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Ahuja, K. K.

Publications and source records attributed to Ahuja, K. K..

At least 55 records · Page 3

Coherent large-scale structures in high Reynolds number supersonic jet of Mach number 1.4

Large-scale coherent structures are found to exist in fully expanded shock free supersonic jets with Reynolds number 1.6 million and Mach number 1.4. The jet was excited by a weak upstream tone to extract the large-scale structures from the random turbulence. The most preferential excitation Strouhal number is found to be in the vicinity of 0.4, and the dependence of the large-scale structure phase velocity on the excitation Strouhal number shows a similar trend to that found for subsonic acoustically excited jets.

Lepicovsky, J.↗

Some unresolved questions on hot-jet mixing control through artificial excitation

The problem of the mixing enhancement of heated jets through acoustic excitation is addressed using a 5.08 cm diameter jet operating at Mach numbers as high as 1.12 and at temperatures reaching 670 K. An experimental investigation is carried out to determine why high-speed heated jets are not as responsive to internal excitation as low-speed heated jets. Results are also presented which are related to the flow structure in the presence of screech and under the influence of external excitation. It is shown that, if sufficiently high excitation levels are used, the heated jets, even at high levels, can be modified by artificial excitation. Nonetheless, it is concluded that, for the test facility and test conditions used in the present study, the high-Mach-number heated jets are considerably less excitable than the similarly heated low-Mach-number jets.

Ahuja, K. K.↗

Development of an impulsive noise source to study the acoustic reflection characteristics of hard-walled wind tunnels

Two impulsive sound sources, one using multiple acoustic drivers and the other using a spark discharge were developed to study the acoustic reflection characteristics of hard-walled wind tunnels, and the results of laboratory tests are presented. The analysis indicates that though the intensity of the pulse generated by the spark source was higher than that obtained from the acoustic source, the number of averages needed for a particular test may require an unacceptibly long tunnel-run time due to the low spark generation repeat rate because of capacitor charging time. The additional hardware problems associated with the longevity of electrodes and electrode holders in sustaining the impact of repetitive spark discharges, show the multidriver acoustic source to be more suitable for this application.

Salikuddin, M.↗

Acoustic reflection contamination measurements in the 16-foot NASA Langley Transonic Wind Tunnel

The Propfan Test Assessment (PTA) contract, awarded recently to Lockheed by the NASA-Lewis Research Center, required a comprehesive series of near field acoustic measurements. These were to use transducers mounted on the surfaces on a one-ninth scale model of the Gulfstream G-II aircraft, modified to the PTA single propfan testbed configuration. The 16-foot Transonic Wind Tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center was chosen as the facility to be used for these model acoustic tests. Since the tunnel was hard-walled, it is not clear to what extent the propfan noise signals, reaching the various transducers, might be contaminated by reflections from the walls. A Multidriver Acoustic Source was built, and using an impulse and time domain averaging technique, the reflection contaminations in the wind tunnel were measured at selected microphone locations. Results of the investigations of near field measurements exists, due to reflections from the hard walls of the wind tunnnel.

Burrin, R. H.↗

Coherent large-scale structures in high Reynolds number supersonic jets

The flow structure of a 50.8 mm (2 in) diameter jet operated at a full expanded Mach number of 1.37, with Reynolds numbers in the range 1.7 to 2.35 million, was examined for the first 20 jet diameters. To facilitate the study of the large scale structure, and determine any coherence, a discrete tone acoustic excitation method was used. Phase locked flow visualization as well as laser velocimeter quantitative measurements were made. The main conclusions derived from this study are: (1) large scale coherent like turbulence structures do exist in large Reynolds number supersonic jets, and they prevail even beyond the potential core; (2) the most preferential Strouhal number for these structures is in the vicinity of 0.4; and (3) quantitatively, the peak amplitudes of these structures are rather low, and are about 1% of the jet exit velocity. Finally, since a number of unique problems related to LV measurements in supersonic jets were encountered, a summary of these problems and lessons learned therefrom are also reported.

Lepicovsky, J.↗

Tone excited jets. I - Introduction

The major objective of the present study is an understanding of the mechanism of broadband jet noise augmentation due to upstream excitation, in terms of the relationship between excitation characteristics, changes in large scale and/or small scale turbulence structure of the jet, and sound radiated to the far field under both static and simulated forward velocity conditions. A systematic set of acoustic measurements was accordingly made for a range of flow conditions in the acoustic research facilities of a large transport aircraft manufacturer. After analyzing acoustic results, turbulence measurements were made with a laser velocimeter for those jet conditions at which jet noise amplification was important. A theory was developed to account for static and in-flight simulation results.

Tanna, H. K.↗

Tone excited jets. III - Flow measurements

This paper describes the effects of upstream excitation on the flow characteristics of tone-excited jet under static as well as simulated forward velocity conditions. The data presented include axial and radial distributions of mean velocities and turbulence intensities as functions of excitation conditions. Results for both unheated and heated jets are presented. The measured distributions of pressures associated with the large-scale turbulence are also presented for some test conditions.

Lepicovsky, J.↗

Tone excited jets. IV - Acoustic measurements

Attention is given to acoustic results from an experiment designed to deepen insight into the noise generated by a tone-excited jet, with emphasis on the mechanism of broadband jet noise amplification. Results are presented for both heated and unheated jets, with and without the effect of forward flight simulation over a range of excitation frequencies and levels, and for zero-order and first-order spinning modes. Broadband jet noise amplifications of up to 5 dB have been observed in this study. Relative velocity effects are the same for both excited and unexcited jets. It is concluded that small scale turbulence generates the additional broadband noise upon excitation of the jet by an upstream-injected discrete tone acoustic wave.

Ahuja, K. K.↗

Some unique experiments on receptivity

The objective of this study is to determine whether or not a solid trailing edge is required to produce efficient coupling between sound and instability waves in a shear layer. Instability waves in the shear layer of a subsonic jet, excited externally by a point sound source, were first visualized by using a phase-locked flow visualization technique. Various means were adopted to shield the sound reaching the nozzle lip. It was found that the low frequency sound couples more efficiently at distances downstream of the nozzle exit. To substantiate the findings further, a supersonic screeching jet was tested such that it passed through a small opening in a baffle placed parellel to the exit plane. The measured feedback or screech frequencies, and also the excited flow disturbances, were found to change drastically on traversing the baffle axially. Similar conclusions were reached when a second baffle was placed downstream of the first baffle, and the effects of moving the first baffle on the feedback frequency of sound generated by flow impingement on the second baffle were examined. It is argued that sound waves passing through the mixing layer of a jet can excite flow instability without the benefit of assistance and coupling at the trailing edge.

Ahuja, K. K.↗

Acoustic control of free jet mixing

The paper reports a detailed study on the acoustic control of free jet mixing at realistic Reynolds numbers. The experimental results were obtained at Mach numbers of 0.3 and 0.8 and flow total temperatures up to 800 K. The Reynolds numbers ranged from 350,000 to 1,300,000. Excitation Strouhal numbers were in the range of 0.2 to 0.6. The experimental results are compared with predictions, based on an extension of the analysis by Tam and Morris. The results showed that proper upstream tone excitation enhances mixing of unheated jets for both high-speed, high Reynolds number conditions and for low-speed conditions. The heated jet, however, shows a response to upstream excitation that depends on jet Mach number. The agreement between the predictions and the experiments is very good for unheated jet conditions. However, for jets heated to temperatures above 600 K, the theoretical predictions differ from the experimental results.

Lepicovsky, J.↗

An experimental study of tone excited heated jets

The objective of this investigation was to obtain detailed experimental data on the effects of upstream acoustic excitation on the mixing of heated jets with the surrounding air. Based on the information gathered in the literature survey, a technical approach was developed to carry out a systematic set of mean flowfield measurements for a broad range of jet operating and acoustic excitation conditions. Most of the results were obtained at Mach numbers of 0.3 and 0.8 and total temperatures of up to 800 K. Some measurements were made also for the fully expanded supersonic jet of Mj = 1.15. The maximum level of excitation was Le equal to or less than 150 dB and a range of excitation frequencies up to fe = 4 kHz was used. The important results derived from this study can be summarized as follows: (1) the sensitivity of heated jets to upstream acoustic excitation varies strongly with the jet operating conditions, (2) the threshold excitation level increases with increasing jet temperature, and (3) the preferred Strouhal number does not change significantly with a change of the jet operating conditions.

Lepicovsky, J.↗

Basic experimental study of the coupling between flow instabilities and incident sound

Whether a solid trailing edge is required to produce efficient coupling between sound and instability waves in a shear layer was investigated. The differences found in the literature on the theoretical notions about receptivity, and a need to resolve them by way of well-planned experiments are discussed. Instability waves in the shear layer of a subsonic jet, excited by a point sound source located external to the jet, were first visualized using an ensemble averaging technique. Various means were adopted to shield the sound reaching the nozzle lip. It was found that the low frequency sound couples more efficiently at distances downstream of the nozzle. To substantiate the findings further, a supersonic screeching jet was tested such that it passed through a small opening in a baffle placed parallel to the exit plane. The measured feedback or screech frequencies and also the excited flow disturbances changed drastically on traversing the baffle axially thus providing a strong indication that a trailing edge is not necessary for efficient coupling between sound and flow.

Ahuja, K. K.↗

Acoustic power dissipation on radiation through duct terminations - Experiments

This paper describes the acoustic transmission characteristics of ducts, nozzles, orifices, and perforated plates, studied under an experimental program using an acoustic impulse technique. In this technique high intensity pulses, generated by discharging a capacitor across a spark gap, were used as the sound source. The test conditions include heated and unheated flows, with and without simulated flight. Results for a straight round duct, three convergent nozzles, a suppressor nozzle, 12 orifice plates, and 10 perforated plates are presented. A low frequency acoustic power loss phenomenon was observed for all configurations at all test conditions including the no flow condition. It was suspected that the power loss phenomenon at the no flow condition could be due to the conversion of acoustic energy into vortical energy due to non-linear propagation of high intensity pulses. However, a small amount of low frequency power loss was noticed even when tests were repeated with a low intensity sound. Detailed flow visualization results were also obtained to complement the acoustic results.

Salikuddin, M.↗

Generation of desired signals from acoustic drivers

A procedure to control transient signal generation is developed for the study of internal noise propagation from aircraft engines. A simple algorithm incorporating transform techniques is used to produce signals of any desired waveform from acoustic drivers. The accurate driver response is then calculated, and from this the limiting frequency characteristics are determined and the undesirable frequencies where the driver response is poor are eliminated from the analysis. A synthesized signal is then produced by convolving the inverse of the response function with the desired signal. Although the shape of the synthesized signal is in general quite awkward, the driver generates the desired signal when the distorted signal is fed into the driver. The results of operating the driver in two environments, in a free field and in a duct, are presented in order to show the impedance matching effect of the driver. In addition, results using a high frequency cut-off value as a parameter is presented in order to demonstrate the extent of the applicability of the synthesis procedure. It is concluded that the desired signals can be generated through the signal synthesis procedure.

Ramakrishnan, R.↗

Tone-excited jet: Theory and experiments

A detailed study to understand the phenomenon of broadband jet-noise amplification produced by upstream discrete-tone sound excitation has been carried out. This has been achieved by simultaneous acquisition of the acoustic, mean velocity, turbulence intensities, and instability-wave pressure data. A 5.08 cm diameter jet has been tested for this purpose under static and also flight-simulation conditions. An open-jet wind tunnel has been used to simulate the flight effects. Limited data on heated jets have also been obtained. To improve the physical understanding of the flow modifications brought about by the upstream discrete-tone excitation, ensemble-averaged schlieren photographs of the jets have also been taken. Parallel to the experimental study, a mathematical model of the processes that lead to broadband-noise amplification by upstream tones has been developed. Excitation of large-scale turbulence by upstream tones is first calculated. A model to predict the changes in small-scale turbulence is then developed. By numerically integrating the resultant set of equations, the enhanced small-scale turbulence distribution in a jet under various excitation conditions is obtained. The resulting changes in small-scale turbulence have been attributed to broadband amplification of jet noise. Excellent agreement has been found between the theory and the experiments. It has also shown that the relative velocity effects are the same for the excited and the unexcited jets.

Ahuja, K. K.↗