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At least 1,405 records · Page 78

Free jet feasibility study of a thermal acoustic shield concept for AST/VCE application: Dual stream nozzles

The influence of selected geometric and aerodynamic flow variables of an unsuppressed coannular plug nozzle and a coannular plug nozzle with a 20-chute outer stream suppressor were experimentally determined. A total of 136 static and simulated flight acoustic test points were conducted with 9 scale model nozzles. Also, aerodynamic measurements of four selected plumes were made with a laser velocimeter. The presence of the 180 deg shield produced different mixing characteristics on the shield side compared to the unshield side because of the reduced mixing with ambient air on the shielded side. This resulted in a stretching of the jet, yielding a higher peak mean velocity up to a length of 10 equivalent diameters from the nozzle exit. The 180 deg shield in community orientation around the suppressed coannular plug nozzle yielded acoustic benefit at all observer angles for a simulated takeoff. While the effect of shield-to-outer stream velocity ratio was small at angles up to 120 deg, beyond this angle significant acoustic benefit was realized with a shield-to-outer stream velocity ratio of 0.64.

Janardan, B. A.↗

Power cepstrum technique with application to model helicopter acoustic data

The application of the power cepstrum to measured helicopter-rotor acoustic data is investigated. A previously applied correction to the reconstructed spectrum is shown to be incorrect. For an exact echoed signal, the amplitude of the cepstrum echo spike at the delay time is linearly related to the echo relative amplitude in the time domain. If the measured spectrum is not entirely from the source signal, the cepstrum will not yield the desired echo characteristics and a cepstral aliasing may occur because of the effective sample rate in the frequency domain. The spectral analysis bandwidth must be less than one-half the echo ripple frequency or cepstral aliasing can occur. The power cepstrum editing technique is a useful tool for removing some of the contamination because of acoustic reflections from measured rotor acoustic spectra. The cepstrum editing yields an improved estimate of the free field spectrum, but the correction process is limited by the lack of accurate knowledge of the echo transfer function. An alternate procedure, which does not require cepstral editing, is proposed which allows the complete correction of a contaminated spectrum through use of both the transfer function and delay time of the echo process.

Martin, R. M.↗

Documentation of the space station/aircraft acoustic apparatus

This paper documents the design and construction of the Space Station/Aircraft Acoustic Apparatus (SS/AAA). Its capabilities both as a space station acoustic simulator and as an aircraft acoustic simulator are described. Also indicated are the considerations which ultimately resulted in man-rating the SS/AAA. In addition, the results of noise surveys and reverberation time and absorption coefficient measurements are included.

Clevenson, Sherman A.↗

Effects of fiber motion on the acoustic behavior of an anisotropic, flexible fibrous material

The acoustic behavior of a flexible fibrous material was studied experimentally. The material consisted of cylindrically shaped fibers arranged in a batting with the fibers primarily aligned parallel to the face of the batting. This type of material was considered anisotropic, with the acoustic propagation constant depending on whether the dirction of sound propagation was parallel or normal to the fiber arrangement. Normal incidence sound absorption measurements were taken for both fiber orientations over the frequency range 140 to 1500 Hz and with bulk densities ranging from 4.6 to 67 kg/cu m. When the sound propagated in a direction normal to the fiber alignment, the measured sound absorption showed the occurrence of a strong resonance, which increased absorption above that attributed to viscous and thermal effects. When the sound propagated in a direction parallel to the fiber alignment, indications of strong resonances in the data were not present. The resonance in the data for fibers normal to the direction of sound propagation is attributed to fiber motion. An analytical model was developed for the acoustic behavior of the material displaying the same fiber motion characteristics shown in the measurements.

Dahl, Milo D.↗

Automated acoustic intensity measurements and the effect of gear tooth profile on noise

Acoustic intensity measurements were made at NASA Lewis Research Center on a spur gear test apparatus. The measurements were obtained with the Robotic Acoustic Intensity Measurement System developed by Cleveland State University. This system provided dense spatial positioning, and was calibrated against a high quality acoustic intensity system. The measured gear noise compared gearsets having two different tooth profiles. The tests evaluated the sound field of the different gears for two speeds and three loads. The experimental results showed that gear tooth profile had a major effect on measured noise. Load and speed were found to have an effect on noise also.

Atherton, William J.↗

The ion-ion acoustic instability

This paper considers the linear theory of ion-acoustic-like instabilities in a homogeneous Vlasov plasma with two ion components, a less dense beam and a more dense core, with a relative drift velocity. Numerical solutions of the full electrostatic dispersion equation are presented, and the properties of the ion-ion acoustic instability are studied in detail. At relatively cold beam temperatures, the instability is fluid-like, but it becomes a beam resonant kinetic instability as the beam temperature becomes of the order of the core temperature; if the mode is unstable, its threshold lies well below the threshold of the electron-ion acoustic instability. An electron temperature anisotropy enhances the instability, and at sufficiently large beam-core relative drift speeds, electron magnetization can either detract from or enhance the instability.

Gary, S. Peter↗

The acoustic radiation damping of the modes of a rectangular panel

The acoustic damping for single modes of a finite rectangular panel, simply supported in an infinite baffle, is theoretically determined from the ratio of the acoustic energy radiated per cycle to the vibratory energy of the panel. Asymptotic solutions for the low-frequency region are presented for a panel mode driven at an arbitrary frequency and for a panel mode vibrating at its natural frequency. Curves of acoustic damping for a panel mode vibrating at resonance, as a function of the panel thickness-to-length ratio, are presented for various panel aspect ratios. For panels vibrating below the critical frequency, the damping depends on the aspect ratio with square panels developing the smallest value. For panels vibrating above the critical frequency, the damping is nearly independent of the aspect ratio.

Wallace, C. E.↗

Simulation of the electron acoustic instability for a finite-size electron beam system

Simulations of the electron acoustic instability for a finite-size electron beam system are performed with a particle-in-cell code to investigate the heating phenomena associated with the instability and the width of the heating region. The results show that the beam radiates electrostatic electron acoustic waves whose decay time outside the beam agrees with the spatial decay length derived from the linear dispersion equation. The ambient cold electrons in a diffusion region surrounding the beam are heated to a higher temperature by absorbing the radiated electron acoustic waves, with the heating occurring mainly in the parallel direction. In the heat diffusion region, the temperature of the cold electrons decreases with distance from the beam with a temperature gradient length smaller than the decay length of the wave energy. The results are discussed with respect to the DE 1 plasma and wave observations in the polar cusp region.

Lin, C. S.↗

Acoustical Measurement Of Mine-Shaft Length

Acoustical system proposed to measure depth of a "blind" shaft. Acoustic wave guided by shaft and provides estimate of shaft length, from which volume estimated. Acoustic-generator system determines resonant-frequency difference to measure shaft length.

Heyman, Joseph S.↗

Design, construction, activation, and operation of a high intensity acoustic test chamber

The design philosophy, construction, integration, and activation of the high intensity acoustic test chamber for production acceptance testing of satellites are discussed. The 32,000 cubic-foot acoustic test cell consists of a steel reinforced concrete chamber with six electropneumatic noise generators. One of the innovative features of the chamber is a unique quarter horn assembly that acoustically couples the noise generators to the chamber. Design concepts, model testing, and evaluation results are presented. Considerations such as nitrogen versus compressed air source, digital closed loop spectrum control versus manual equalizers, and microprocessor based interlock systems are included. Construction difficulties, anomalies encountered, and their resolution are also discussed. Results of the readiness testing are highlighted.

Kamel, L. T.↗

A hybrid numerical technique for predicting the aerodynamic and acoustic fields of advanced turboprops

A hybrid numerical procedure is presented for the prediction of the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of advanced turboprops. A hybrid scheme is proposed which in principle leads to a consistent simultaneous prediction of both fields. In the inner flow a finite difference method, the Approximate-Factorization Alternating-Direction-Implicit (ADI) scheme, is used to solve the nonlinear Euler equations. In the outer flow the linearized acoustic equations are solved via a Boundary-Integral Equation (BIE) method. The two solutions are iteratively matched across a fictitious interface in the flow so as to maintain continuity. At convergence the resulting aerodynamic load prediction will automatically satisfy the appropriate free-field boundary conditions at the edge of the finite difference grid, while the acoustic predictions will reflect the back-reaction of the radiated field on the magnitude of the loading source terms, as well as refractive effects in the inner flow. The equations and logic needed to match the two solutions are developed and the computer program implementing the procedure is described. Unfortunately, no converged solutions were obtained, due to unexpectedly large running times. The reasons for this are discussed and several means to alleviate the situation are suggested.

Homicz, G. F.↗

Recent Langley helicopter acoustics contributions

The helicopter acoustics program at NASA Langley has included technology for elements of noise control ranging from sources of noise to receivers of noise. The scope of Langley contributions for about the last decade is discussed. Specifically, the resolution of two certification noise quantification issues by subjective acoustics research, the development status of the helicopter system noise prediction program ROTONET are reviewed and the highlights from research on blade rotational, broadband, and blade vortex interaction noise sources are presented. Finally, research contributions on helicopter cabin (or interior) noise control are presented. A bibliography of publications from the Langley helicopter acoustics program for the past 10 years is included.

Morgan, Homer G.↗

Acoustically excited heated jets. 1: Internal excitation

The effects of relatively strong upstream acoustic excitation on the mixing of heated jets with the surrounding air are investigated. To determine the extent of the available information on experiments and theories dealing with acoustically excited heated jets, an extensive literature survey was carried out. The experimental program consisted of flow visualization and flowfield velocity and temperature measurements for a broad range of jet operating and flow excitation conditions. A 50.8-mm-diam nozzle was used for this purpose. Parallel to the experimental study, an existing theoretical model of excited jets was refined to include the region downstream of the jet potential core. Excellent agreement was found between theory and experiment in moderately heated jets. However, the theory has not yet been confirmed for highly heated jets. It was found that the sensitivity of heated jets to upstream acoustic excitation varies strongly with the jet operating conditions and that the threshold excitation level increases with increasing jet temperature. Furthermore, the preferential Strouhal number is found not to change significantly with a change of the jet operating conditions. Finally, the effects of the nozzle exit boundary layer thickness appear to be similar for both heated and unheated jets at low Mach numbers.

Lepicovsky, J.↗

Publications on acoustics research at the Langley Research Center during 1980-1986

This report is a compilation of publications from acoustics research at the Langley Research Center. The reports are listed in chronological order and summarize the written output of the Acoustics Division and its predecessor, The Acoustics and Noise Reduction Division, for the period 1980 through 1986. The information assembled has been extracted from the 1980 through 1986 issues for the Technical Memorandum entitled, Scientific and Technical Information Output of the Langley Research Center for the Calendar Year.

Sutherland, Linda W.↗

The uses and abuses of the acoustic analogy in helicopter rotor noise prediction

The generation of noise by helicopter rotor blades is considered theoretically, reviewing recent analyses based on the acoustic analogy (where the effect of fluid motion is replaced by fictitious sources in an undisturbed fluid). The fundamental principles of the acoustic approach are explained and illustrated with diagrams; the governing Ffowcs-Williams/Hawkings equations are written with a reformulated quadrupole term; and the directivity of noise produced (1) by regions with steep gradients (such as shock surfaces) and (2) by boundary-layer quadrupoles (tip-vortex and blade wakes) is shown to be the same as that of thickness noise. The need to include both (1) and (2) in acoustic-analogy computations is indicated.

Farassat, F.↗

Charged drop dynamics experiment using an electrostatic-acoustic hybrid system

The design and the performance of an electrostatic-acoustic hybrid system and its application to a charge drop rotation experiment are presented. This system can levitate a charged drop electrostatically and induce drop rotation or oscillation by imposing an acoustic torque or an oscillating acoustic pressure. Using this system, the equilibrium shapes and stability of a rotating charged drop were experimentally investigated. A 3 mm size water drop was rotated as a rigid body and its gyrostatic equilibrium shapes were observed. Families of axisymmetric shapes, two-lobed shapes, and eventual fissioning have been observed. With the assumption of 'effective surface tension' in which the surface charge simply modified the surface tension of neutral liquid, the results agree exceptionally well with the Brown and Scriven's (1980) prediction for uncharged drops.

Rhim, W. K.↗

Automated acoustic intensity measurements and the effect of gear tooth profile on noise

Acoustic intensity measurements were made at NASA Lewis Research Center on a spur gear test apparatus. The measurements were obtained with the Robotic Acoustic Intensity Measurement System developed by Cleveland State University. This system provided dense spatial positioning, and was calibrated against a high quality acoustic intensity system. The measured gear noise compared gearsets having two different tooth profiles. The tests evaluated the sound field of the different gears for two speeds and three loads. The experimental results showed that gear tooth profile had a major effect on measured noise. Load and speed were found to have an effect on noise also.

Atherton, W. J.↗

An in-flight data system for chordwise turbulence measurements during acoustic disturbances

An in-flight data system for chordwise turbulence measurements has been developed by NASA to investigate laminar flow stability in the presence of acoustic disturbances. Flight tests were performed with an OV-1B turboprop with a JT-15D engine in order to establish the feasibility of utilizing natural laminar flow (NLF) nacelles to reduce drag and to determine the extent of NLF over a range of controlled acoustic frequencies. The data system consisted of PCM and FM data acquisition subsystems, dual wide-band magnetic flight recorders, and acoustic generating and measuring subsystems.

Calloway, Raymond S.↗