A study of subsonic fan noise sources
Sources of noise in a 1.4 m (4.6 ft) diameter subsonic tip speed propulsive fan were studied using a combination of theoretical, experimental, and computer plotting techniques developed specially for noise diagnosis. To assess the structure of inlet turbulence, signals measured from pressure transducers on a rotor blade were plotted in a format to show the space-time history of inlet distortion. Ingested turbulence contained long, thin eddies which produce a tone-like noise component. Turbulence generated in the shroud boundary layer upstream of the rotor tips was found not to be an important noise source. However, this boundary layer does contain large amplitude disturbances caused by inlet turbulence which could be important in fans with thicker boundary layers. Theoretical calculations based on measured blade pressures show that rotor/inlet turbulence interaction and rotor/stator interaction are equally important sources of noise near the first three harmonics of blade passing frequency. At higher frequencies (above 2000 Hz) the rotor noise is dominant.