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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 163 records · Page 9

Acoustic Testing of the Tiltrotor Test Rig in the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel

The Tiltrotor Test Rig (TTR) was tested in the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel from 2017 to 2018. The primary goal of the test was to understand the operational capabilities of the TTR, while also acquiring research data, including acoustic data. Four microphones were placed around the TTR: two on the wind tunnel floor and two on struts. Acoustic measurements of the TTR rotor were acquired to 1) understand the acoustic testing capabilities of the TTR in the NFAC 40- by 80-FootWind Tunnel, 2) compare to previous XV-15 rotor acoustic data acquired in the NFAC 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel, and 3) provide data for future validation studies. A data quality study revealed that the NFAC 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel is an adequate acoustic environment to test the TTR rotor. For a given thrust and advance ratio, a shaft angle sweep was performed and acoustic measurements were compared against 1996 and 1999 XV-15 data in the NFAC 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel; differences between the three tests are discussed.

40- by 80-FootWind Tunnel↗

Optimization of Acoustic Pressure Measurements for Impedance Eduction

As noise constraints become increasingly stringent, there is continued emphasis on the development of improved acoustic liner concepts to reduce the amount of fan noise radiated to communities surrounding airports. As a result, multiple analytical prediction tools and experimental rigs have been developed by industry and academia to support liner evaluation. NASA Langley has also placed considerable effort in this area over the last three decades. More recently, a finite element code (Q3D) based on a quasi-3D implementation of the convected Helmholtz equation has been combined with measured data acquired in the Langley Grazing Incidence Tube (GIT) to reduce liner impedance in the presence of grazing flow. A new Curved Duct Test Rig (CDTR) has also been developed to allow evaluation of liners in the presence of grazing flow and controlled, higher-order modes, with straight and curved waveguides. Upgraded versions of each of these two test rigs are expected to begin operation by early 2008. The Grazing Flow Impedance Tube (GFIT) will replace the GIT, and additional capabilities will be incorporated into the CDTR. The current investigation uses the Q3D finite element code to evaluate some of the key capabilities of these two test rigs. First, the Q3D code is used to evaluate the microphone distribution designed for the GFIT. Liners ranging in length from 51 to 610 mm are investigated to determine whether acceptable impedance eduction can be achieved with microphones placed on the wall opposite the liner. This analysis indicates the best results are achieved for liner lengths of at least 203 mm. Next, the effects of moving this GFIT microphone array to the wall adjacent to the liner are evaluated, and acceptable results are achieved if the microphones are placed off the centerline. Finally, the code is used to investigate potential microphone placements in the CDTR rigid wall adjacent to the wall containing an acoustic liner, to determine if sufficient fidelity can be achieved with 32 microphones available for this purpose. Initial results indicate 32 microphones can provide acceptable measurements to support impedance eduction with this test rig.

Jones, M. G.↗

Improved in-flow acoustic sensor

An acoustic sensor for measuring acoustic waves contained in fluid flowing over the sensor is described. The acoustic sensor reduces any unwanted self-noise associated with the flowing fluid by providing a nose cone having proper aerodynamic properties and by positioning the diaphragm of a microphone of the sensor at a location where any unwanted noise is at a relatively low level. The nose cone has a rounded, blunt or even sharp tip, neither of which creates any major disturbances in the flowing fluid which it intercepts.

Allen, Christopher S.↗

In-Flow Acoustic Sensor

An acoustic sensor for measuring acoustic waves contained in fluid flow flowing over the sensor is introduced. The acoustic sensor reduces any unwanted self-noise associated with the flowing fluid by providing a nose cone having proper aerodynamic properties and by positioning the diaphragm of a microphone of the sensor at a location where any unwanted noise is at a relatively low level. The nose cone has a rounded, blunt or even sharp tip neither of which creates any major disturbances in the flowing fluid which it intercepts.

Allen, Christopher S.↗

Characterization of Three-Stream Jet Flow Fields

Flow-field measurements were conducted on single-, dual- and three-stream jets using two-component and stereo Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). The flow-field measurements complimented previous acoustic measurements. The exhaust system consisted of externally-plugged, externally-mixed, convergent nozzles. The study used bypass-to-core area ratios equal to 1.0 and 2.5 and tertiary-to-core area ratios equal to 0.6 and 1.0. Axisymmetric and offset tertiary nozzles were investigated for heated and unheated high-subsonic conditions. Centerline velocity decay rates for the single-, dual- and three-stream axisymmetric jets compared well when axial distance was normalized by an equivalent diameter based on the nozzle system total exit area. The tertiary stream had a greater impact on the mean axial velocity for the small bypass-to-core area ratio nozzles than for large bypass-to-core area ratio nozzles. Normalized turbulence intensities were similar for the single-, dual-, and three-stream unheated jets due to the small difference (10%) in the core and bypass velocities for the dual-stream jets and the low tertiary velocity (50% of the core stream) for the three-stream jets. For heated jet conditions where the bypass velocity was 65% of the core velocity, additional regions of high turbulence intensity occurred near the plug tip which were not present for the unheated jets. Offsetting the tertiary stream moved the peak turbulence intensity levels upstream relative to those for all axisymmetric jets investigated.

Noise↗

Characterization of Three-Stream Jet Flow Fields

Flow-field measurements were conducted on single-, dual- and three-stream jets using two-component and stereo Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). The flow-field measurements complimented previous acoustic measurements. The exhaust system consisted of externally-plugged, externally-mixed, convergent nozzles. The study used bypass-to-core area ratios equal to 1.0 and 2.5 and tertiary-to-core area ratios equal to 0.6 and 1.0. Axisymmetric and offset tertiary nozzles were investigated for heated and unheated high-subsonic conditions. Centerline velocity decay rates for the single-, dual- and three-stream axisymmetric jets compared well when axial distance was normalized by an equivalent diameter based on the nozzle system total exit area. The tertiary stream had a greater impact on the mean axial velocity for the small bypass-to-core area ratio nozzles than for large bypass-to-core area ratio nozzles. Normalized turbulence intensities were similar for the single-, dual-, and three-stream unheated jets due to the small difference (10 percent) in the core and bypass velocities for the dual-stream jets and the low tertiary velocity (50 percent of the core stream) for the three-stream jets. For heated jet conditions where the bypass velocity was 65 percent of the core velocity, additional regions of high turbulence intensity occurred near the plug tip which were not present for the unheated jets. Offsetting the tertiary stream moved the peak turbulence intensity levels upstream relative to those for all axisymmetric jets investigated.

Noise↗

Digital PIV Measurements of Acoustic Particle Displacements in a Normal Incidence Impedance Tube

Acoustic particle displacements and velocities inside a normal incidence impedance tube have been successfully measured for a variety of pure tone sound fields using Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV). The DPIV system utilized two 600-mj Nd:YAG lasers to generate a double-pulsed light sheet synchronized with the sound field and used to illuminate a portion of the oscillatory flow inside the tube. A high resolution (1320 x 1035 pixel), 8-bit camera was used to capture double-exposed images of 2.7-micron hollow silicon dioxide tracer particles inside the tube. Classical spatial autocorrelation analysis techniques were used to ascertain the acoustic particle displacements and associated velocities for various sound field intensities and frequencies. The results show that particle displacements spanning a range of 1-60 microns can be measured for incident sound pressure levels of 100-130 dB and for frequencies spanning 500-1000 Hz. The ability to resolve 1 micron particle displacements at sound pressure levels in the 100 dB range allows the use of DPIV systems for measurement of sound fields at much lower sound pressure levels than had been previously possible. Representative impedance tube data as well as an uncertainty analysis for the measurements are presented.

Humphreys, William M., Jr.↗

Assessing the integrity of structural adhesive bonds by the measurement of acoustic properties

Results are reported of an experimental study tracing the influence of externally applied shear stresses on the acoustic properties in the bondline region. The changes in the acoustic properties with a change in the temperature of the test samples are measured. The results of these tests are employed to evaluate the quality of the adhesive bonds. The dependence of time-of-flight on the temperature of plain steel and of steel adhesively bonded to rubber is illustrated in graphic form.

Jagasivamani, V.↗

Medium-Sized Helicopter Noise Abatement Flight Test Data Report

Helicopter noise has consistently hindered operations within urban areas and surrounding communities. To combat this, an extensive flight test campaign, described herein, was conducted to gather acoustic data to support helicopter noise research (e.g., physics-based modeling, operational planning, etc.). Acoustic measurements were collected from four helicopters in the medium-sized weight class with maximum takeoff gross weights between 7,400 and 14,200 lb: a Bell 205 “Huey”, a Sikorsky S-76D, a Leonardo AW139, and a US Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin (a variant of the commercial Airbus AS365 Dauphin). Each aircraft per- formed a subset of level flyovers, steady descents, turns with various initial conditions, and noise abatement approaches. A distributed ground microphone array spanning approximately 2,000 by 4,000 ft collected measurements of each flyover event. Additionally, a dedicated semicircular microphone array was used for gathering acoustic measurements of static conditions (e.g., hover). This report provides an overview of the flight test methodology, conditions tested, equipment used, and details of the accompanying distribution dataset. Figures of sample results generated for each test point are included to enable comparison and selection of the data at the discretion of the user. Specifically, source noise hemispheres of the steady flight conditions illustrate directivity of over- all levels. Noise contours over the array provide insight into the ground levels associated with approaches and turning events. These data figures are derived from the original acoustic pressure-time histories and vehicle tracking data that are provided in the distribution dataset.

Rotorcraft↗

Aerodynamic and Acoustic Interactions Associated with Inboard Propeller-Wing Configurations

A series of aerodynamic performance and acoustic measurements have been made on a range of inboard propeller-wing interaction configurations in the NASA Langley Low Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel (LSAWT). The results presented in this paper are part of a more expansive testing campaign encompassing both single propeller-wing and multipropeller-wing interactions, the former of which is discussed in the present work. The primary testing parameters of interest to this study are the axial and vertical positioning of the wing relative to the propeller slipstream under a constant propeller advance ratio. A multi-faceted computational effort was also employed in an effort to identify reflection and scattering effects imposed by both the wing geometry as well as the primary components of the facility test setup. This effort consisted of aerodynamic predictions using high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD), acoustic predictions using an impermeable Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) solver, and acoustic scattering predictions. Acoustic measurements reveal variations in the acoustic directivity behavior of the propeller blade passage frequency for even modest variations in wing position. CFD-based acoustic predictions reveal discrepancies relative to the experimental data, which is believed to be due to complex acoustic scattering behavior within the test section. Initial attempts at modeling the scattered acoustic field showed functional dependency of the acoustic amplitude variations on the wing position relative to the propeller disk, however discrepancies with experimental data remain.

Nikolas S. Zawodny↗

Electric Motor Noise from Small Quadcopters: Source Characteristics - Part II

The increased interest in electric motors for propulsion systems has driven interest in quantifying the contribution of electric motor noise to the overall sound levels and possible human annoyance of the propulsion system. This work presents acoustic measurements of electric motors used for small quadcopters to quantify the sound produced by a number of outrunning motors with different types of controllers. Results are presented for loaded and unloaded motors as installed and uninstalled configurations. Motor resonance frequencies were measured and computed. Current probe measurements showed that the supply current from the controllers contained significant harmonic content for the conventional and sinewave controllers. Acoustic results showed motor noise is typically radiated at frequencies near the mode 2 vibration frequency at roughly 5000 Hz. Electric motor noise was evident in the spectra produced by many of the motor-controller combinations for motors loaded with propellers with levels often greater than those for the motor alone due to increase in the stator magnetic flux density with increased current. An installed configuration produced increases in acoustic radiation over that of the uninstalled motor in a frequency range near the mode 1 vibration frequency near 1200 Hz. A companion paper (Part I - Acoustic Measurements), focuses on source identification using a phased array and directivity characteristics for a baseline configuration.

Motor Resonance Frequencies↗

Overview of Aeroacoustic Testing of the High-Lift Common Research Model

This paper presents an overview of the experimental data obtained in a 2020/2021 aeroacoustic test of the high-lift variant of the common research model. The breadth of the aerodynamic and acoustic measurements is highlighted along with some key results. Aerodynamic data were observed to be consistent with previous observations, and the acoustic measurements were repeatable once some background noise and shear layer issues were resolved. The primary purpose of the test was to evaluate the noise reduction potential of slat noise reduction devices, and a slat-gap filler was found to produce substantial noise reduction over a broad frequency range. The gap filler was designed to meet practical implementation considerations at full scale and constructed out of shape-memory alloys that would allow the slat to be articulated. However, additional structural testing will be required to demonstrate the performance of the gap filler during slat deployment and retraction. Over 3,500 test points were collected during the test, and only a small fraction of the experimental data has been processed in a preliminary manner. Nonetheless, the results presented demonstrate the quality of the dataset and reveal some insights about slat noise.

Aeroacoustics↗

Measurements of Acoustic Properties of Porous and Granular Materials and Application to Vibration Control

For application of porous and granular materials to vibro-acoustic controls, a finite dynamic strength of the solid component (frame) is an important design factor. The primary goal of this study was to investigate structural vibration damping through this frame wave propagation for various poroelastic materials. A measurement method to investigate the vibration characteristics of the frame was proposed. The measured properties were found to follow closely the characteristics of the viscoelastic materials - the dynamic modulus increased with frequency and the degree of the frequency dependence was determined by its loss factor. The dynamic stiffness of hollow cylindrical beams containing porous and granular materials as damping treatment was measured also. The data were used to extract the damping materials characteristics using the Rayleigh-Ritz method. The results suggested that the acoustic structure interaction between the frame and the structure enhances the dissipation of the vibration energy significantly.

Park, Junhong↗

GE MOD-1 noise study

Noise studies of the MOD-1 Wind Turbine Generator are summarized, and a simple mathematical noise is presented which is adequate to correlate the sound levels found near the machine. A simple acoustic measure is suggested for use in evaluating far field sound levels. Use of this measure as input to a currently available sound complaint prediction program is discussed. Results of a recent statistical survey relative to the far field variation of this acoustic measure because of atmospheric effects are described.

Wells, R. J.↗

Traversing Microphone Track Installed in NASA Lewis' Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory Dome

The Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory is an acoustically treated, 65-ft-tall dome located at the NASA Lewis Research Center. Inside this laboratory is the Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig (NATR), which is used in support of Advanced Subsonics Technology (AST) and High Speed Research (HSR) to test engine exhaust nozzles for thrust and acoustic performance under simulated takeoff conditions. Acoustic measurements had been gathered by a far-field array of microphones located along the dome wall and 10-ft above the floor. Recently, it became desirable to collect acoustic data for engine certifications (as specified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)) that would simulate the noise of an aircraft taking off as heard from an offset ground location. Since nozzles for the High-Speed Civil Transport have straight sides that cause their noise signature to vary radially, an additional plane of acoustic measurement was required. Desired was an arched array of 24 microphones, equally spaced from the nozzle and each other, in a 25 off-vertical plane. The various research requirements made this a challenging task. The microphones needed to be aimed at the nozzle accurately and held firmly in place during testing, but it was also essential that they be easily and routinely lowered to the floor for calibration and servicing. Once serviced, the microphones would have to be returned to their previous location near the ceiling. In addition, there could be no structure could between the microphones and the nozzle, and any structure near the microphones would have to be designed to minimize noise reflections. After many concepts were considered, a single arched truss structure was selected that would be permanently affixed to the dome ceiling and to one end of the dome floor.

Bauman, Steven W.↗

In-flight near- and far-field acoustic data measured on the Propfan Test Assessment (PTA) testbed and with an adjacent aircraft

Flight tests to define the far-field tone source at cruise conditions were completed on the full-scale SR-7L advanced turboprop that was installed on the left wing of a Gulfstream 2 aircraft. This program, designated Propfan Test Assessment (PTA), involved aeroacoustic testing of the propeller over a range of test conditions. These measurements defined source levels for input into long-distance propagation models to predict en route noise. In-flight data were taken for seven test cases. Near-field acoustic data were taken on the Gulfstream fuselage and on a microphone boom that was mounted on the Gulfstream wing outboard of the propeller. Far-field acoustic data were taken by an acoustically instrumented Learjet that flew in formation with the Gulfstream. These flight tests were flown from El Paso, Texas, and from the NASA Lewis Research Center. A comprehensive listing of the aeroacoustic results from these flight tests which may be used for future analysis are presented.

Woodward, Richard P.↗