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Lester, H. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Lester, H. C..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

A numerical study of active structural acoustic control in a stiffened, double wall cylinder

It is demonstrated that active structural acoustic control of complex structural/acoustic coupling can be numerically modeled using finite element and boundary element techniques in conjunction with an optimization procedure to calculate control force amplitudes. Appreciable noise reduction is obtained when the structure is excited at a structural resonance of the outer shell or an acoustic resonance of the inner cavity. Adding ring stiffeners as a connection between the inner and outer shells provides an additional structural transmission path to the interior cavity and coupled the modal behavior of the inner and outer shells. For the case of excitation at the structural resonance of the unstiffened outer shell, adding the stiffeners raises the structural resonance frequencies. The effectiveness of the control forces is reduced due to the off resonance structural response. For excitation at an acoustic cavity resonance, the controller effectiveness is enhanced.

Grosveld, Ferdinand W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Optimization of actuator arrays for aircraft interior noise control

A numerical procedure for grouping actuators in order to reduce the number of degrees of freedom in an active noise control system is evaluated using experimental data. Piezoceramic actuators for reducing aircraft interior noise are arranged into groups using a nonlinear optimization routine and clustering algorithm. An actuator group is created when two or more actuators are driven with the same control input. This procedure is suitable for active control applications where actuators are already mounted on a structure. The feasibility of this technique is demonstrated using measured data from the aft cabin of a Douglas DC-9 fuselage. The measured data include transfer functions between 34 piezoceramic actuators and 29 interior microphones and microphone responses due to the primary noise produced by external speakers. Control inputs for the grouped actuators were calculated so that a cost function, defined as a quadratic pressure term and a penalty term, was a minimum. The measured transfer functions and microphone responses are checked by comparing calculated noise reductions with measured noise reductions for four frequencies. The grouping procedure is then used to determine actuator groups that improve overall interior noise reductions by 5.3 to 15 dB, compared to the baseline experimental configuration.

Cabell, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Numerical investigation of sound transmission through double wall cylinders with respect to active noise control

Market pressure for more fuel efficient air travel has led to increased use of turboprop and higher bypass turbofan engines. The low frequency components of propeller, jet and boundary layer noise are difficult to attenuate with conventional passive techniques. Weight and geometric restrictions for sound absorbing meterials limit the amount and type of treatment that may be applied. An active noise control (ANC) method is providing to be an attractive alternative. The approach taken in this paper uses a numerical finite/boundary element method (FEM/BEM) that may be easilty adapted to arbitrary geometries. A double walled cylinder is modeled using commercially available software. The outer shell is modeled as an aluminum cylinder, similar to that of aircraft skins. The inner shell is modeled as a composite material representative of a lightweight, stiff trim panel. Two different inner shell materials are used. The first is representative of current trim structure, the second a much stiffer composite. The primary source is generated by an exterior acoustic monopole. Control fields are generated using normal force inputs to the inner cylindrical shell. A linear least mean square (LMS) algorithm is used to determine amplitudes of control forces that minimize the interior acoustic field. Coupling of acoustic and structural modes and noise reductions are discussed for each of the inner shell materials.

Coats, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Active control of interior noise in a large scale cylinder using piezoelectric actuators

The noise reduction effectiveness of two types of control force actuator models has been analytically investigated: (1) a point actuator, and (2) an in-plane, piezoelectric actuator. The actuators were attached to the wall of a simply supported, elastic cylinder closed with rigid end caps. Control inputs to the actuators were determined such that the integrated square of the pressure over the interior of the vibrating cylinder was a minimum. Significant interior noise reductions were achieved for all actuator configurations, but especially for the structurally dominated response. Noise reduction of 9 dB to 26 dB were achieved using point force actuators, as well as localized and extended piezoelectric actuators. Control spillover was found to limit overall performance for all cases. However, the use of extended piezoelectric actuators was effective in reducing control spillover, without increasing the number of control degrees of freedom.

Lester, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The optimization of force inputs for active structural acoustic control using a neural network

This paper investigates the use of a neural network to determine which force actuators, of a multi-actuator array, are best activated in order to achieve structural-acoustic control. The concept is demonstrated using a cylinder/cavity model on which the control forces, produced by piezoelectric actuators, are applied with the objective of reducing the interior noise. A two-layer neural network is employed and the back propagation solution is compared with the results calculated by a conventional, least-squares optimization analysis. The ability of the neural network to accurately and efficiently control actuator activation for interior noise reduction is demonstrated.

Cabell, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Active control of interior noise in a large scale cylinder using piezoelectric actuators

The noise reduction effectiveness of two types of control force actuator models has been analytically investigated: (1) a point actuator, and (2) an in-plane, piezoelectric actuator. The actuators were attached to the wall of a simply supported, elastic cylinder closed with rigid end caps. Control inputs to the actuators were determined such that the integrated square of the pressure over the interior of the vibrating cylinder was a minimum. Significant interior noise reductions were achieved for all actuator configurations, but especially for the structurally dominated response. Noise reduction of 9 dB to 26 dB were achieved using point force actuators, as well as localized and extended piezoelectric actuators. Control spillover was found to limit overall performance for all cases. However, the use of extended piezoelectric actuators was effective in reducing control spillover, without increasing the number of control degrees of freedom.

Lester, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

An evaluation of active noise control in a cylindrical shell

The physical mechanisms governing the use of active noise control in an extended volume of a cylindrical shell are discussed. Measured data was compared with computer results from a previously derived analytical model based on an infinite shell theory. For both the analytical model and experiment, the radiation of the external monopoles is coupled to the internal acoustic field through the radial displacement of the thin, elastic cylindrical shell. An active noise control system was implemented in the cylinder using a fixed array of discrete monopole sources, all of which lie in the plane of the exterior noise sources. Good agreement between measurement and prediction was obtained for both internal pressure response and overall noise reduction. Attenuations in the source plane greater than 15 dB were recorded along with a uniformly quieted noise environment over the entire length of the experimental model. Results indicate that for extended axial forcing distributions or very low shell damping, axial arrays of control sources may be required. Finally, the Nyquist criteria for the number of azimuthal control sources is shown to provide for effective control over the full cylinder cross section.

Silcox, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Modal coupling and acoustic intensity measurements

Acoustic-intensity measurement techniques for highly resonant coupled structural-acoustic systems are discussed. Frequency-averaging effects are shown to cause inaccurate results in such systems, and it is recommended that the analysis bandwidth be selected carefully to account for the response modal density and Q factor. The applicability of these findings to the analysis of reverberation chambers is indicated.

Silcox, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Propeller modelling effects on interior noise in cylindrical cavities with application to active control

The coupling of a vibrating finite elastic cylinder and its interior cavity, closed with rigid end caps, is examined. Results are presented for several types of excitation including a point force, a single external acoustic monopole, and an array of external monopoles. Modal spectra are examined for a frequency range typical of the harmonic noise produced by advanced turbo-props. The effect of frequency and source distribution on modal content is presented. Significant interface modal filtering, which would have a beneficial impact on an active system for reducing interior noise, was found to occur for all cases. Some preliminary experimental data for a stiffened, composite cylinder are presented and discussed.

Silcox, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Mechanisms of noise control inside a finite cylinder

Preliminary results are presented for a simple elastic cylinder/acoustic cavity model. The validity of the mode matching method, which was used to couple the shell vibrations to the interior acoustic response, has been validated by comparison with Junger's (1985) method. In addition, the importance of both structural and acoustic damping in the medium response was shown to be dramatic.

Lester, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Mechanisms of active control in cylindrical fuselage structures

This paper summarizes ongoing efforts to understand and exploit active control techniques for low frequency noise suppression in aerospace applications. Analytical models are utilized in an effort to understand the mechanisms that govern noise transmission into acoustic spaces enclosed by lightweight structures and to examine the results of experimental implementations of active control schemes. Emphasis is placed on attaining global noise reductions using a minimum number of actuators rather than localized control over many subregions. This program has demonstrated the effect of synchrophasing and interface modal filtering, in limiting the modal density within the acoustic space, and how strong reactive effects may occur in two dimensional geometries. Finally, the performance of active control systems utilizing acoustic and vibration actuators is evaluated. Suppressions of 10 to 30 dB are demonstrated in practice, and performance is discussed in relation to the physical mechanisms and parameters of the system.

Silcox, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

An evaluation of active noise control in a cylindrical shell

The physical mechanisms governing the use of active noise control in an extended volume of a cylindrical shell are discussed. Measured data was compared with computer results from a previously derived analytical model based on an infinite shell theory. For both the analytical model and experiment, the radiation of the external monopoles is coupled to the internal acoustic field through the radial displacement of the thin, elastic cylindrical shell. An active noise control system was implemented in the cylinder using a fixed array of discrete monopole sources, all of which lie in the plane of the exterior noise sources. Good agreement between measurement and prediction was obtained for both internal pressure response and overall noise reduction. Attenuations in the source plane greater than 15 dB were recorded along with a uniformly quieted noise environment over the entire length of the experimental model. Results indicate that for extended axial forcing distributions or very low shell damping, axial arrays of control sources may be required. Finally, the Nyquist criteria for the number of azimuthal control sources is shown to provide for effective control over the full cylinder cross section.

Silcox, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Active control of propeller induced noise fields inside a flexible cylinder

An active noise control model has been evaluated for reducing aircraft interior noise. The structural noise transmission properties of an aircraft fuselage were modelled as a flexible cylinder excited by external acoustic dipoles simulating the noise produced by twin propellers. The amplitudes of an internal distribution of monopole control sources were determined such that the area-weighted mean square acoustic pressure was minimized in the propeller plane. The noise control model was evaluated at low frequencies corresponding to the blade passage frequency and first few harmonics of a typical turbo-prop aircraft. Interior noise reductions of 20 25 dB were achieved, over a substantial region of the cylindrical cross-section, with just a few monopole control sources. The most favorable interior noise reductions were achieved when the active noise control model was used in combination with propeller source phasing.

Lester, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Acoustic shocks in a variable area duct containing near sonic flows

Acoustic shock waves in a variable area duct which contains near sonic flows are considered. The problem is modeled after an aeroengine inlet. Area variation of a duct and high Mach number mean the flow reduces acoustical energy yielding substantial noise reduction. One possible reason for this is acoustic shock. The use of an explicit accurate numerical method which captures shocks is described. Comparison of the results are made with an existing asymptotic theory for Mach numbers close to unity. When shock occurs reduction of sound pressure levels are shown by example.

Hariharan, S. I.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A finite difference solution for the propagation of sound in near sonic flows

An explicit time/space finite difference procedure is used to model the propagation of sound in a quasi one-dimensional duct containing high Mach number subsonic flow. Nonlinear acoustic equations are derived by perturbing the time-dependent Euler equations about a steady, compressible mean flow. The governing difference relations are based on a fourth-order, two-step (predictor-corrector) MacCormack scheme. The solution algorithm functions by switching on a time harmonic source and allowing the difference equations to iterate to a steady state. The principal effect of the non-linearities was to shift aocustical energy to higher harmonics. With increased source strength, wave steepening was observed. This phenomenon suggests that the acoustical response may approach a shock behavior at higher sound pressure level as the throat Mach number approaches unity. On a peak level basis, good agreement between the nonlinear finite difference and linear finite element solutions was observed, even through a peak sound pressure level of about 150 dB occurred in the throat region. Nonlinear steady state waveform solutions are shown to be in excellent agreement with a nonlinear asymptotic theory. Previously announced in STAR as N83-30167

Hariharan, S. I.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Acoustic shocks in a variable area duct containing near sonic flows

Acoustic shock waves in a variable area duct which contains near sonic flows are considered. The problem is modeled after an aeroengine inlet. Area variation of a duct and high Mach number mean the flow reduces acoustical energy yielding substantial noise reduction. One possible reason for this is acoustic shock. The use of an explicit accurate numerical method which captures shocks is described. Comparison of the results are made with an existing asymptotic theory for Mach numbers close to unity. When shock occurs reduction of sound pressure levels are shown by example.

Hariharan, S. I.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A finite difference solution for the propagation of sound in near sonic flows

An explicit time/space finite difference procedure is used to model the propagation of sound in a quasi one-dimensional duct containing high Mach number subsonic flow. Nonlinear acoustic equations are derived by perturbing the time-dependent Euler equations about a steady, compressible mean flow. The governing difference relations are based on a fourth-order, two-step (predictor-corrector) MacCormack scheme. The solution algorithm functions by switching on a time harmonic source and allowing the difference equations to iterate to a steady state. The principal effect of the non-linearities was to shift acoustical energy to higher harmonics. With increased source strengths, wave steepening was observed. This phenomenon suggests that the acoustical response may approach a shock behavior at at higher sound pressure level as the throat Mach number aproaches unity. On a peak level basis, good agreement between the nonlinear finite difference and linear finite element solutions was observed, even through a peak sound pressure level of about 150 dB occurred in the throat region. Nonlinear steady state waveform solutions are shown to be in excellent agreement with a nonlinear asymptotic theory.

Hariharan, S. I.↗