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At least 235 records · Page 13

Verification of a Viscous Computational Aeroacoustics Code Using External Verification Analysis

The External Verification Analysis approach to code verification is extended to solve the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with constant properties, and is used to verify a high-order computational aeroacoustics (CAA) code. After a brief review of the relevant literature, the details of the EVA approach are presented and compared to the similar Method of Manufactured Solutions (MMS). Pseudocode representations of EVA's algorithms are included, along with the recurrence relations needed to construct the EVA solution. The code verification results show that EVA was able to convincingly verify a high-order, viscous CAA code without the addition of MMS-style source terms, or any other modifications to the code.

Computational↗

Reducing the Effect of Transducer Mount Induced Noise on Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel Testing Data with a New Transducer Mount Design

Flight vehicle aeroacoustic environments induced during transonic and supersonic flight are usually predicted by subscale wind tunnel testing utilizing high frequency miniature pressure transducers. In order to minimize noise induced by the measurement itself, transducer flush mounting with the model surface is very important. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has accomplished flushness in recent testing campaigns via use of a transducer holder that can be machined and sanded. A single hole in the holder allows the flow medium to interact with the transducer diaphragm. Noise is induced by the resulting cavity however, and is a challenge to remove in post-processing. A new holder design has been developed that minimizes the effects of this transducer mount induced noise (XMIN) by reducing the resonance amplitude or increasing its resonance frequency beyond the range of interest. This paper describes a test conducted at the NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center Trisonic Wind Tunnel intended to verify the effectiveness of this design. The results from this test show that this new transducer holder design does significantly reduce the influence of XMIN on measured fluctuating pressure levels without degrading a transducer's ability to accurately measure the noise external to the model.

Herron, Andrew J.↗

Verification of a Viscous Computational Aeroacoustics Code using External Verification Analysis

The External Verification Analysis approach to code verification is extended to solve the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with constant properties, and is used to verify a high-order computational aeroacoustics (CAA) code. After a brief review of the relevant literature, the details of the EVA approach are presented and compared to the similar Method of Manufactured Solutions (MMS). Pseudocode representations of EVA's algorithms are included, along with the recurrence relations needed to construct the EVA solution. The code verification results show that EVA was able to convincingly verify a high-order, viscous CAA code without the addition of MMS-style source terms, or any other modifications to the code.

Computational↗

Advanced Background Subtraction Applied to Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel Testing

An advanced form of background subtraction is presented and applied to aeroacoustic wind tunnel data. A variant of this method has seen use in other fields such as climatology and medical imaging. The technique, based on an eigenvalue decomposition of the background noise cross-spectral matrix, is robust against situations where isolated background auto-spectral levels are measured to be higher than levels of combined source and background signals. It also provides an alternate estimate of the cross-spectrum, which previously might have poor definition for low signal-to-noise ratio measurements. Simulated results indicate similar performance to conventional background subtraction when the subtracted spectra are weaker than the true contaminating background levels. Superior performance is observed when the subtracted spectra are stronger than the true contaminating background levels. Experimental results show limited success in recovering signal behavior for data where conventional background subtraction fails. They also demonstrate the new subtraction technique's ability to maintain a proper coherence relationship in the modified cross-spectral matrix. Beam-forming and de-convolution results indicate the method can successfully separate sources. Results also show a reduced need for the use of diagonal removal in phased array processing, at least for the limited data sets considered.

Bahr, Christopher J.↗

NASA Hybrid Wing Aircraft Aeroacoustic Test Documentation Report

This report summarizes results of the Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) N2A-EXTE model aeroacoustic test. The N2A-EXTE model was tested in the NASA Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel (14x22 Tunnel) from September 12, 2012 until January 28, 2013 and was designated as test T598. This document contains the following main sections: Section 1 - Introduction, Section 2 - Main Personnel, Section 3 - Test Equipment, Section 4 - Data Acquisition Systems, Section 5 - Instrumentation and Calibration, Section 6 - Test Matrix, Section 7 - Data Processing, and Section 8 - Summary. Due to the amount of material to be documented, this HWB test documentation report does not cover analysis of acquired data, which is to be presented separately by the principal investigators. Also, no attempt was made to include preliminary risk reduction tests (such as Broadband Engine Noise Simulator and Compact Jet Engine Simulator characterization tests, shielding measurement technique studies, and speaker calibration method studies), which were performed in support of this HWB test. Separate reports containing these preliminary tests are referenced where applicable.

Heath, Stephanie L.↗

Small Propeller and Rotor Testing Capabilities of the NASA Langley Low Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel

The Low Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel (LSAWT) at NASA Langley Research Center has recently undergone a configuration change. This change incorporates an inlet nozzle extension meant to serve the dual purposes of achieving lower free-stream velocities as well as a larger core flow region. The LSAWT, part of the NASA Langley Jet Noise Laboratory, had historically been utilized to simulate realistic forward flight conditions of commercial and military aircraft engines in an anechoic environment. The facility was modified starting in 2016 in order to expand its capabilities for the aerodynamic and acoustic testing of small propeller and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) rotor configurations. This paper describes the modifications made to the facility, its current aerodynamic and acoustic capabilities, the propeller and UAS rotor-vehicle configurations to be tested, and some preliminary predictions and experimental data for isolated propeller and UAS rotor con figurations, respectively. Isolated propeller simulations have been performed spanning a range of advance ratios to identify the theoretical propeller operational limits of the LSAWT. Performance and acoustic measurements of an isolated UAS rotor in hover conditions are found to compare favorably with previously measured data in an anechoic chamber and blade element-based acoustic predictions.

Zawodny, Nikolas S.↗

Aeroacoustic Validation of Installed Low Noise Propulsion for NASA's N+2 Supersonic Airliner

An aeroacoustic test was conducted at NASA Glenn Research Center on an integrated propulsion system designed to meet noise regulations of ICAO Chapter 4 with 10EPNdB cumulative margin. The test had two objectives: to demonstrate that the aircraft design did meet the noise goal, and to validate the acoustic design tools used in the design. Variations in the propulsion system design and its installation were tested and the results compared against predictions. Far-field arrays of microphones measured the acoustic spectral directivity, which was transformed to full scale as noise certification levels. Phased array measurements confirmed that the shielding of the installation model adequately simulated the full aircraft and provided data for validating RANS-based noise prediction tools. Particle image velocimetry confirmed that the flow field around the nozzle on the jet rig mimicked that of the full aircraft and produced flow data to validate the RANS solutions used in the noise predictions. The far-field acoustic measurements confirmed the empirical predictions for the noise. Results provided here detail the steps taken to ensure accuracy of the measurements and give insights into the physics of exhaust noise from installed propulsion systems in future supersonic vehicles.

aeroacousti↗

Aeroacoustic Validation of Installed Low Noise Propulsion for NASA's N+2 Supersonic Airliner

An aeroacoustic test was conducted at NASA Glenn Research Center on an integrated propulsion system designed to meet noise regulations of ICAO Chapter 4 with 10EPNdB cumulative margin. The test had two objectives: to demonstrate that the aircraft design did meet the noise goal, and to validate the acoustic design tools used in the design. Variations in the propulsion system design and its installation were tested and the results compared against predictions. Far-field arrays of microphones measured the acoustic spectral directivity, which was transformed to full scale as noise certification levels. Phased array measurements confirmed that the shielding of the installation model adequately simulated the full aircraft and provided data for validating RANS-based noise prediction tools. Particle image velocimetry confirmed that the flow field around the nozzle on the jet rig mimicked that of the full aircraft and produced flow data to validate the RANS solutions used in the noise predictions. The far-field acoustic measurements confirmed the empirical predictions for the noise. Results provided here detail the steps taken to ensure accuracy of the measurements and give insights into the physics of exhaust noise from installed propulsion systems in future supersonic vehicles.

supersonic↗

Space Launch System Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel Test Results

Characterization of accurate launch vehicle unsteady aerodynamics is critical for component and secondary structure vibroacoustic design. For the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Launch System (SLS), aeroacoustic environments have been derived primarily through sub-scale wind tunnel testing. Both optical techniques and high frequency pressure measurements have been utilized across multiple testing facilities and numerous vehicle configurations to develop a range of preliminary and detailed environments. As the vehicle has matured and evolved, the data collected from each subsequent configuration has allowed for comparison studies which isolate the effects of certain outer mold line (OML) features on measured fluctuating pressure levels. This paper presents observations on some of those effects for features which include abort system protuberances, various fairings geometries, interstage flanges, and multibody interactions between a central core and fall away boosters. These features, and the flow conditions produced by them, are broadly applicable to many launch vehicle configurations.

Steva, Thomas B.↗

Acoustic Measurements from Wind Tunnel Test of AMELIA - Advanced Model for Extreme Lift and Improved Aeroacoustics

A wind tunnel test has been conducted to measure the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of an active circulation-control aircraft with leading- and trailing- edge slot blowing. The 11 Advanced Model for Extreme Lift and Improved Aeroacoustics (AMELIA) model was tested in the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) National Full Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) 40- by 80-Ft wind tunnel. Forward velocities ranged from 0 to Mach 0.15 and total slot mass-flow was varied from 0 to 2.8 lbmsec. Angle-of-attack and sideslip ranges were -5 to 25 and -10 to 10, respectively.This reports summarizes acoustic measurements from the wind tunnel test and the corrections applied to the released acoustic data. The analysis focuses on measurements for the clean wing configuration (turbine propulsion simulators removed) with trailing-and leading-edge slot blowing and with trailing-edge blowing, for systematic variations in slot mass flow from nearly zero to the system maximum. The acoustic measurements from a fixed phased microphone array and seven fixed microphones were corrected for sensor directional response and atmospheric attenuation. Graphs of 13-octave spectra, narrowband spectra, and directional variations in OASPL are presented for each active lift configuration. This report is intended to document the corresponding set of corrected data that is now available for development and verification of new predictive models of the active lift source.For large slot mass flow conditions 13-octave spectral shapes were level and flat, typical of a pink noise source. Little source directivity was present in the OASPL levels for the 0 flap conditions and show only a slight downstream increase with the 60 flap configuration. For moderate to high slot mass flow conditions trailing-edge only blowing spectra were similar to leading- and trailing edge blowing cases. However for the lower mass flows variations of as much as 5 dB were observed.

CCW↗

Assessment of Aeroacoustic Simulations of the High-Lift Common Research Model

This paper presents further validation of PowerFLOWR aeroacoustic simulations of the High-Lift Common Research Model through comparisons with experimental data from a recently completed wind tunnel test. Preliminary time- averaged surface pressure and microphone array data from the experiment are in reasonably good agreement with the simulations, and the slat is shown to be a dominant noise source on this model. The simulations did not predict slat tones that were very prominent in the experiment, but they did capture the broadband component of slat noise in the low-frequency range up to 1 kHz at full scale. Future tests are planned to demonstrate slat noise reduction technology, and simulations are being used to guide this development.

Lockard, David P.↗

Assessment of Unsteady Propagation Characteristics and Corrections in Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnels Using an Acoustic Pulse

Two types of aeroacoustic wind tunnel test section configurations have been tested in the NASA Langley Quiet Flow Facility. The first is a more traditional open-jet configuration, where test section flow passes unbounded through the facility anechoic chamber. The second is the more recent Kevlar wall configuration, where a tensioned Kevlar sheet bounds the test section flow from the facility anechoic chamber. For both configurations, acoustic instrumentation is in the surrounding quiescent space. Both configurations are evaluated with a laser-based pulsed acoustic source, which provides unique capability for assessing the facility unsteady acoustic propagation characteristics. Metrics based on the wander and spread of the pulses are evaluated and show that measurements using Kevlar walls experience dramatically reduced unsteady effects when compared to the open-jet configuration. This leads to a corresponding improvement in coherence between microphones with the Kevlar configuration. Corrections for magnitude and phase for propagation through Kevlar as compared to open-jet propagation are calculated. While limitations in the experimental setup make quantitative analysis difficult, qualitative analysis shows Kevlar magnitude corrections similar to those determined in previous literature. Directivity effects beyond those already present for open-jet configurations are minimal. Phase corrections relative to open-jet configurations are indeterminate within the limitations of the experiment, though data suggest such corrections are not extreme. The background noise produced by the Kevlar is found to be its one drawback when compared with the open-jet configuration, showing significantly greater levels at high frequencies.

Bahr, Christopher↗

Wavenumber-frequency deconvolution of aeroacoustic microphone phased array data of arbitrary coherence

Deconvolution of aeroacoustic data acquired with microphone phased arrays is a computationally-challenging task for distributed sources with arbitrary coherence. A new technique for performing such deconvolution is proposed. This technique relies on analysis of the array data in the wavenumber-frequency domain, allowing for fast convolution and reduced storage requirements when compared to traditional coherent deconvolution. A positive semidefinite constraint for the iterative deconvolution procedure is implemented and shows improved behavior in terms of quantifiable convergence metrics when compared to a standalone covariance inequality constraint. A series of simulations validates the method's ability to resolve coherence and phase angle relationships between partially-coherent sources, as well as determines convergence criteria for deconvolution analysis. Simulations for point sources near the microphone phased array show potential for handling such data in the wavenumber-frequency domain. In particular, a physics-based integration boundary calculation is described, and can successfully isolate sources and track the appropriate integration bounds with and without the presence of flow. Magnitude and phase relationships between multiple sources are successfully extracted. Limitations of the deconvolution technique are determined from the simulations, particularly in the context of a simulated acoustic field in a closed test section wind tunnel with strong boundary layer contamination. A final application to a trailing edge noise experiment conducted in an open-jet wind tunnel matches best estimates of acoustic levels from traditional calculation methods and qualitatively assesses the coherence characteristics of the trailing edge noise source.

phased array↗

Subspace-based Background Subtraction Applied to Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel Testing

A subspace-based form of background subtraction is presented and applied to aeroacoustic wind tunnel data. A variant of this method has seen use in other fields such as climatology and medical imaging. The technique is based on an eigenvalue decomposition of the background noise cross-spectral matrix. Simulated results indicate similar performance to conventional background subtraction when the subtracted spectra are weaker than the true contaminating background levels. Superior performance is observed when the subtracted spectra are stronger than the true contaminating background levels, and when background data do not match between measurements. Experimental results show limited success in recovering signal behavior for data in which conventional background subtraction fails. The results also demonstrate the subspace subtraction technique's ability to maintain a physical coherence relationship in the modified cross-spectral matrix. Deconvolution results from microphone phased array data indicate that array integration methods are largely insensitive to subtraction type, and that background subtraction with appropriate background data is an effective alternative to diagonal removal.

deconvolution↗

Aeroacoustic Computations of a Generic Low Boom Concept in Landing Configuration: Part 2 - Airframe Noise Simulations

Aeroacoustic simulations of a sub-scale, generic, low-boom supersonic aircraft model at low speeds were carried out using the Lattice-Boltzmann Very Large Eddy Simulation software PowerFLOW® and a Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings approach. The objective was to characterize the airframe noise signature of the configuration and determine the similarities and differences to conventional subsonic aircraft. We quantified the noise produced by the flap and landing gear by simulating the aircraft with and without deployment of these components. Mach number scaling of the far-field noise levels was examined by performing simulations at different flow speeds. We demonstrate that a solid surface formulation does not capture the aircraft acoustic field properly, while a carefully constructed permeable surface formulation yields far-field spectra that compare very favorably to results from direct probing of the simulated flow field.

low boom↗

Toward Relating Open- and Closed-Test Section Microphone Phased Array Aeroacoustic Measurements

Aeroacoustic measurements utilizing microphone phased arrays are becoming more commonplace in large-scale wind tunnels. However, for such costly tests it is difficult to assess the influence of a given facility's configuration on the acquired data. One such opportunity has recently arisen in the NASA Langley Research Center 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel, where the High-Lift configuration of the Common Research Model was tested in both open-jet and closed wall configurations. Acoustic data were acquired on the same model with the same specific hardware at the same Mach number; and for similar model angles of attack, array apertures, and array angles relative to the model location. Initial deconvolution comparisons using DAMAS appear poor. The closed test section results show contamination likely due to background noise and reflections. The open-jet results show severe blurring due to the decorrelation of acoustic waves passing through a turbulent free shear layer. However, accounting for image sources in the DAMAS grid reduces visual artifacts in the closed test section results, and a preliminary coherence correction technique mitigates the blurring in the open-jet results. Qualitatively, both tests identify similar source behavior. Quantitatively, summed spectra of the slat noise agree in some frequency bands but differ in others. Proposals that may mitigate the difference are given for each configuration, such as correcting for the array protective cover and applying background subtraction in the closed wall configuration, and further developing the coherence loss correction for deconvolution methods in the open-jet setup.

microphone array↗

On the Alleviation of Background Noise for the High-Lift Common Research Model Aeroacoustic Test

Microphone array measurements of the airframe noise from the High-Lift Common Research Model (CRM-HL) in the NASA Langley 14- by 22- Foot Subsonic Tunnel were initially hindered by extraneous noise sources. The steps taken to reduce the background noise in the open-jet test section for the aeroacoustic test are described in this paper. Adhesive-backed felt was used to attenuate noise resulting from the interaction of the test section shear layer with the collector and diffuser surfaces, scrubbing noise from the floor perforated panels, as well as an extraneous noise source produced near the junction of the model and the floor when the model was producing significant lift. The effects of the felt on noise attenuation and acoustic reflections are discussed. Following the CRM-HL test, scrubbing noise measurements from a floor basket with a perforated top panel were acquired in the Quiet Flow Facility to compare the performance of different perforated panel covers and their respective effects on the noise spectra. Aside from a smooth, hard wall, the felt cover was found to produce the minimum scrubbing noise of all the materials tested.

background noise↗

Aeroacoustic Testing of UAS-Scale Rotors for a Quadcopter in Hover and Forward Flight

A series of experiments was conducted in an anechoic chamber and wind tunnel to investigatethe noise and performance of an optimum hovering rotor design. The optimum hovering rotorexperimental data set presented in this paper provides the community with a rotor that istheoretically easier to model. Isolated rotors were tested in an anechoic hover chamber as wellas on a representative quadcopter vehicle. In the anechoic chamber, performance and acousticmeasurements were taken at various rotor speeds to compare to those of a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) rotor. In the wind tunnel, free-stream velocity, vehicle pitch, and rotor rotationrates were varied to achieve various hover and forward flight operating conditions. Previousinvestigation of a small quadcopter in the Low Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel (LSAWT) hadidentified possible broadband and interactional noise sources due to rotor airframe interactionand rotor-rotor interaction. These publications identified separation, turbulent boundary layertrailing edge, and bluntness vortex shedding as the main sources of self-generated airfoil noise.By replacing the COTS rotor with an optimum hovering rotor design, self-generated broadbandnoise was reduced for both hover and forward flight conditions for isolated rotor runs. However,the optimum rotors only reduced noise levels for full-vehicle hover conditions, and had little tono reduction in full-vehicle forward flight conditions.

Nicole A Pettingill↗