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NASA NTRS2015

Superboom Caustic Analysis and Measurement Program (SCAMP) Final Report

The objectives of the Superboom Caustic Analysis and Measurement (SCAMP) Program were to develop and validate, via flight-test measurements, analytical models for sonic boom signatures in and around focal zones as they are expected to occur during commercial aircraft transition from subsonic to supersonic flight, and to apply these models to focus boom prediction of low-boom aircraft designs. The SCAMP program has successfully investigated sonic boom focusing both analytically and experimentally, while gathering a comprehensive empirical flight test and acoustic dataset, and developing a suite of focused sonic boom prediction tools. An experimental flight and acoustic measurement test was designed during the initial year of the SCAMP program, with execution of the SCAMP flight test occurring in May 2011. The current SCAMP team, led by Wyle, includes partners from the Boeing Company, Pennsylvania State University, Gulfstream Aerospace, Eagle Aeronautics, and Central Washington University. Numerous collaborators have also participated by supporting the experiment with human and equipment resources at their own expense. The experiment involved precision flight of a McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-18B executing different maneuvers that created focused sonic booms. The maneuvers were designed to center on the flight regime expected for commercial supersonic aircraft transonic transition, and also span a range of caustic curvatures in order to provide a variety of conditions for code validations. The SCAMP experiment was designed to capture concurrent F-18B on-board flight instrumentation data, high-fidelity ground-based and airborne acoustic data, and surface and upper air meteorological data. Close coordination with NASA Dryden resulted in the development of new experimental instrumentation and techniques to facilitate the SCAMP flight-test execution, including the development of an F-18B Mach rate cockpit display, TG-14 powered glider in-flight sonic boom measurement instrumentation and "Where's the Focus?" (WTF) software for near-real time way-point computation accounting for local atmospherics. In May 2011, 13 F-18B flights were conducted during 5 flying days over a 2 week period. A densely populated 10,000 ft-long ground acoustic array with 125-ft microphone spacing was designed to capture pre-, focus, and post-focus regions. The ground-based acoustic array was placed in a nominally east-west orientation in the remote Cuddeback lakebed region, north of Edwards AFB. This area was carefully selected to avoid placing focused booms on populated areas or solar power facilities. For the SCAMP measurement campaign, approvals were obtained to temporarily extend the Black Mountain supersonic corridor northward by three miles. The SCAMP flight tests successfully captured 70 boom events, with 61 focus passes, and 9 calibration passes. Seventeen of the focus passes and three of the calibration passes were laterally offset; with the others being centerline flights. Airborne incoming sonic boom wave measurements were measured by the TG-14 for 10 of the F-18B flight passes including one maximum focus signature, several N-u combinations, several overlapped N-u signatures, and several evanescent waves. During the 27-month program, the SCAMP team developed a suite of integrated computer codes with sonic boom focusing predictive capabilities: PCBoom, Lossy Nonlinear Tricomi Equation Method (LNTE) and the Nonlinear Progressive wave Equation (NPE) method. PCBoom propagates the rays through the atmosphere and, in addition to legacy focus signature prediction based on the Gill-Seebass method, provides input source characteristics and propagation parameters to LNTE and NPE. LNTE, a Tricomi solver that incorporates atmospheric losses, computes the focus signature at the focus, and computes the focus signature in the vicinity of the focal zone, including the evanescent and post-focus zones. LNTE signature auralization from low-boom vehicle designs has been demonstrated in the NASA Langley Interior Effects Room (IER). The NPE has also been validated for use in prediction of focused ground boom signatures in sonic boom focal zones. The NPE formulation has the capability to incorporate atmospheric turbulence in the predictions. This has been applied to sonic boom propagation in the past. Prediction of turbulence effects on focal zone signatures was not, however, explored during the SCAMP program.

Page, Juliet↗

NASA NTRS1981

Shock-associated noise reduction from inverted-velocity-profile coannular jets

The reduction of shock-associated noise in inverted velocity profile coannular jets is investigated and quantified by making optical and acoustic measurements as a function of outer and inner stream pressure ratio combinations and interpreting noise results with the aid of new theoretical models. Schlieren photographs are obtained in three series of test conditions with a varying primary stream pressure ratio, and acoustic experiments are conducted on a polar arc radius of 3.05 m over a frequency range of 200 Hz to 80 kHz. A constant-thrust comparison is made, and data are plotted and discussed with emphasis on the variation of jet noise levels with primary stream Mach number and equivalent single jets on an absolute basis. It is shown that shock noise from the outer stream is almost eliminated when the inner stream is operated at a Mach number above unity at inverted and normal velocity profile conditions, and optical measurements indicate that for a fixed supercritical fan stream pressure ratio, the repetitive shock structure in the outer stream is minimized when the primary stream ratio becomes supercritical.

Tanna, H. K.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Experiments of shock associated noise of supersonic jets

The paper examines the aeroacoustics associated with model nozzles operating supersonically. In particular, the shock structure and radiated shock noise of Mach 1.5 and 2.0 nozzles are compared with those of a convergent nozzle over a wide nozzle pressure ratio range corresponding to a fully expanded Mach number between unity and 2.37. The nozzles were operated unheated both with and without a tab for screech tone suppression. The measurements show differences between the shock cell spacing of convergent and convergent-divergent nozzles, and the scaling relation appears to be a function of the exit-to-throat velocity ratio of each nozzle type. The acoustic measurements indicate the extent of the pressure ratio range where a C-D nozzle achieves a noise reduction benefit. At the design point of the Mach 1.5 nozzle, the total integrated sound power from this nozzle is 6 dB less than a convergent nozzle operating at the same pressure ratio and thrust

Seiner, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Translating Phased Array Measurements of a Low-Noise Top-Mounted Propulsion Installation for a Supersonic Airliner

A novel translating-phased-array technique was applied during a model-scale validation test of low-noise propulsion concepts for supersonic transport aircraft. The test involved particle image velocimetry, far field and translating phased array acoustic measurements. This paper covers the translating phased array portion. Data were acquired for a series of nozzles with different chevron designs, both uninstalled and installed on a representative aircraft planform. The far field data confirmed the noise reduction potential of top-mounted installation, while the phased array results gave insights into how the reduction occurred and highlighted areas for improvement. This was the inaugural test for the new translating phased array, which measures source maps as seen by observers at different polar angles. Propagation effects through the free jet were documented for the different viewing angles. The source maps obtained were used to understand important aspects of the far field noise measurements.

Beamforming↗

DOE OSTI2024

Acoustic Particle Velocity Measurements around a Tidal Current Turbine

Quantifying the underwater sound produced by tidal turbines is essential both to understand their potential environmental impacts and to understand how that sound might interfere with the intended application of the turbine (e.g., powering acoustic monitoring systems). In this project, we measured the sound radiated by a small-scale crossflow tidal turbine. The turbine was deployed from October 2023 to March 2024 in the tidal channel at the entrance to Sequim Bay, WA. Acoustic measurements were made with three different sensor packages: a commercial-off-the-shelf vector sensor (operated by PNNL), a vector sensor array (operated by Integral Consulting), and drifting hydrophones (operated by UW). Acoustic recordings from the three sensors highlight changes in the turbine acoustic signature over the course of a tidal cycle and throughout the 6-month turbine deployment. Our results also highlight the utility of acoustic vector sensors for localizing sound attributable to marine energy devices in acoustically complex environments.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

NASA NTRS1975

Design, fabrication and acoustic tests of a 36 inch (0.914 meter) statorless turbotip fan

The LF336/E is a 36 inch (0.914 meter) diameter fan designed to operate in a rotor-alone configuration. Design features required for modification of the existing LF336/A rotor-stator fan into the LF336/E statorless fan configuration are discussed. Tests of the statorless fan identified an aerodynamic performance deficiency due to inaccurate accounting of the fan exit swirl during the aerodynamic design. This performance deficiency, related to fan exit static pressure levels, produced about a 20 percent thrust loss. A study was then conducted for further evaluation of the fan exit flow fields typical of statorless fan systems. This study showed that through proper selection of fan design variables such as pressure ratio, radius ratio, and swirl distributions, performance of a statorless fan configuration could be improved with levels of thrust approaching the conventional rotor-stator fan system. Acoustic measurements were taken for the statorless fan system at both GE and NASA, and when compared to other lift fan systems, showed noise levels comparable to the quietest lift fan configuration which included rotor-stator spacing and acoustic treatment. The statorless fan system was also used to determine effects of rotor leading edge serrations on noise generations. A cascade test program identified the serration geometry based on minimum pressure losses, wake turbulence levels and noise generations.

Smith, E. G.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Acoustic Flight Test of the Joby Aviation Advanced Air Mobility Prototype Vehicle

An extensive acoustic flight test was performed on the Joby Aviation pre-production all-electric vertical takeoff and landing prototype. With the design intent of carrying a pilot and four passengers a maximum range of 150 miles, this vehicle utilizes distributed propulsion and vectored thrust via six tilting propellers. As part of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign, this is the first full-scale AAM aircraft tested by NASA over representative conditions for all phases of a typical mission profile. A 58- channel distributed microphone array was used to acquire acoustic measurements on more than 100 test points (31 unique conditions). The measurements were postprocessed with synchronously sampled vehicle position and state data to form ground noise contours of departures and approaches at various flight path angles and accelerations. Comparing ground areas of 75 dBA isolines, approaches consistently exhibit higher noise levels rela- tive to departures. Directivity maps were generated for constant airspeed level flyovers. Examples comparing the differences in a semi-thrust borne and full wing-borne mode are given, with full wing-borne mode representing the quietest phase of the flight envelope tested. Measurements for hover in and out of ground effect are given and found to have 2 to 5 dB variation over a single run, and more significant variation between back-to-back runs. Finally, initial analysis of acoustic symmetry about the longitudinal vehicle axis and repeatability over several test days are presented.

Acoustics↗

NASA NTRS1986

Recent skin friction techniques for compressible flows

A brief review is given of developments over the last decade in techniques for the measurement of skin friction in compressible airflows. Emphasis is placed on mean measurements beneath turbulent boundary layers in the supersonic and hypersonic flow regimes. Recent improvements in existing techniques such as the skin friction balance, Preston tube, sublayer fence, and heat transfer analogy are discussed. New or potential techniques including optical and acoustic measurements are also treated. Finally, new results are presented on the adaptation of the recently-developed laser interferometer skin friction meter for use in high-speed wind tunnels.

Settles, G. S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

An Approximate Model for the Performance and Acoustic Predictions of Counterrotating Propeller Configurations

An approximate method was developed to analyze and predict the acoustics of a counterrotating propeller configuration. The method employs the analytical techniques of Lock and Theodorsen as described by Davidson to predict the steady performance of a counterrotating configuration. Then, a modification of the method of Lesieutre is used to predict the unsteady forces on the blades. Finally, the steady and unsteady loads are used in the numerical method of Succi to predict the unsteady acoustics of the propeller. The numerical results are compared with experimental acoustic measurements of a counterrotating propeller configuration by Gazzaniga operating under several combinations of advance ratio, blade pitch, and number of blades. In addition, a constant-speed commuter-class propeller configuration was designed with the Davidson method and the acoustics analyzed at three advance ratios. Noise levels and frequency spectra were calculated at a number of locations around the configuration. The directivity patterns of the harmonics in both the horizontal and vertical planes were examined, with the conclusion that the noise levels of the even harmonics are relatively independent of direction whereas the noise levels of the odd harmonics are extremely dependent on azimuthal direction in the horizontal plane. The equations of Succi are examined to explain this behavior.

Denner, Brett William↗

NASA NTRS1995

State Estimation of Main Rotor Flap and Lead-Lag Using Accelerometers and Laser Transducers on the RASCAL UH-60 Helicopter

Modern rotorcraft flight control system designs which promise to yield high vehicle response bandwidth and good gust rejection can benefit from the use of rotor-state feedbacks. The measurement of main rotor blade motions is also desirable to validate and improve rotorcraft simulation models, to identify high-order linear flight dynamics models, to provide rotor system health monitoring; during flight test, and to provide for correlation with acoustic measurements from wind tunnel and flight tests. However, few attempts have been made to instrument a flight vehicle in this manner, and no previous system has had the robustness and accuracy required for these diverse applications. A rotor blade motion measurement and estimation system has been developed by NASA and the U.S. Army for use on the Rotorcraft Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL) helicopter. RASCAL is a UH-60 Blackhawk which is being modified at Ames Research Center in a phased development program for use in flight dynamics and controls, navigation, airspace management, and rotorcraft human factors research. The aircraft will feature a full-authority, digital, fly-by-wire research flight control system; a coupled ring laser gyro, differential GPS based navigation system; a stereoscopic color wide field of view helmet, mounted display; programmable panel mounted displays; and advanced navigation sensors. The rotor blade motion system is currently installed for data acquisition only, but will be integrated with the research flight control system when it is installed later this year.

Fletcher, Jay W.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Measured noise of a scale model high speed propeller at simulated takeoff/approach conditions

A model high-speed advanced propeller, SR-7A, was tested in the NASA Lewis 9x15 foot anechoic wind tunnel at simulated takeoff/approach conditions of 0.2 Mach number. These tests were in support of the full-scale Propfan Text Assessment (PTA) flight program. Acoustic measurements were taken with fixed microphone arrays and with an axially translating microphone probe. Limited aerodynamic measurements were also taken to establish the propeller operating conditions. Tests were conducted with the propeller alone and with three down-stream wing configurations. The propeller was run over a range of blade setting angles from 32.0 deg. to 43.6 deg., tip speeds from 183 to 290 m/sec (600 to 950 ft/sec), and angles of attack from -10 deg. to +15 deg. The propeller alone BPF tone noise was found to increase 10 dB in the flyover plane at 15 deg. propeller axis angle of attack. The installation of the straight wing at minimum spacing of 0.54 wing chord increased the tone noise 5 dB under the wing of 10 deg. propeller axis angle of attack, while a similarly spaced inboard upswept wing only increased the tone noise 2 dB.

Woodward, Richard P.↗

NASA NTRS1980

A review of propeller discrete frequency noise prediction technology with emphasis on two current methods for time domain calculations

A review of propeller noise prediction technology is presented which highlights the developments in the field from the successful attempt of Gutin to the current sophisticated techniques. Two methods for the predictions of the discrete frequency noise from conventional and advanced propellers in forward flight are described. These methods developed at MIT and NASA Langley Research Center are based on different time domain formulations. Brief description of the computer algorithms based on these formulations are given. The output of these two programs, which is the acoustic pressure signature, is Fourier analyzed to get the acoustic pressure spectrum. The main difference between the programs as they are coded now is that the Langley program can handle propellers with supersonic tip speed while the MIT program is for subsonic tip speed propellers. Comparisons of the calculated and measured acoustic data for a conventional and an advanced propeller show good agreement in general.

Farassat, F.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Joint Eglin Acoustics Week 2013 Data Report

Far-field acoustic measurements were obtained for the AH-64D, HH-60M and CV-22B at the Eglin AFB, Test Area C-72, in July/August 2013. The primary purpose for this flight test was to obtain a benchmark database of detailed acoustic source noise characteristics for the aircraft operating at typical mission gross weights over a range of typical mission operating conditions. Data were acquired for a range of steady-state level and descending flight conditions, hover, and a variety of unsteady maneuver conditions. Between 30 and 37 microphones were deployed during these tests. Vehicle position and state data, as well as weather data were acquired simultaneously with the acoustic data. This paper describes the test aircraft, onboard instrumentation, ground instrumentation, and the data acquired. Data from this test are available upon request and review.

Conner, David A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Active attenuation of propeller blade passage noise

Acoustic measurements are presented to show that active cancellation can be used to achieve significant reduction of blade passage noise in a turboprop cabin. Simultaneous suppression of all blade passage frequencies was attained. The spatial volume over which cancellation occurred, however, is limited. Acoustic intensity maps are presented to show that the acoustic input to the fuselage was sufficiently non-localized so as to require more judicious selection of cancellation speaker location.

Zalas, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Measured noise of a scale model high speed propeller at simulated takeoff/approach conditions

A model high-speed advanced propeller, SR-7A, was tested in the NASA Lewis 9 x 15 foot anechoic wind tunnel at simulated takeoff/approach conditions of 0.2 Mach number. These tests were in support of the full-scale Propfan Text Assessment (PTA) flight program. Acoustic measurements were taken with fixed microphone arrays and with an axially translating microphone probe. Limited aerodynamic measurements were also taken to establish the propeller operating conditions. Tests were conducted with the propeller alone and with three down-stream wing configurations. The propeller was run over a range of blade setting angles from 32.0 deg. to 43.6 deg., tip speeds from 183 to 290 m/sec (600 to 950 ft/sec), and angles of attack from -10 deg. to +15 deg. The propeller alone BPF tone noise was found to increase 10 dB in the flyover plane at 15 deg. propeller axis angle of attack. The installation of the straight wing at minimum spacing of 0.54 wing chord increased the tone noise 5 dB under the wing of 10 deg. propeller axis angle of attack, while a similarly spaced inboard upswept wing only increased the tone noise 2 dB.

Woodward, Richard P.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Open Rotor Development

The ERA project executed a comprehensive test program for Open Rotor aerodynamic and acoustic performance. System studies used the data to estimate the fuel burn savings and acoustic margin for an aircraft system with open rotor propulsion. The acoustic measurements were used to produce an auralization that compares the legacy blades to the current generation of open rotor designs.

Open Rotors↗

NASA NTRS2001

Analysis of Measured and Predicted Acoustics from an XV-15 Flight Test

Flight acoustic and vehicle state data from an XV-15 acoustic flight test are examined. Flight predictions using TRAC are performed for a level flight (repeated) and four descent conditions (including a BVI). The assumptions and procedures used for TRAC flight predictions as well as the variability in flight measurements, which are used for input and comparison to predictions, are investigated in detail. Differences were found in the measured vehicle airspeed, altitude, glideslope, and vehicle orientation (yaw, pitch and roll angle) between each of the repeat runs. These differences violate some of the prediction assumptions and significantly impacted the resulting acoustic predictions. Multiple acoustic pulses, with a variable time between the pulses, were found in the measured acoustic time histories for the repeat runs. These differences could be attributed in part to the variability in vehicle orientation. Acoustic predictions that used the measured vehicle orientation for the repeat runs captured this multiple pulse variability. Thickness noise was found to be dominant on approach for all the cases, except the BVI condition. After the aircraft passed overhead, broadband noise and low frequency loading noise were dominant. The predicted LowSPL time histories compared well with measurement on approach to the array for the non-BVI conditions and poorly for the BVI condition. Accurate prediction of the lift share between the rotor and fuselage must be known in order to improve predictions. At a minimum, measurements of the rotor thrust and tip-path-plane angle are critical to further develop accurate flight acoustic prediction capabilities.

Boyd, D. Douglas, Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2021

Acoustic Flight Simulator Architecture, Noise Training Aid Manual, and Its Training Benefits

The Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology project at NASA is researching source noise and response to reduce the noise impact of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. To aid in this effort to address community noise, Dr. Eric Greenwood has developed real-time helicopter noise modeling that uses noise hemispheres generated from measured acoustic data as a basis for informing predictions the ground noise footprint of a particular helicopter model. This report describes a depiction of the predicted ground noise footprint and related information on how to reduce the ground noise footprint. Additionally, it details how to use the acoustic flight simulator and its associated programs. Also included are the results from a brief survey asking potential users about what they thought about the noise training aid aspect of the acoustic flight simulator and whether the predicted ground noise footprint display would be useful in learning about how to decrease noise. In summary, potential users have indicated that the noise training aid would be beneficial in learning how their vehicle’s state affects noise.

noise, training, helicopter, simulation↗