Noise Investigation of a High Subsonic, Moderate Reynolds Number Jet Using a Compressible Large Eddy Simulation

This study investigates the noise radiated by a subsonic circular jet with a Mach number of 0.9 and a Reynolds number of 65000 computed by a compressible Large Eddy Simulation (LES). First, it demonstrates the feasibility of using LES to predict accurately both the flow field and the sound radiation on a domain including the acoustic field. Mean flow parameters, turbulence intensities, velocity spectra and integral length scales are in very good agreement with experimental data. The noise generated by the jet, provided directly by the simulation, is also consistent with measurements in terms of sound pressure spectra, levels and directivity. The apparent location of the sound sources is at the end of the potential core in accordance with some experimental observations at similar Reynolds numbers and Mach numbers. Second, the noise generation mechanisms are discussed in an attempt to connect the flow field with the acoustic field. This study shows that for the simulated moderate Reynolds number jet, the predominant sound radiation in the downstream direction is associated with the breakdown of the shear layers in the central jet zone. Received 24 January 2002 and accepted 16 July 2002 Published online 3 December 2002 RID="*" ID="*" A preliminary version of some of the results presented here was reported in AIAA Paper 2000–2009 presented at the 6th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference in Lahaina, Hawaii, June 2000. Computing time was supplied by the Institut du Développement et des Ressources en Informatique Scientifique (IDRIS – CNRS). Communicated by T.B. Gatski