A computational study of the interaction noise from a small axial-flow fan

Small axial-flow fans used for computer cooling and many other appliances feature a rotor driven by a downstream motor held by several cylindrical struts. This study focuses on the aerodynamic mechanism of rotor-strut interaction for an isolated fan. The three-dimensional, unsteady flow field is calculated using FLUENT, and the sound radiation predicted by acoustic analogy is compared with measurement data. Striking differences are found between the pressure oscillations in various parts of the structural surfaces during an interaction event. The suction surface of the blade experiences a sudden increase in pressure when the blade trailing edge sweeps past a strut, while the process of pressure decrease on the pressure side of the blade is rather gradual during the interaction. The contribution of the latter towards the total thrust force on the structure is cancelled out significantly by that on the strut. In terms of the acoustic contributions from the rotor and strut, the upstream rotor dominates and this feature differs from the usual rotor-stator interaction acoustics in which the downstream part is responsible for most of the noise. It is therefore argued that the dominant interaction mechanism is potential flow in nature.     

On the use of a uniformly valid analytical cascade response function for fan broadband noise predictions

The present paper extends an existing analytical model of the aeroacoustic response of a rectilinear cascade of flat-plate blades to three-dimensional incident vortical gusts, to the prediction of the noise generated by a three-dimensional annular blade-row. The extended formulation is meant to be implemented in a fan broadband noise prediction tool. The intended applications include the modern turbofan engines, for which analytical modelling is believed to be a good alternative to more expensive numerical techniques. The prediction noise model resorts to a strip theory approach based on a three-dimensional rectilinear cascade model. The latter is based on the Wiener-Hopf technique, and yields the pressure field in the blade passage and the unsteady blade loading. The analytical pressure solution is derived by making an extensive use of the residue theorem. The obtained unsteady blade loading distribution over the blades is then used as a dipole source distribution in an acoustic analogy applied in the annular rigid duct with uniform mean flow. The new achievements are then tested on three-dimensional annular-benchmark configurations and compared with three-dimensional lifting-surface models and three-dimensional Euler linearized codes available in the literature. The accuracy of the model is shown for high hub-to-tip ratio cases. When used as such in a true rectilinear-cascade configuration, it also reproduces the exact radiated field that can be derived directly. For low hub-to-tip ratio configurations, the model departs from three-dimensional computations, both regarding the blade loading and the acoustic radiation. A correction is proposed to account for the actual annular dispersion relation in the rectilinear-cascade response function. The results suggest that the proposed correction is necessary to get closer to the underlying physics of the annular-space wave equation, but that it is yet not sufficient to fully reproduce three-dimensional results.     

Estimation of the far-field directivity of broadband aeroengine fan noise using an in-duct axial microphone array

This paper presents a measurement technique for estimating the far-field directivity of the sound radiated from a duct using measurements of acoustic pressure made inside the duct. The technique is restricted to broadband, multi-mode sound fields whose directivity patterns are axi-symmetric, and whose modes are mutually uncorrelated. The technique uses a transfer function to relate the output from an in-duct axial beamformer to measurements of the far-field polar directivity. A transfer function for a hollow cylindrical duct with no flow is derived, and investigated in detail. Transfer functions for practical cases concerning aeroengine exhausts are also presented. The transfer function is shown to be insensitive to the mode-amplitude distribution inside the duct, and hence can be used to predict the directivity in practice where the noise source distribution is unknown. The technique is then validated using a no-flow facility, and is shown to be able to predict variations in the far-field directivity pattern and also estimate the far-field sound pressure levels to within 2 dB. It is suggested that the proposed technique will be especially useful for fan rig experiments, where direct measurement of directivity, for example by use of an anechoic chamber, is impossible.     

自适应宽带有源消声

实际中存在的噪声,一般都是窄带或有色宽带噪声(简称宽带噪声),而宽带噪声更为普遍.为使宽带自适应有源消声(AANC)得到实际应用,必须保证宽带AANC系统具有良好的稳定性和较高的降噪量.为此,本文对AANC系统稳态性能作了理论分析和数值计算,得到了系统降噪量对噪声带宽、空间声传播通道、自适应滤波器参数等的依赖关系;以自由声场远场AANC为例,从声学角度对AANC系统作了物理解释,从而为改进宽带AANC系统性能提供理论依据.     

Random matrices applied to superconductivity in nano-particles

In this paper we introduce an approach in which the random matrices are applied to superconducting nano-particles, and obtain the effects of enhancement and attenuation simultaneously. We also explore the influence of magnetic fields on the superconductivity and the condensation energies in nano-particles. Comparisons with other models and some experimental results are given.     

Time- and frequency-domain computations of broadband noise due to interaction between incident turbulence and rectilinear cascade of flat plates

Time-domain computational aeroacoustic (CAA) techniques are developed to investigate the broadband noise resulting from the interaction of a rectilinear cascade of flat plates with incident homogeneous, isotropic turbulence. The investigation is carried out by comparing the prediction results obtained by employing the time-domain CAA method with those using existing frequency-domain methods. A semi-analytic model (Wei & Cheong, 2010) and a full three-dimensional rectilinear cascade model (Lloyd & Peake, 2008; Lloyd, 2009) are adopted for the frequency-domain computations. By comparing these computation results, the three-dimensional characteristics of inflow turbulence noise are investigated; in particular, the effects of the wavenumber components of ingested turbulence in the spanwise direction are taken into consideration in the investigation. First, CAA results are compared with those from the semi-analytic model. The results for the acoustic modes of relatively low spanwise wavenumbers obtained using both methods show good agreement, but as the spanwise wavenumber increases, the results obtained by the two methods become increasingly different. To investigate in detail the reason for these differences, mode-decomposition analysis is performed by adopting a hybrid method as well as by employing the CAA and the semi-analytic method. The hybrid method involves the following two sequential computations: (i) the upwash velocities on the flat plate airfoils of the rectilinear cascade are first predicted using the frequency-domain method, and (ii) the acoustic wave propagation is subsequently analyzed using time-domain CAA techniques, with these upwash velocities applied as the boundary conditions on the flat plate. It is seen that the results of the time-domain CAA technique and the hybrid method show good agreement, irrespective of the wavenumber and frequency. However, comparisons of the acoustic solutions from three computations reveal that the prediction results of the semi-analytic model deviate more from the other two predictions as the spanwise wavenumber of the acoustic wave increases and the frequency decreases. On a basis of this observation, a formulation is derived for the error in the pressure jump across the flat-plate predicted by using the semi-analytic method. This formulation shows that the error is approximately inversely proportional to the sound speed in the spanwise direction of the concerned acoustic modes. This result quantitatively clarifies the limitations of applying the frequency-domain method of Wei & Cheong (2010) to the three-dimensional turbulence-cascade interaction problems. Secondly, the prediction results using the time-domain CAA method are compared with those from the full three-dimensional rectilinear model that is believed to be exact model for the cascade geometry considered in this paper. This comparison shows the good agreements between two predictions, which support the above arguments for the error and the successful application of the time-domain CAA methods. It is expected that these methods can be extended to the broadband noise problem in an annular cascade, including the nonlinear interaction of the real-airfoil cascade with the incident nonhomogeneous gust.     

亚音速轴流风扇后掠叶片定子与湍流互作用宽频辐射噪声预报

针对亚音速轴流风扇后掠叶片定子的宽频辐射噪声问题,介绍并推导了叶栅宽频辐射声功率计算公式,通过该公式计算后掠叶片定子的宽频辐射声功率级,并从湍流入流和叶栅响应的角度揭示后掠角对定子辐射噪声的影响机理。在此基础上,考虑到实际风扇定子工作在转子尾流中的情况,采用Gauss尾流模型模拟转子尾流,建立转子尾流湍流波数谱模型,推导得到定子叶片与转子尾流互作用的宽频辐射声功率计算公式。通过与NASA风扇试验模型对比得到,考虑转子尾流的定子叶栅宽频辐射声功率计算公式能够较好的预报后掠定子宽频辐射声功率。最后,针对试验风扇模型,分析叶片安装角、叶片弦长对后掠叶片定子辐射噪声的影响。     

A novel feedback active noise control for broadband chaotic noise and random noise

The feedback active noise control (ANC) can be seen as a predictor, the conventional method based on filtered-x least mean square (FXLMS) algorithm can only be useful for linear and tonal noise, but for nonlinear and broadband noise, it is useless. The feedback ANC using functional link artificial neural networks (FLANN) based on filtered-s least mean square (FSLMS) algorithm can reduce some nonlinear noise such as chaotic noise, but the noise cancellation performance is not very well, at the same time, it is not useful to random noise. To solve the problem above, a new feedback ANC using wavelet packet FXLMS (WPFXLMS) algorithm is proposed in this paper. By decomposing the broadband noise into several band-limited parts which are predictable and each part is controlled independently, the proposed algorithm can not only suppress the chaotic noise, but also mitigate the random noise. Compared with FXLMS and FSLMS algorithms, proposed WPFXLMS algorithm also holds the best performance on noise cancellation. Numerous simulations are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed WPFXLMS algorithm.     

谐波线谱簇干扰自适应抵消器

对于舷侧阵声呐本地干扰抵消技术,优良参考信号的抬取以及数据融合是关键.木文首先分析舷侧阵声呐使用频段内自噪声的频率分布特性,然后提出谐波线谱簇干扰抵消器的概念.文献1中给出单频线带干扰抵消器的理论分析,本文给出多频线谱于扰抵消器的理论分析.基于陷波滤波器品质因素的表达式,给出恒Q值线谱干扰抵消器的设计方法.同时提出一种性能优良的实现谐波线谱簇合成的方法.计算机仿真结果以及海试数据分析结果令人满意.     

CAA broadband noise prediction for aeroacoustic design

The current status of a computational aeroacoustics (CAA) approach to simulate broadband noise is reviewed. The method rests on the use of steady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation to describe the time-averaged motion of turbulent flow. By means of synthetic turbulence the steady one-point statistics (e.g. turbulence kinetic energy) and turbulent length- and time-scales of RANS are translated into fluctuations having statistics that very accurately reproduce the initial RANS target-setting. The synthetic fluctuations are used to prescribe sound sources which drive linear perturbation equations. The whole approach represents a methodology to solve statistical noise theory with state-of-the-art CAA tools in the time-domain. A brief overview of the synthetic turbulence model and its numerical discretization in terms of the random particle-mesh (RPM) and fast random particle-mesh (FRPM) method is given. Results are presented for trailing-edge noise, slat noise, and jet noise. Some problems related to the formulation of vortex sound sources are discussed.     

Sharpness and amplitude envelopes of broadband noise

This paper discusses how amplitude envelope shapes, sound-pressure level, and duration of broadband noise affect sharpness and brightness. In the first experiment, sharpness, brightness, and similarity were judged for paired stimuli by 13 subjects. The stimuli consisted of broadband noise with different types of amplitude envelopes, sound-pressure levels, and duration. Experimental results were analyzed with a multidimensional scaling technique. In addition, the second experiment measuring the point of subjective equality (PSE) of sharpness was carried out for four subjects. The results of these two experiments showed large individual differences in sharpness judgment, difficulty in brightness judgment for the stimuli used in the experiments, and influence of the amplitude envelope shapes on sharpness. The individual differences observed in sharpness judgment were explained by the differences between weights given to two psychological dimensions: loudness and subjective duration. This study forms a basis for understanding sharpness of nonsteady sounds.     

Fan broadband noise shielding for over-wing engines

Increasingly demanding community noise targets are promoting noise performance ever higher on the list of airliner design drivers. In response, significant noise reductions are being made, though at a declining rate—it appears that a whole airframe approach is now needed to achieve significant further gains. As a possible step in this direction, over-wing engine installations are considered here, which use the airframe itself as a noise shield. The paper is the account of an experimental investigation of the comparative shielding performances of a range of relative engine positions on such a layout. Using the statistical modelling technique Kriging, we build an approximation of the noise shielding metric as a function of the position of the engines above the wing—this can serve as the input to multi-disciplinary design trade-off studies. We then compare the results found with the results of applying simple half-barrier diffraction theory to the same problem. We conclude that the latter could be considered as a first order, conceptual design tool, though it misses certain features of the design merit landscape identified by the experiment presented here.     

Algebraic method applied to the pairing interaction

The algebraic approach to the theory of collective motion is applied to the pairing interaction with two or three non-degenerate levels of arbitrary degeneracy each. A closed set of non-linear algebraic equations for observables referring to the lowest-lying levels of even nuclei is derived from the relevant quasispin algebra and from the equations of motion. Number conservation and blocking can both be taken into account. The solutions agree remarkably well with exact solutions even for small systems.     

Application of theoretical modeling to multichannel active control of cooling fan noise

Multichannel active control has been applied to the global reduction of tonal noise from a cooling fan. In order to achieve consistent far-field attenuation of multiple harmonics of the blade passage frequency (BPF) of the fan, an analytical model has been applied to the control system in order to determine appropriate transducer configurations. The results of the modeling show that the additional global reduction possible by locating acoustically compact secondary sources coplanar with a compact primary source rapidly lessens as the number of symmetrically placed sources is increased beyond three. Furthermore, the model suggests that there are locations in the extreme near field of the sources that can be considered ideal for the minimization of far-field radiated power. Experiments carried out show that a four-channel control system is more effective than a two-channel system at achieving far-field attenuations, especially at the higher harmonics of the BPF for the fan tested. In addition, greater far-field mean-square pressure attenuations are achieved with the error microphones located along the calculated ideal regions than for nonideal placement.     

Hybrid active and passive control of fan noise

This paper deals with the global reduction of axial flow fan noise in ducts in a building using a hybrid passive-active noise control method. The effectiveness of using an infra-red device as a reference signal source is also investigated. It is shown that using such a hybrid noise control system over an axial-flow fan reduces the overall sound pressure level by 5 dB(A) in the surrounding environment and global control of the blade passing frequency can also be achieved. This paper also shows that using an infra-red device as a reference signal source produces marginally better control as compared with using a microphone reference sensor. Moreover, long term stability is guaranteed and the possibility of acoustic feedback is eliminated.     

Inter-particle interaction induced by broadband radiation

The recent fabrication of optical traps using super-continuum light impresses the need for a theory of inter-particle interactions under such conditions. Development of the theory provides a basis for calculation of the observations expected under experimental conditions. An expression for the inter-particle potential energy induced by continuum states of light is first derived using quantum electrodynamics. This energy expression is cast as a function of the spectral irradiance of the light, and the electric susceptibility of the interacting particles. Specific results are derived for light with a Lorentzian spectrum. It is shown that by filtering part of the spectrum, it is possible to exert control over the length of linear particle chains organized along the Poynting vector. The results exhibit scope for the optical fabrication of moldable structures using broadband light.     

Systematic distortions of auditory space perception following prolonged exposure to broadband noise

Perceptual distortions referred to as aftereffects may arise following exposure to an adapting sensory stimulus. The study of aftereffects has a long and distinguished history [Kohler and Wallach, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. 88, 269-359 (1944)] and a range of aftereffects have been well described in sensory modalities such as the visual system [Barlow, in Vision: Coding and Efficiency (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1990)]. In the visual system these effects have been interpreted as evidence for a population of cells or channels specific for certain features of a stimulus. However there has been relatively little work examining auditory aftereffects, particularly in respect of spatial location. In this study we have examined the effects of a stationary adapting noise stimulus on the subsequent auditory localization in the vicinity of the adapting stimulus. All human subjects in this study were trained to localize short bursts of noise in a darkened anechoic environment. Adaptation was achieved by presenting 4 min of continuous noise at the start of each block of trials and was maintained by a further 15-s noise burst between each trial. The adapting stimulus was located either directly in front of the subject or 30 degrees to the right of the midline. Subjects were required to determine the location of noise burst stimuli (150 ms) in the proximity of the adapting stimulus following each interstimulus period of adaptation. Results demonstrated that following adaptation there was a general radial displacement of perceived sound sources away from the location of the adapting stimulus. These data are more consistent with a channel-based or place-based process of sound localization rather than a simple level-based adaptation model. A simple "distribution shift" model that assumes an array of overlapping spatial channels is advanced to explain the psychophysical data.     

Random walk to and interaction with an impurity

A random walker tagged with a spin may conveniently be studied by small amounts of paramagnetic impurities which significantly affect the spin relaxation at concentrations as low as a few parts per million. Examples are found in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and muon spin rotation (SR). At low temperature relaxation is determined by the time for the walker to reach an impurity, and thus the impurity acts like a simple trap. Details of the interaction with the impurity are important at higher temperatures, and the relaxation rate is shown to go through a maximum because of this. Special features associated with many returns to the origin, particularly important in one-dimensional walks, and the difference between incoherent (rapidly fluctuating paramagnetic spin) and coherent (stationary paramagnetic spin) returns are discussed.Presented at the Symposium on Random Walks, Gaithersburg, MD, June 1982.This work performed at Sandia National Laboratories supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under contract No. DE-AC04-76DP000789.