Engineering topics

Dowell, Earl H.

Publications and source records attributed to Dowell, Earl H..

23 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1990

Asymptotic modal analysis and statistical energy analysis

The sound field of a structural-acoustic enclosure was subject to experimental analysis and theoretical description in order to develop an efficient and accurate method for predicting sound pressure levels in enclosures such as aircraft fuselages. Asymptotic Modal Analysis (AMA) is the method under investigation. AMA is derived from classical modal analysis (CMA) by considering the asymptotic limit of the sound pressure level as the number of acoustic and/or structural modes approaches infinity. Using AMA, results identical to those of Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) were obtained for the spatially-averaged sound pressure levels in the interior. AMA is systematically derived from CMA and therefore the degree of generality of the end result can be adjusted through the choice of appropriate simplifying assumptions. For example, AMA can be used to obtain local sound pressure levels at particular points inside the enclosure, or to include the effects of varying the size and/or location of the sound source. AMA theoretical results were compared with CMA theory and also with experiment for the case where the structural-acoustic enclosure is a rectangular cavity with part of one wall flexible and vibrating, while the rest of the cavity is rigid.

Dowell, Earl H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Asymptotic modal analysis of a rectangular acoustic cavity and characterization of its intensification zones

Asymptotic modal analysis (AMA) is used to study a rectangular cavity with a flexible vibrating portion on one wall and five rigid walls. The agreement between mean square pressure levels of the cavity interior calculated from classical modal analysis and from the AMA method improved as the number of responding modes increased. It is shown that intensification effects were due to both the excitation location and the response location.

Peretti, Linda F.↗

NASA NTRS1989

On the role of artificial viscosity in Navier-Stokes solvers

A method is proposed to determine directly the amount of artificial viscosity needed for stability using an eigenvalue analysis for a finite difference representation of the Navier-Stokes equations. The stability and growth of small perturbations about a steady flow over the airfoils are analyzed for various amounts of artificial viscosity. The eigenvalues were determined for a small perturbation about a steady inviscid flow over a NACA 0012 airfoil at a Mach number of 0.8 and angle of attack of 0 degrees. The movement of the eigenvalue constellation with respect to the amount of artificial viscosity is studied. The stability boundries as a function of the amount of artificial viscosity from both the eigenvalue analysis and the time marching scheme are also presented. This procedure not only allows for determining the effect of varying amounts of artificial viscosity, but also for the effects of different forms of terms for artificial viscosity.

Mahajan, Aparajit J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Asymptotic modal analysis and statistical energy analysis

Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) is defined by considering the asymptotic limit of Classical Modal Analysis, an approach called Asymptotic Modal Analysis (AMA). The general approach is described for both structural and acoustical systems. The theoretical foundation is presented for structural systems, and experimental verification is presented for a structural plate responding to a random force. Work accomplished subsequent to the grant initiation focusses on the acoustic response of an interior cavity (i.e., an aircraft or spacecraft fuselage) with a portion of the wall vibrating in a large number of structural modes. First results were presented at the ASME Winter Annual Meeting in December, 1987, and accepted for publication in the Journal of Vibration, Acoustics, Stress and Reliability in Design. It is shown that asymptotically as the number of acoustic modes excited becomes large, the pressure level in the cavity becomes uniform except at the cavity boundaries. However, the mean square pressure at the cavity corner, edge and wall is, respectively, 8, 4, and 2 times the value in the cavity interior. Also it is shown that when the portion of the wall which is vibrating is near a cavity corner or edge, the response is significantly higher.

Dowell, Earl H.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Reduced order models for nonlinear aerodynamics

Reduced order models are needed for reliable, efficient and accurate prediction of aerodynamic forces to analyze fluid structure interaction problems in turbomachinery, including propfans. Here, a finite difference, time marching Navier-Stokes code is validated for unsteady airfoil motion by comparing results with those from classical potential flow. The Navier-Stokes code is then analyzed for calculation of primitive and exact estimates of eigenvalues and eigenvectors associated with fluid-airfoil interaction. A variational formulation for the Euler equations and Navier-Stokes equations will be the basis for reduction of order through an eigenvector transformation.

Mahajan, Aparajit J.↗