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At least 307 records · Page 17

A study of blade-vortex interaction aeroacoustics utilizing an independently generated vortex

This paper presents results from an experimental study of rotor blade-vortex interaction (BVI) aerodynamics and acoustics. The experiment utilized an externally generated vortex interacting with a two-bladed rotor operating at zero thrust to minimize the influence of the rotor's own wake. The rotor blades were instrumented with a total of 60 absolute pressure transducers at three spanwise and ten chordwise stations on both the upper and lower surfaces. Acoustic data were obtained with fixed near-field microphones as well as a movable array of far-field microphones. The test was carried out in the acoustically treated test section of the NASA Ames 80- by 120-foot Wind Tunnel. Several parameters which influences BVI, such as vortex-rotor separation distance, vortex strength, and vortex sense (swirl direction), as well as rotor tip Mach number and advance ratio, were varied. Simultaneous measurements were obtained of blade surface pressure distributions, near-field acoustics, and far-field acoustics during the vortex-blade encounters.

Kitaplioglu, C.↗

Lateral Cutoff Analysis and Results from NASA's Farfield Investigation of No-Boom Thresholds

In support of the ongoing effort by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to bring supersonic commercial travel to the public, the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) and the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), in partnership with other industry organizations and academia, conducted a flight research experiment to analyze acoustic propagation at the lateral edge of the sonic boom carpet. The name of the effort was the Farfield Investigation of No-boom Thresholds (FaINT). The test helped to build a dataset that will go toward further understanding of the unique acoustic propagation characteristics near the sonic boom carpet extremity. The FaINT was an effort that collected finely-space sonic boom data across the entire lateral cutoff transition region. A major objective of the effort was to investigate the acoustic phenomena that occur at the audible edge of a sonic boom carpet, including the transition and shadow zones. A NASA F-18B aircraft made supersonic passes such that its sonic boom carpet transition zone would intersect a linear 60-microphone, 7500-ft long array. A TG-14 motor glider equipped with a microphone on its wing also attempted to capture the same sonic boom rays that were measured on the ground, at altitudes of 3000 - 6000 ft above ground level. This paper determined an appropriate metric for sonic boom waveforms in the transition and shadow zones called Perceived Sound Exposure Level, and established a value of 65 dB as a limit for the acoustic levels defining the lateral extent of a sonic boom's noise region; analyzed the change in sonic boom levels as a function of distance from flight path both on the ground and 4500 ft above the ground; and compared between sonic boom measurements and numerical predictions.

acoustics↗

Jet-Surface Interaction Test: Phased Array Noise Source Localization Results

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect that a planar surface located near a jet flow has on the noise radiated to the far-field. Two different configurations were tested: 1) a shielding configuration in which the surface was located between the jet and the far-field microphones, and 2) a reflecting configuration in which the surface was mounted on the opposite side of the jet, and thus the jet noise was free to reflect off the surface toward the microphones. Both conventional far-field microphone and phased array noise source localization measurements were obtained. This paper discusses phased array results, while a companion paper (Brown, C.A., "Jet-Surface Interaction Test: Far-Field Noise Results," ASME paper GT2012-69639, June 2012.) discusses far-field results. The phased array data show that the axial distribution of noise sources in a jet can vary greatly depending on the jet operating condition and suggests that it would first be necessary to know or be able to predict this distribution in order to be able to predict the amount of noise reduction to expect from a given shielding configuration. The data obtained on both subsonic and supersonic jets show that the noise sources associated with a given frequency of noise tend to move downstream, and therefore, would become more difficult to shield, as jet Mach number increases. The noise source localization data obtained on cold, shock-containing jets suggests that the constructive interference of sound waves that produces noise at a given frequency within a broadband shock noise hump comes primarily from a small number of shocks, rather than from all the shocks at the same time. The reflecting configuration data illustrates that the law of reflection must be satisfied in order for jet noise to reflect off of a surface to an observer, and depending on the relative locations of the jet, the surface, and the observer, only some of the jet noise sources may satisfy this requirement.

Podboy, Gary G.↗

Jet-Surface Interaction Test: Phased Array Noise Source Localization Results

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect that a planar surface located near a jet flow has on the noise radiated to the far-field. Two different configurations were tested: 1) a shielding configuration in which the surface was located between the jet and the far-field microphones, and 2) a reflecting configuration in which the surface was mounted on the opposite side of the jet, and thus the jet noise was free to reflect off the surface toward the microphones. Both conventional far-field microphone and phased array noise source localization measurements were obtained. This paper discusses phased array results, while a companion paper discusses far-field results. The phased array data show that the axial distribution of noise sources in a jet can vary greatly depending on the jet operating condition and suggests that it would first be necessary to know or be able to predict this distribution in order to be able to predict the amount of noise reduction to expect from a given shielding configuration. The data obtained on both subsonic and supersonic jets show that the noise sources associated with a given frequency of noise tend to move downstream, and therefore, would become more difficult to shield, as jet Mach number increases. The noise source localization data obtained on cold, shock-containing jets suggests that the constructive interference of sound waves that produces noise at a given frequency within a broadband shock noise hump comes primarily from a small number of shocks, rather than from all the shocks at the same time. The reflecting configuration data illustrates that the law of reflection must be satisfied in order for jet noise to reflect off of a surface to an observer, and depending on the relative locations of the jet, the surface, and the observer, only some of the jet noise sources may satisfy this requirement.

Podboy, Gary G.↗

Hybrid Active/Passive Jet Engine Noise Suppression System

A novel adaptive segmented liner concept has been developed that employs active control elements to modify the in-duct sound field to enhance the tone-suppressing performance of passive liner elements. This could potentially allow engine designs that inherently produce more tone noise but less broadband noise, or could allow passive liner designs to more optimally address high frequency broadband noise. A proof-of-concept validation program was undertaken, consisting of the development of an adaptive segmented liner that would maximize attenuation of two radial modes in a circular or annular duct. The liner consisted of a leading active segment with dual annuli of axially spaced active Helmholtz resonators, followed by an optimized passive liner and then an array of sensing microphones. Three successively complex versions of the adaptive liner were constructed and their performances tested relative to the performance of optimized uniform passive and segmented passive liners. The salient results of the tests were: The adaptive segmented liner performed well in a high flow speed model fan inlet environment, was successfully scaled to a high sound frequency and successfully attenuated three radial modes using sensor and active resonator arrays that were designed for a two mode, lower frequency environment.

Parente, C. A.↗

Volumetric Acoustic Vector Intensity Probe

A new measurement tool capable of imaging the acoustic intensity vector throughout a large volume is discussed. This tool consists of an array of fifty microphones that form a spherical surface of radius 0.2m. A simultaneous measurement of the pressure field across all the microphones provides time-domain near-field holograms. Near-field acoustical holography is used to convert the measured pressure into a volumetric vector intensity field as a function of frequency on a grid of points ranging from the center of the spherical surface to a radius of 0.4m. The volumetric intensity is displayed on three-dimensional plots that are used to locate noise sources outside the volume. There is no restriction on the type of noise source that can be studied. The sphere is mobile and can be moved from location to location to hunt for unidentified noise sources. An experiment inside a Boeing 757 aircraft in flight successfully tested the ability of the array to locate low-noise-excited sources on the fuselage. Reference transducers located on suspected noise source locations can also be used to increase the ability of this device to separate and identify multiple noise sources at a given frequency by using the theory of partial field decomposition. The frequency range of operation is 0 to 1400Hz. This device is ideal for the study of noise sources in commercial and military transportation vehicles in air, on land and underwater.

Klos, Jacob↗

NASA Tech Briefs, February 2007

Topics covered include: Calibration Test Set for a Phase-Comparison Digital Tracker; Wireless Acoustic Measurement System; Spiral Orbit Tribometer; Arrays of Miniature Microphones for Aeroacoustic Testing; Predicting Rocket or Jet Noise in Real Time; Computational Workbench for Multibody Dynamics; High-Power, High-Efficiency Ka-Band Space Traveling-Wave Tube; Gratings and Random Reflectors for Near-Infrared PIN Diodes; Optically Transparent Split-Ring Antennas for 1 to 10 GHz; Ice-Penetrating Robot for Scientific Exploration; Power-Amplifier Module for 145 to 165 GHz; Aerial Videography From Locally Launched Rockets; SiC Multi-Chip Power Modules as Power-System Building Blocks; Automated Design of Restraint Layer of an Inflatable Vessel; TMS for Instantiating a Knowledge Base With Incomplete Data; Simulating Flights of Future Launch Vehicles and Spacecraft; Control Code for Bearingless Switched- Reluctance Motor; Machine Aided Indexing and the NASA Thesaurus; Arbitrating Control of Control and Display Units; Web-Based Software for Managing Research; Driver Code for Adaptive Optics; Ceramic Paste for Patching High-Temperature Insulation; Fabrication of Polyimide-Matrix/Carbon and Boron-Fiber Tape; Protective Skins for Aerogel Monoliths; Code Assesses Risks Posed by Meteoroids and Orbital Debris; Asymmetric Bulkheads for Cylindrical Pressure Vessels; Self-Regulating Water-Separator System for Fuel Cells; Self-Advancing Step-Tap Drills; Array of Bolometers for Submillimeter- Wavelength Operation; Delta-Doped CCDs as Detector Arrays in Mass Spectrometers; Arrays of Bundles of Carbon Nanotubes as Field Emitters; Staggering Inflation To Stabilize Attitude of a Solar Sail; and Bare Conductive Tether for Decelerating a Spacecraft.

Source record↗

A static acoustic signature system for the analysis of dynamic flight information

The Army family of helicopters was analyzed to measure the polar octave band acoustic signature in various modes of flight. A static array of calibrated microphones was used to simultaneously acquire the signature and differential times required to mathematically position the aircraft in space. The signature was then reconstructed, mathematically normalized to a fixed radius around the aircraft.

Ramer, D. J.↗

Program for narrow-band analysis of aircraft flyover noise using ensemble averaging techniques

A package of computer programs was developed for analyzing acoustic data from an aircraft flyover. The package assumes the aircraft is flying at constant altitude and constant velocity in a fixed attitude over a linear array of ground microphones. Aircraft position is provided by radar and an option exists for including the effects of the aircraft's rigid-body attitude relative to the flight path. Time synchronization between radar and acoustic recording stations permits ensemble averaging techniques to be applied to the acoustic data thereby increasing the statistical accuracy of the acoustic results. Measured layered meteorological data obtained during the flyovers are used to compute propagation effects through the atmosphere. Final results are narrow-band spectra and directivities corrected for the flight environment to an equivalent static condition at a specified radius.

Gridley, D.↗

Flight effects on fan noise with static and wind tunnel comparisons

A flight test program utilizing a JT15D-1 turbofan engine has been conducted with the objectives of studying flight effects on fan noise and evaluating the simulation effectiveness of both a wind tunnel and a static test configuration that incorporated an inlet control device (ICD). In conjunction with synchronized laser-radar tracking and meteorological profile information, data obtained from a linear array of ground microphones was narrowband-analyzed and ensemble-averaged to yield highly accurate far-field flight acoustic results. Utilizing appropriate corrections, flight, wind tunnel, and static acoustic data were normalized to a static-equivalent, 100-foot radius, lossless reference condition. Data comparisons showed that both the static test with ICD and wind tunnel were generally very effective in simulating flight blade-passage-frequency (BPF) noise levels. However, differences were observed in broadband noise levels and in the details of the multiple-pure-tone harmonics.

Preisser, J. S.↗

Evaluation of a scale-model experiment to investigate long-range acoustic propagation

Tests were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using a scale-model experiment situated in an anechoic facility to investigate long-range sound propagation over ground terrain. For a nominal scale factor of 100:1, attenuations along a linear array of six microphones colinear with a continuous-wave type of sound source were measured over a wavelength range from 10 to 160 for a nominal test frequency of 10 kHz. Most tests were made for a hard model surface (plywood), but limited tests were also made for a soft model surface (plywood with felt). For grazing-incidence propagation over the hard surface, measured and predicted attenuation trends were consistent for microphone locations out to between 40 and 80 wavelengths. Beyond 80 wavelengths, significant variability was observed that was caused by disturbances in the propagation medium. Also, there was evidence of extraneous propagation-path contributions to data irregularities at more remote microphones. Sensitivity studies for the hard-surface and microphone indicated a 2.5 dB change in the relative excess attenuation for a systematic error in source and microphone elevations on the order of 1 mm. For the soft-surface model, no comparable sensitivity was found.

Parrott, Tony L.↗

Unsteady wing surface pressures in the wake of a propeller

The unsteady nature of the propeller slipstream interacting with a wing has been studied by flow visualization and unsteady wing surface pressure measurements. Flow visualization was performed by marking the propeller tip vortex with smoke. Unsteady wing surface pressures were measured by traversing a wing instrumented with a chordwise array of 16 microphones in a spanwise direction through the propeller wake. This work yielded information on the motion of the propeller wake as it passes over the wing. As the propeller wake passed over the wing: the propeller tip vortex experienced an inviscid interaction at the leading edge; viscous action at the leading edge severed the propeller tip vortex; the propeller tip vortex experienced significant spanwise and chordwise displacements and then deformed in order to reconnect at the trailing edge; axial velocity in the vortex core caused the helical vortex to thicken or stretch near the wing surface; and, the magnitude of the pressure fluctuations decreased in magnitude with distance traveled along the chord.

Johnston, R. T.↗

Flap Edge Aeroacoustic Measurements and Predictions

An aeroacoustic model test has been conducted to investigate the mechanisms of sound generation on high-lift wing configurations. This paper presents an analysis of flap side-edge noise, which is often the most dominant source. A model of a main element wing section with a half-span flap was tested at low speeds of up to a Mach number of 0.17, corresponding to a wing chord Reynolds number of approximately 1.7 million. Results are presented for flat (or blunt), flanged, and round flap-edge geometries, with and without boundary-layer tripping, deployed at both moderate and high flap angles. The acoustic database is obtained from a Small Aperture Directional Array (SADA) of microphones, which was constructed to electronically steer to different regions of the model and to obtain farfield noise spectra and directivity from these regions. The basic flap-edge aerodynamics is established by static surface pressure data, as well as by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculations and simplified edge flow analyses. Distributions of unsteady pressure sensors over the flap allow the noise source regions to be defined and quantified via cross-spectral diagnostics using the SADA output. It is found that shear layer instability and related pressure scatter is the primary noise mechanism. For the flat edge flap, two noise prediction methods based on unsteady-surface-pressure measurements are evaluated and compared to measured noise. One is a new causality spectral approach developed here. The other is a new application of an edge-noise scatter prediction method. The good comparisons for both approaches suggest that much of the physics is captured by the prediction models. Areas of disagreement appear to reveal when the assumed edge noise mechanism does not fully define, the noise production. For the different edge conditions, extensive spectra and directivity are presented. Significantly, for each edge configuration, the spectra for different flow speeds, flap angles, and surface roughness were successfully scaled by utilizing aerodynamic performance and boundary layer scaling method developed herein.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

Flap Edge Aeroacoustic Measurements and Predictions

An aeroacoustic model test has been conducted to investigate the mechanisms of sound generation on high-lift wing configurations. This paper presents an analysis of flap side-edge noise, which is often the most dominant source. A model of a main element wing section with a half-span flap was tested at low speeds of up to a Mach number of 0.17, corresponding to a wing chord Reynolds number of approximately 1.7 million. Results are presented for flat (or blunt), flanged, and round flap-edge geometries, with and without boundary-layer tripping, deployed at both moderate and high flap angles. The acoustic database is obtained from a Small Aperture Directional Array (SADA) of microphones, which was constructed to electronically steer to different regions of the model and to obtain farfield noise spectra and directivity from these regions. The basic flap-edge aerodynamics is established by static surface pressure data, as well as by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculations and simplified edge flow analyses. Distributions of unsteady pressure sensors over the flap allow the noise source regions to be defined and quantified via cross-spectral diagnostics using the SADA output. It is found that shear layer instability and related pressure scatter is the primary noise mechanism. For the flat edge flap, two noise prediction methods based on unsteady surface pressure measurements are evaluated and compared to measured noise. One is a new causality spectral approach developed here. The other is a new application of an edge-noise scatter prediction method. The good comparisons for both approaches suggest that much of the physics is captured by the prediction models. Areas of disagreement appear to reveal when the assumed edge noise mechanism does not fully define the noise production. For the different edge conditions, extensive spectra and directivity are presented. Significantly, for each edge configuration, the spectra for different flow speeds, flap angles, and surface roughness were successfully scaled by utilizing aerodynamic performance and boundary layer scaling methods developed herein.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

Aeroacoustic Measurements of a Wing/Slat Model

Aeroacoustic evaluations of high-lift devices have been carried out in the Quiet Flow Facility of the NASA Langley Research Center. The present paper deals with detailed flow and acoustic measurements that have been made to understand, and to possibly predict and reduce, the noise from a wing leading edge slat configuration. The acoustic database is obtained by a moveable Small Aperture Directional Array (SADA) of microphones designed to electronically steer to different portions of models under study. The slat is shown to be a uniform distributed noise source. The data was processed such that spectra and directivity were determined with respect to a one-foot span of slat. The spectra are normalized in various fashions to demonstrate slat noise character. In order to equate portions of the spectra to different slat noise components, trailing edge noise predictions using measured slat boundary layer parameters as inputs are compared to the measured slat noise spectra.

Mendoza, Jeff M.↗

A Mode Detection Method Using the Azimuthal Directivity of a Turbofan Model

The azimuthal, far field directivity of a scale fan model was measured in high resolution. The model is a 12 inch diameter rotor with 16 blades followed by 40 stator vanes. The tests were conducted at the nominal 100% speed corresponding to a tip speed of 905 ft/sec. Measurement of the radiated sound field, forward of the fan, was made in an anechoic chamber with an inflow control device and a baffle separating the aft and forward radiated interaction noise. The acoustic field was surveyed with a circular hoop array of 16 microphones which was moved to 14 axial stations. At each axial station the hoop was rotated in half-degree increments to take 736 points in the azimuthal angle. In addition to sound pressure level, the phase angle relative to a reference microphone was measured at each point. The sound pressure level is shown to vary in patterns by 10-15 dB especially for the fundamental tone but also for the first and second harmonic. A far field mode detection method has been developed and used with the data which determines the modes generated by the fan and which then interact to form the azimuthal directivity.

Thomas, R. H.↗

Noise Radiation from a Continuous Mold-Line Link Flap Configuration

The results of an experimental study of the noise from a Continuous Mold-Line Link (CML) flap are presented. Acoustic and unsteady surface pressure measurements were performed on a main element wing section with a half-span CML flap in NASA Langley s Quiet Flow Facility. The acoustic data were acquired with a medium aperture directional array (MADA) of microphones. The Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) method is applied to determine the spatial distribution and strength of the noise sources over the surface of the test model. A Coherent Output Power (COP) method which relates the output from unsteady surface pressure sensors to the output of the MADA is also used to obtain more detailed characteristics of the noise source distribution in the trailing edge region of the CML. These results are compared to those obtained for a blunt flap to quantify the level of noise benefit that is achieved with the CML flap. The results indicate that the noise from the CML region of the flap is 5 to 17 dB lower (depending on flap deflection and Mach number) than the noise from the side edge region of the blunt flap. Lower noise levels are obtained for all frequencies. Spectral analysis of the noise from the cove region of the CML and blunt flap models also reveal a spectral peak in the high frequency range that is related to noise scattering at the trailing edge of the main element. The peaks in the CML and blunt flap cove noise spectra are close in level and often exceed blunt side edge noise. Applying a strip of serrated tape to the trailing edge of the CML flap model main airfoil, reduced the peak but increased other noise somewhat. Directivity measurements show that the CML flap can be more directional than the blunt flap.

Hutcheson, Florence V.↗

Noise Radiation from a Continuous Mold-Line Link Flap Configuration

The results of an experimental study of the noise from a Continuous Mold-Line Link (CML) flap are presented. Acoustic and unsteady surface pressure measurements were performed on a main element wing section with a half-span CML flap in NASA Langley s Quiet Flow Facility. The acoustic data were acquired with a medium aperture directional array (MADA) of microphones. The Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) method is applied to determine the spatial distribution and strength of the noise sources over the surface of the test model. A Coherent Output Power (COP) method which relates the output from unsteady surface pressure sensors to the output of the MADA is also used to obtain more detailed characteristics of the noise source distribution in the trailing edge region of the CML. These results are compared to those obtained for a blunt flap to quantify the level of noise benefit that is achieved with the CML flap. The results indicate that the noise from the CML region of the flap is 5 to 17 dB lower (depending on flap deflection and Mach number) than the noise from the side edge region of the blunt flap. Lower noise levels are obtained for all frequencies. Spectral analysis of the noise from the cove region of the CML and blunt flap models also reveal a spectral peak in the high frequency range that is related to noise scattering at the trailing edge of the main element. The peaks in the CML and blunt flap cove noise spectra are close in level and often exceed blunt side edge noise. Applying a strip of serrated tape to the trailing edge of the CML flap model main airfoil reduced the peak but increased other noise somewhat. Directivity measurements show that the CML flap can be more directional than the blunt flap.

Hutcheson, Florence V.↗