Results for “acoustic tones” — Page 25

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Fan Noise Predictions of the NASA Source Diagnostic Test using Unsteady Simulations with LAVA Part II - Tonal and Broadband Noise Assessment

The NASA Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) campaign experimental data is used for validation of a sliding mesh technique recently implemented within the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics computational framework for time-accurate simulation of rotating fans. The far-field acoustics are analyzed in this work, building upon the aerodynamic validation studies previously published in Part I. Two modeling approaches are explored: the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes (uRANS) with the negative Spalart-Allmaras (SA-neg) turbulence model closure, and a hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes/large-eddy simulation (RANS/LES) paradigm employing a zonal detached-eddy simulation (ZDES) closure with enhanced shielding protection. Two convective flux scheme approaches with different dissipation properties are also explored with ZDES. The Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) permeable surface approach is used for propagation of the near-field acoustics to the far-field microphone locations. This work analyzes the low-speed (approach) condition, characterized by a fan rotation speed of 7808 rotations-per-minute (RPM). Three different grid levels ranging between 200 million and 1.1 billion grid points are considered. Results show good prediction of the broadband noise levels at sideline angles ranging between 70° and 110°. The forward arc observers show an under-prediction of the overall sound pressure levels (OASPL) even at the fine grid level. A breakdown of the inlet and exhaust contributions reveals a steep drop-off in the broadband noise levels past a blade-passing frequency (BPF) of 1.5, potentially caused by a lack of resolved small-scale turbulent fluctuations in the interstage region. Past 110° the OASPL are over-predicted by up to 10 dB due to an over-prediction of the low-frequency broadband noise levels in the aft arc. The detuning of BPF2 caused by small deviations in the blade stagger angle around the wheel is captured, and a corresponding decrease in the sound power level for this cut-on tone is observed.

AATT↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Aeroacoustic Analysis using Dynamic Mode Decomposition of Unsteady Pressure-Sensitive Paint Measurements

In this paper, we present a new method for the diagnosis and analysis of aeroacoustic phenomena. Taking advantage of the well-known property that the measurements of the Unsteady Pressure-Sensitive Paint (uPSP) have much higher spatial resolution compared to those of the conventional pressure transducers, the method is based on the visualization and analysis of the outputs of the Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) of the uPSP measurements. The uPSP measurements were collected with four Phantom high-speed cameras in the Ascent Transient Aerodynamics Test (ATAT) of the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1 cargo vehicle in the 11-by-11-foot transonic test section of the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) at NASA Ames Research Center in September 2019. The method presented in this paper is demonstrated by investigating an interesting phenomenon observed in the SLS ATAT – the vortex shedding tone generated by the forward attachment of the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB). As examples, the DMD outputs of the uPSP measurements in a subsonic test in the SLS ATAT are presented. It is shown the information retrieved from the DMD outputs of the uPSP measurements can be effectively used in the identification and diagnosis of the aeroacoustic phenomena. The work described in this paper is a part of NASA’s development of a new state-of-the-art uPSP capability in production wind tunnels. Funding was provided by the NASA Aerosciences Evaluation and Test Capabilities Portfolio Office.

acoustics↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Aeroacoustic Analysis using Dynamic Mode Decomposition of Unsteady Pressure-Sensitive Paint Measurements

In this paper, we present a new method for the diagnosis and analysis of aeroacoustic phenomena. Taking advantage of the well-known property that the measurements of the Unsteady Pressure-Sensitive Paint (uPSP) have much higher spatial resolution compared to those of the conventional pressure transducers, the method is based on the visualization and analysis of the outputs of the Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) of the uPSP measurements. The uPSP measurements were collected with four Phantom high-speed cameras in the Ascent Transient Aerodynamics Test (ATAT) of the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1 cargo vehicle in the 11-by-11-foot transonic test section of the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) at NASA Ames Research Center in September 2019. The method presented in this paper is demonstrated by investigating an interesting phenomenon observed in the SLS ATAT – the vortex shedding tone generated by the forward attachment of the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB). As examples, the DMD outputs of the uPSP measurements in a subsonic test in the SLS ATAT are presented. It is shown the information retrieved from the DMD outputs of the uPSP measurements can be effectively used in the identification and diagnosis of the aeroacoustic phenomena. The work described in this paper is a part of NASA’s development of a new state-of-the-art uPSP capability in production wind tunnels. Funding was provided by the NASA Aerosciences Evaluation and Test Capabilities Portfolio Office.

acoustics↗

DOE OSTI2020

On the theoretical limitations in estimating thickness of a plate-like structure from a full-field single-tone response Lamb wave measurement

A persistent question in wavenumber analysis in the estimation of thickness from a steady-state wave field is identifying the theoretical sensitivity of the system. Here, a well-known trade-off between spatial frequency/wavenumber resolution and thickness resolution exists. The current work presents a calculation of the Cramer-Rao Lower bound (CRLB), specifically as applied to thickness estimates, for a 2-dimensional multi-mode waveform in Gaussian noise. Cases of near-field and far-field excitation are considered, and transducer position with respect to the scan area is also varied. Additionally, we consider the CRLB in a plate with multiple sources, simulated as sources placed on the boundary of the plate. We conclude by presenting the CRLB values in terms of frequency for various thicknesses, and by presenting optimal excitation frequencies for a nominal thickness, based on the CRLB.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2022

Assessment methods for determining small changes in hearing performance over time

Although the behavioral pure-tone threshold audiogram is considered the gold standard for quantifying hearing loss, assessment of speech understanding, especially in noise, is more relevant to quality of life but is only partly related to the audiogram. Metrics of speech understanding in noise are therefore an attractive target for assessing hearing over time. However, speech-in-noise assessments have more potential sources of variability than pure-tone threshold measures, making it a challenge to obtain results reliable enough to detect small changes in performance. Here, this review examines the benefits and limitations of speech-understanding metrics and their application to longitudinal hearing assessment, and identifies potential sources of variability, including learning effects, differences in item difficulty, and between- and within-individual variations in effort and motivation. We conclude by recommending the integration of non-speech auditory tests, which provide information about aspects of auditory health that have reduced variability and fewer central influences than speech tests, in parallel with the traditional audiogram and speech-based assessments.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1974

Low-speed wind-tunnel investigation of the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of a translating grid choked flow inlet

The aerodynamic and acoustic performance of a translating grid choked-flow inlet was determined in a low-speed wind tunnel at free-stream velocities of 24, 32, and 45 m/sec and incidence angles of 0, 10, 20, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 deg. The inlet was sized to fit a 13.97- centimeter-diameter fan with a design weight flow of 2.49 kg/sec. Measurements were made to determine inlet total pressure recovery, flow distortion, and sound pressure level for both choked and unchoked geometries over a range of inlet weight flows. For the unchoked geometry, inlet total pressure recovery ranged from 0.983 to 0.989 at incidence angles less than 40 deg. At 40 deg incidence angle, inlet cowl separation was encountered which resulted in lower values of pressure recovery and higher levels of fan broadband noise. For the choked geometry, increasing total pressure losses occurred with increasing inlet weight flow that prevented the inlet from reaching full choked conditions with the particular fan used. These losses were attributed to the high Mach number drag rise characteristics of airfoil grid. At maximum attainable inlet weight flow, the total pressure recovery at static conditions was 0.935. The fan blade passing frequency and other fan generated pure tones were eliminated from the noise spectrum, but the broadband level was increased.

Abbott, J. M.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Broadband Noise Prediction of Two Small Hovering Rotors using FUN3D-ANOPP2

A computational study was performed on two small hovering rotors, the ideally twisted rotor and the optimum hovering 2-bladed rotor, using FUN3D-ANOPP2. The effects of different inviscid upwinding techniques and temporal resolutions on aerodynamic performance and acoustic prediction were compared against experimental data obtained in the Small Hover Anechoic Chamber facility at the NASA Langley Research Center. Decreasing the numerical dissipation with 𝜅 tuning or by using a higher-order inviscid flux reconstruction scheme was shown to improve aerodynamic performance predictions when compared to measured data for most cases. The effect of dissipation on the vorticity field was also seen to influence the amount of turbulence surrounding the vortex core of the first blade-vortex interaction (BVI), the coherence of the second and higher BVI vortex cores, and the downstream breakdown of the rotor wake for both rotor geometries. Tonal and broadband noise predictions from simulation cases with lower dissipation were seen to agree better with the experiment for the ideally twisted rotor, whereas temporal resolution differences had negligible impact on the broadband noise results. Similar fundamental BPF directivity patterns were obtained by all simulation cases for the optimum hovering 2-bladed rotor, while the most accurate 2*BPF directivity trend, compared to the experiment, was predicted by the lower-dissipation case at the coarse temporal resolution, albeit with an amplitude underprediction. Broadband noise spectral roll-off behavior was seen to occur at a higher frequency when using a finer temporal resolution for the optimum hovering 2-bladed rotor, unlike for the ideally twisted rotor geometry. The broadband noise prediction for the optimum hovering 2-bladed rotor from the higher-dissipation case at the coarse temporal resolution was also seen to predict a tone centered around approximately 8.5 kHz, which was similar in amplitude to the measured tone around 16.5 kHz.

Christopher S. Thurman↗