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At least 163 records · Page 9

Laboratory studies of scales for measuring helicopter noise

The adequacy of the effective perceived noise level (EPNL) procedure for rating helicopter noise annoyance was investigated. Recordings of 89 helicopters and 30 fixed wing aircraft (CTOL) flyover sounds were rated with respect to annoyance by groups of approximately 40 subjects. The average annoyance scores were transformed to annoyance levels defined as the equally annoying sound levels of a fixed reference sound. The sound levels of the test sounds were measured on various scales, with and without corrections for duration, tones, and impulsiveness. On average, the helicopter sounds were judged equally annoying to CTOL sounds when their duration corrected levels are approximately 2 dB higher. Multiple regression analysis indicated that, provided the helicopter/CTOL difference of about 2 dB is taken into account, the particular linear combination of level, duration, and tone corrections inherent in EPNL is close to optimum. The results reveal no general requirement for special EPNL correction terms to penalize helicopter sounds which are particularly impulsive; impulsiveness causes spectral and temporal changes which themselves adequately amplify conventionally measured sound levels.

Ollerhead, J. B.↗

Response measurements for two building structures excited by noise from a large horizontal axis wind turbine generator

Window and wall acceleration measurements and interior noise measurements ere made for two different building structures during excitation by noise from the WTS-4 horizontal axis wind turbine generator operating in a normal power generation mode. With turbine noise input pulses resulted in acceleration pulses for the wall and window elements of the two tests buildings. Response spectra suggest that natural vibration modes of the structures are excited. Responses of a house trailer were substantially greater than those for a building of sturdier construction. Peak acceleration values correlate well with similar data for houses excited by flyover noise from commercial and military airplanes and helicopters, and sonic booms from supersonic aircraft. Interior noise spectra have peaks at frequencies corresponding to structural vibration modes and room standing waves; and the levels for particular frequencies and locations can be higher than the outside levels.

Hubbard, H. H.↗

Measurements and analysis of aircraft airframe noise

Flyover measurements of the airframe noise of AeroCommander, JetStar, CV-990, and B-747 aircraft are presented. Data are shown for both cruise and landing configurations. Correlations between airframe noise and aircraft parameters are developed and presented. The landing approach airframe noise for the test aircraft was approximately 10 EPNdB below present FAA certification requirements.

Putnam, T. W.↗

Two-stage, low noise advanced technology fan. 5: Acoustic final report

The NASA Q2S(quiet two-stage) fan is a 0.836m (32.9 in.) diameter model of the STF 433 engine fan, selected in a 1972 study for an Advanced Technology Transport (ATT) airplane. Noise-control features include: low tip speed, moderate stage pressure rise, large blade-vane spacings, no inlet guide vanes, and optimum blade and vane numbers. Tests were run on the baseline Q2S fan with standard inlet and discharge ducts. Further tests were made of a translating centerbody sonic inlet device and treated discharge ducts. Results were scaled to JT8D and JT3D engine fan size for comparison with current two-stage fans, and were also scaled to STF 433 fan size to compare calculated ATT flyover noise with FAR 36 limits. Baseline Q2S results scaled to JT8D and JT3D engine fan sizes showed substantial noise reductions. Calculated unsuppressed baseline ATT flyovers averaged about 2.5 EPNdB below FAR 36 limits. Using measured sonic inlet results, scaled baseline Q2S fan results, and calculated attenuations for a 1975 technology duct liner, projected flyover noise calculations for the ATT averaged about FAR 36 limits minus 10 EPNdB. Advances in suppression technology required to meet the 1985 goal of FAR 36 limits minus 20 EPNdB are discussed.

Sofrin, T. G.↗

Directivity and trends of noise generated by a propeller in a wake

An experimental study of the effects on far-field propeller noise of a pylon wake interaction was conducted with a scale model of a single-rotation propeller in a low-speed anechoic wind tunnel. A detailed mapping of the noise directivity was obtained at 10 test conditions covering a wide range of propeller power landings at several subsonic tip speeds. Two types of noise penalties were investigated-pulser and spacing. The pusher noise penalty is the difference in the average overall sound pressure level, OASPL, for pusher and tractor installations. (In a pusher installation, the propeller disk is downstream of a pylon or another aerodynamic surface.) The spacing noise penalty is the difference in the average OASPL for different distances between the pylon trailing edge and the propeller. The variations of these noise penalties with axial, or flyover, angle theta and circumferential angle phi are presented, and the trends in these noise penalties with tip Mach number and power loading are given for selected values of theta and phi. The circumferential directivity of the noise from a pusher installation showed that the addition noise due to the interaction of the pylon wake with the propeller had a broad peak over a wide range of circumferential angles approximately perpendicular to the pylon with a sharp minimum 90 deg. to the pylon for the majority of cases tested. The variation of the pusher noise penalty with theta had a minimum occurring near the propeller plane and maximum values of as much as 20 dB occurring toward the propeller axes. The magnitude of the pusher noise penalty generally decreased as propeller tip Mach number or power loading was increased.

Block, P. J. W.↗

Airframe Noise from a Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft Configuration

A high fidelity aeroacoustic test was conducted in the NASA Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel to establish a detailed database of component noise for a 5.8% scale HWB aircraft configuration. The model has a modular design, which includes a drooped and a stowed wing leading edge, deflectable elevons, twin verticals, and a landing gear system with geometrically scaled wheel-wells. The model is mounted inverted in the test section and noise measurements are acquired at different streamwise stations from an overhead microphone phased array and from overhead and sideline microphones. Noise source distribution maps and component noise spectra are presented for airframe configurations representing two different approach flight conditions. Array measurements performed along the aircraft flyover line show the main landing gear to be the dominant contributor to the total airframe noise, followed by the nose gear, the inboard side-edges of the LE droop, the wing tip/LE droop outboard side-edges, and the side-edges of deployed elevons. Velocity dependence and flyover directivity are presented for the main noise components. Decorrelation effects from turbulence scattering on spectral levels measured with the microphone phased array are discussed. Finally, noise directivity maps obtained from the overhead and sideline microphone measurements for the landing gear system are provided for a broad range of observer locations.

Hutcheson, Florence V.↗

AiResearch QCGAT engine: Acoustic test results

The noise levels of the quiet, general aviation turbofan (QCGAT) engine were measured in ground static noise tests. The static noise levels were found to be markedly lower than the demonstrably quiet AiResearch model TFE731 engine. The measured QCGAT noise levels were correlated with analytical noise source predictions to derive free-field component noise predictions. These component noise sources were used to predict the QCGAT flyover noise levels at FAR Part 36 conditions. The predicted flyover noise levels are about 10 decibels lower than the current quietest business jets.

Kisner, L. S.↗

Dose-Response Data Considerations for the NASA Quesst Community Test Campaign

Key outcomes for NASA's Quesst mission are noise dose and perceptual response data to inform regulators on their decisions regarding noise certification standards for the future of overland commercial supersonic flight. Dose-response curves are commonly utilized in community noise studies to describe the annoyance of a community to a particular noise source. The X-59 aircraft utilizes shaped-boom technology to demonstrate low noise supersonic flight. For X-59 community studies, the sound level from X-59 overflights constitutes the dose, while the response is an annoyance rating selected from a verbal scale, e.g., “slightly annoyed” and “very annoyed.” Dose-response data will be collected from individual flyovers (single event dose) and an overall response to the accumulation of single events at the end of the day (cumulative dose). There are quantifiable sources of error in the noise dose due to uncertainty in microphone measurements of the sonic thumps and uncertainty in predicted noise levels at survey participant locations. Assessing and accounting for error in the noise dose is essential to obtain an accurate dose-response model. There is also a potential for error in the perceptual response. This error is due to the ability of participants to provide their response in a timely manner and participant fatigue after responding to up to one hundred surveys over the course of a month. This talk outlines various challenges in estimating noise dose and perceptual response and the methods considered in preparation for X-59 community tests.

dose-response↗

Acoustic results obtained with upper-surface-blowing lift augmentation systems

The noise caused by the interaction of the jet exhaust and a wing was measured under static conditions for several versions of a small-scale STOL engine-over-the-wing configuration. Three basic nozzles were used in the tests; a circular nozzle, a 5:1 aspect ratio slot nozzle and a 10:1 aspect ratio slot nozzle. Various flow attachment devices were included in the study. The wing included a flap that could be positioned for nominal takeoff or approach flap settings. Far field noise data are presented for the flyover mode. The data are discussed in terms of sound power and sound pressure spectra. Implications of extending the small-scale model acoustic data to full-scale aircraft are discussed briefly and indicate a sizeable flyover noise attenuation may be achieved due to shielding by the wing.

Vonglahn, U. H.↗

Acoustic results obtained with upper-surface-blowing lift-augmentation systems.

The noise caused by the interaction of the jet exhaust and a wing was measured under static conditions for several versions of a small-scale STOL engine-over-the-wing configuration. Three basic nozzles were used in the tests; a circular nozzle, a 5:1 aspect ratio slot nozzle, and a 10:1 aspect ratio slot nozzle. Various flow attachment devices were included in the study. The wing included a flap that could be positioned for nominal takeoff or approach flap settings. Far field noise data are presented for the flyover mode. The data are discussed in terms of sound power and sound pressure spectra.

Von Glahn, U.↗

Non-engine aerodynamic noise investigation of a large aircraft

A series of flyover noise measurements have been accomplished utilizing a large jet transport aircraft with engine power reduced to flight idle. It was determined that the aerodynamic (nonengine) noise levels did occur in the general range that had been predicted by using small aircraft (up to 17,690 kg gross weight) prediction techniques. The test procedures used are presented along with discussions of the effects of aerodynamic configuration on the radiated noise, identification of noise sources, and predicted aerodynamic noise as compared with measurements.

Gibson, J. S.↗

Learjet Acoustics Flight Test – An Initial Look

The motivation for the work is the need for an improved ability to predict takeoff noise of future commercial supersonic aircraft. The overall objective is to validate as well as improve the conversion of facility scale-model data and semi-empirical jet-noise predictions to flight noise. As a first step, the processing of data and results from an acoustics flight test are described. The next step involves the comparison of the flight acoustic data and complementary rig-test results. This will be presented in future reports. Ultimately, the goal is improved noise-prediction methods for system studies of future commercial supersonic aircraft.

aeroacoustics, jet noise, flyover noise↗

Avco Lycoming quiet clean general aviation turbofan engine

A fan module was developed using an existing turboshaft engine. The fan was designed using the latest in large engine noise control technology. A mixer was added to reduce the already low exhaust gas velocity. A nacelle incorporating sound treatment was provided for the test engine. A noise prediction model was used through the design process to evaluate the various design alternatives. Acoustic tests were then made to verify the prediction and identify the noise characteristics of the fan, core, jet, and sound treatment. Analysis of the recorded data yielded close agreement with the expected results. Core noise, as was expected, was the predominant source of noise for the quiet clean general aviation turbofan (QCGAT) engine. Flyover noise predictions were made which indicated that the Avco Lycoming QCGAT engine would meet the goals set for the QCGAT program.

Wilson, C. A.↗

Noise suppression due to annulus shaping of conventional coaxial nozzle

A method which shows that increasing the annulus width of a conventional coaxial nozzle with constant bypass velocity will lower the noise level is described. The method entails modifying a concentric coaxial nozzle to provide an eccentric outer stream annulus while maintaining approximately the same through flow as that for the original concentric bypass nozzle. Acoustical tests to determine the noise generating characteristics of the nozzle over a range of flow conditions are described. The tests involved sequentially analyzing the noise signals and digitally recording the 1/3 octave band sound pressure levels. The measurements were made in a plane passing through the minimum and maximum annulus width points, as well as at 90 degrees in this plane, by rotating the outer nozzle about its axis. Representative measured spectral data in the flyover plane for the concentric nozzle obtained at model scale are discussed. Representative spectra for several engine cycles are presented for both the eccentric and concentric nozzles at engine size.

Vonglahn, U.↗

A Subjective Test of Modulated Blade Spacing for Helicopter Main Rotors

Analytically, uneven (modulated) spacing of main rotor blades was found to reduce helicopter noise. A study was performed to see if these reductions transferred to improvements in subjective response. Using a predictive computer code, sounds produced by six main rotor configurations: 4 blades evenly spaced, 5 blades evenly spaced and four configurations with 5 blades with modulated spacing of varying amounts, were predicted. These predictions were converted to audible sounds corresponding to the level flyover, takeoff and approach flight conditions. Subjects who heard the simulations were asked to assess the overflight sounds in terms of noisiness on a scale of 0 to 10. In general the evenly spaced configurations were found less noisy than the modulated spacings, possibly because the uneven spacings produced a perceptible pulsating sound due to the very low fundamental frequency.

Sullivan, Brenda M.↗

Annoyance caused by propeller airplane flyover noise

Laboratory experiments were conducted to provide information on quantifying the annoyance response of people to propeller airplane noise. The items of interest were current noise metrics, tone corrections, duration corrections, critical band corrections, and the effects of engine type, operation type, maximum takeoff weight, blade passage frequency, and blade tip speed. In each experiment, 64 subjects judged the annoyance of recordings of propeller and jet airplane operations presented at d-weighted sound pressure levels of 70, 80, and 90 dB in a testing room which simulates the outdoor acoustic environment. The first experiment examined 11 propeller airplanes with maximum takeoff weights greater than or equal to 5700 kg. The second experiment examined 14 propeller airplanes weighting 5700 kg or less. Five jet airplanes were included in each experiment. For both the heavy and light propeller airplanes, perceived noise level and perceived level (Stevens Mark VII procedure) predicted annoyance better than other current noise metrics.

Mccurdy, D. A.↗

Acoustic Benefits of Stator Sweep and Lean for a High Tip Speed Fan

A model high-speed fan stage was acoustically tested in the NASA Glenn 9- by 15-Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel at takeoff/approach flight conditions. The fan was designed for a corrected rotor tip speed of 442 m/s (1450 ft/s), and had a powered core, or booster stage, giving the model a nominal bypass ratio of 5. The model also had a simulated engine pylon and nozzle bifurcation contained within the bypass duct. The fan was tested with three stator sets to evaluate acoustic benefits associated with a swept and leaned stator and with a swept integral vane/frame stator which incorporated some of the swept and leaned features as well as eliminated some of the downstream support structure. The baseline fan with the wide chord rotor and baseline stator approximated a current GEAE CF6 engine. A flyover effective perceived noise level (EPNL) code was used to generate relative EPNL values for the various configurations. Flyover effective perceived noise levels (EPNL) were computed from the model data to help project noise benefits. A tone removal study was also performed. The swept and leaned stator showed a 3 EPNdB reduction at lower fan speeds relative to the baseline stator; while the swept integral vane/frame stator showed lowest noise levels at intermediate fan speeds. Removal of the bypass blade passage frequency rotor tone (BPF) showed a 4 EPNdB reduction for the baseline and swept and leaned stators, and a 6 EPNdB reduction for the swept integral vane/ frame stator. Therefore, selective tone removal techniques such as active noise control and/or tuned liner could be particularly effective in reducing noise levels for certain fan speeds.

Woodward, Richard P.↗

Shielding of Turbomachinery Broadband Noise from a Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft Configuration

The results of an experimental study on the effects of engine placement and vertical tail configuration on shielding of exhaust broadband noise radiation are presented. This study is part of the high fidelity aeroacoustic test of a 5.8% scale Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) aircraft configuration performed in the 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center. Broadband Engine Noise Simulators (BENS) were used to determine insertion loss due to shielding by the HWB airframe of the broadband component of turbomachinery noise for different airframe configurations and flight conditions. Acoustics data were obtained from flyover and sideline microphones traversed to predefined streamwise stations. Noise measurements performed for different engine locations clearly show the noise benefit associated with positioning the engine nacelles further upstream on the HWB centerbody. Positioning the engine exhaust 2.5 nozzle diameters upstream (compared to 0.5 nozzle diameters downstream) of the HWB trailing edge was found of particular benefit in this study. Analysis of the shielding performance obtained with and without tunnel flow show that the effectiveness of the fuselage shielding of the exhaust noise, although still significant, is greatly reduced by the presence of the free stream flow compared to static conditions. This loss of shielding is due to the turbulence in the model near-wake/boundary layer flow. A comparison of shielding obtained with alternate vertical tail configurations shows limited differences in level; nevertheless, overall trends regarding the effect of cant angle and vertical location are revealed. Finally, it is shown that the vertical tails provide a clear shielding benefit towards the sideline while causing a slight increase in noise below the aircraft.

Hutcheson, Florence V.↗