. The overall aerodynamic and acoustic performance of a commercially available, spaceflight qualified 80 mm diameter axial flow fan has been measured using an automated plenum in accordance with ISO 10302 in the hemi-anechoic chamber of NASA Glenn s Acoustical Testing Laboratory. These measurements are complemented by detailed aerodynamic measurements of the inlet, exhaust, and rotor wake regions of the fan using Particle Image Velocimetry and hot-wire probes. A study of preliminary results yielded recommendations for system designers, fan manufacturers, and researchers.

Koch, L. Danielle↗

Noise Trends of a 0.5 M (20 In.) Diameter Supersonic Throughflow Fan as Measured in an Unmodified Compressor Aerodynamic Test Facility

The tone noise levels of a supersonic throughflow fan were measured at subsonic and supersonic axial duct Mach numbers. The noise in the inlet plenum showed no blade passing and harmonic tones at subsonic or supersonic axial flow conditions. At subsonic axial flow conditions, the supersonic throughflow fan showed no inlet plenum tones at fan operating conditions where tone noise had been previously measured for a subsonic fan design. This lower inlet-quadrant noise level for the supersonic throughflow fan was the result of high subsonic inlet velocities acting to reduce the noise propagating out the inlet. The fan noise, which was prevented from propagating upstream by the high subsonic inlet velocities, appeared to increase the noise in the exhaust duct at subsonic throughflow conditions. The exhaust duct noise decreased at supersonic axial throughflow Mach numbers, with the lowest blade passing and harmonic tones levels being observed at the design axial Mach number of 2.0. Multiple pure tone noise was observed in the inlet duct at subsonic axial flow Mach numbers but was seen only in the exhaust duct at supersonic axial flow conditions.

Dittmar, James H.↗

Single stage, low noise, advanced technology fan. Volume 1: Aerodynamic design

The aerodynamic design for a half-scale fan vehicle, which would have application on an advanced transport aircraft, is described. The single stage advanced technology fan was designed to a pressure ratio of 1.8 at a tip speed of 503 m/sec 11,650 ft/sec). The fan and booster components are designed in a scale model flow size convenient for testing with existing facility and vehicle hardware. The design corrected flow per unit annulus area at the fan face is 215 kg/sec sq m (44.0 lb m/sec sq ft) with a hub-tip ratio of 0.38 at the leading edge of the fan rotor. This results in an inlet corrected airflow of 117.9 kg/sec (259.9 lb m/sec) for the selected rotor tip diameter if 90.37 cm (35.58 in.). The variable geometry inlet is designed utilizing a combination of high throat Mach number and acoustic treatment in the inlet diffuser for noise suppression (hybrid inlet). A variable fan exhaust nozzle was assumed in conjunction with the variable inlet throat area to limit the required area change of the inlet throat at approach and hence limit the overall diffusion and inlet length. The fan exit duct design was primarily influenced by acoustic requirements, including length of suppressor wall treatment; length, thickness and position on a duct splitter for additional suppressor treatment; and duct surface Mach numbers.

Sullivan, T. J.↗

Prediction of Broadband Blade-Wake Back-Scatter Noise from a Hovering Ideally Twisted Rotor using OVERFLOW2-ANOPP2

This work illustrates the use of a hybrid RANS/LES framework for the prediction of broadband noise via integral formulations from an ideally twisted hovering rotor. Four simulations were conducted, which investigated the effect of different turbulence modeling and spatiotemporal resolutions. The aerodynamic performance and aeroacoustics predicted by these four computational cases were compared against data acquired in the Small Hover Anechoic Chamber at the NASA Langley Research Center and against previous simulations conducted using the lattice-Boltzmann solver, PowerFLOW. The simulation case with the finest spatial resolution had the most favorable aerodynamic performance and broadband noise comparison with measured data; however, the simulation case utilizing the SST-DDES turbulence model predicted the most accurate tonal noise signature. Aerodynamic flowfield visualizations identified near-wake trailing edge vortex shedding, perpendicular blade-vortex interactions, and tip vortex formation, which are known to cause broadband noise. The fluid dynamics associated with a new broadband noise source, blade-wake back-scatter, were also identified. Lastly, a broadband noise source visualization technique was utilized to confirm the presence of blade-wake back-scatter as a dominant broadband noise source.

blade-wake back-scatter↗

Scale Resolving Simulations of Contra Rotating Open Rotor Noise Prediction

The development of breakthrough open-rotor propulsion systems that meet performance, fuel efficiency, and noise requirements for commercial viability relies heavily on the availability of reliable and computationally efficient aerodynamic performance and noise prediction tools.This investigation showcases the proficiency of the structured curvilinear overset grid Computational Fluid Dynamics solver implemented in the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics framework for predicting the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic characteristics of a Contra-RotatingOpen Rotor propulsion system. Additionally, the study includes comprehensive sensitivity analyses employing a Hybrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes/Large Eddy Simulation - based scale-resolving turbulence closure treatment. The computed results are validated through comparison with existing experimental measurements.

ARMD↗

Acoustic characteristics of two hybrid inlets at forward speed

A wind tunnel investigation of the acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of two hybrid inlets installed on a JT15D-1 turbofan engine was performed. The hybrid inlets combined moderate throat Mach number and wall acoustic treatment to suppress the fan inlet noise. Acoustic and aerodynamic data were recorded over a range of flight and engine operating conditions. In a simulated flight environment, the hybrid inlets provided significant levels of suppression at both design and off-design throat Mach numbers with good aerodynamic performance. A comparison of inlet noise at quasi-static and forward-speed conditions in the wind tunnel showed a reduction in the fan tones, demonstrating the flight cleanup effect. High angles of attack produced slight increases in fan noise at the high acoustic directivity angles.

Falarski, M. D.↗

Exploring the Impact of Sideslip Angle on Acoustic Predictions of an Open Rotor System Using Scale-Resolving Simulations

The development of innovative open-rotor propulsion systems that meet performance, fuel efficiency, and noise standards for commercial use depends significantly on the availability of reliable and computationally efficient tools for aerodynamic performance and noise prediction.This investigation demonstrates the capability of the structured curvilinear overset gridComputational Fluid Dynamics solver within the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics framework to predict the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic characteristics of a Contra-RotatingOpen Rotor propulsion system under various sideslip angles. In this publication, results obtained using a Hybrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes/Large Eddy Simulation-based scale-resolving turbulence closure approach are validated against existing experimental measurements including aerodynamic loads, moments, and tones.

AATT↗

The effect of nozzle inlet shape, lip thickness, and exit shape and size on subsonic jet noise

Far field noise data were taken for convergent nozzles of various shapes and sizes at subsonic velocities exceeding 400 feet per second. For a circular nozzle, the nozzle inlet shape and lip thickness had no effect on the noise level, directivity, or spectra when compared at the same nozzle exit diameter and peak exhaust velocity. A sharp edged orifice was one exception to this statement. Coannular nozzles can produce additional high frequency noise. Blunt ended centerbodies, where there is significant base drag, also generate significant additional noise. The total noise power generation was essentially the same for circular, slot, and plug nozzles of good aerodynamic shape. The noise radiation patterns were essentially the same for these nozzle shapes except near the nozzle exhaust axis.

Olsen, W. A.↗

The Prediction and Analysis of Jet Flows and Scattered Turbulent Mixing Noise about Flight Vehicle Airframes

Jet flows interacting with nearby surfaces exhibit a complex behavior in which acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics are altered. The physical understanding and prediction of these characteristics are essential to designing future low noise aircraft. A new approach is created for predicting scattered jet mixing noise that utilizes an acoustic analogy and steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solutions. A tailored Green's function accounts for the propagation of mixing noise about the airframe and is calculated numerically using a newly developed ray tracing method. The steady aerodynamic statistics, associated unsteady sound source, and acoustic intensity are examined as jet conditions are varied about a large flat plate. A non-dimensional number is proposed to estimate the effect of the aerodynamic noise source relative to jet operating condition and airframe position.The steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solutions, acoustic analogy, tailored Green's function, non-dimensional number, and predicted noise are validated with a wide variety of measurements. The combination of the developed theory, ray tracing method, and careful implementation in a stand-alone computer program result in an approach that is more first principles oriented than alternatives, computationally efficient, and captures the relevant physics of fluid-structure interaction.

Miller, Steven A. E.↗

Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Simulations of Two Partial-Span Flap Wing Experiments

Structured Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes simulations of two partial-span flap wing experiments were performed. The high-lift aerodynamic and aeroacoustic wind-tunnel experiments were conducted at both the NASA Ames 7-by 10-Foot Wind Tunnel and at the NASA Langley Quiet Flow Facility. The purpose of these tests was to accurately document the acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics associated with the principle airframe noise sources, including flap side-edge noise. Specific measurements were taken that can be used to validate analytic and computational models of the noise sources and associated aerodynamic for configurations and conditions approximating flight for transport aircraft. The numerical results are used to both calibrate a widely used CFD code, CFL3D, and to obtain details of flap side-edge flow features not discernible from experimental observations. Both experimental set-ups were numerically modeled by using multiple block structured grids. Various turbulence models, grid block-interface interaction methods and grid topologies were implemented. Numerical results of both simulations are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements and flow visualization observations. The flow field in the flap-edge region was adequately resolved to discern some crucial information about the flow physics and to substantiate the merger of the two vortical structures. As a result of these investigations, airframe noise modelers have proposed various simplified models which use the results obtained from the steady-state computations as input.

Takalluk, M. A.↗