Further assessment of a time domain impedance boundary condition for the numerical simulation of noise-absorbing materials

In regard to the mitigation of environmental noise across major industry sectors, the present study focuses on the numerical prediction of passive noise reduction devices. Here, it is further explored how the noise attenuation induced by locally reacting noise absorbing materials (also called acoustic liners) can be simulated using a time domain highly accurate Computational AeroAcoustics (CAA) method. To this end, it is assessed how a classical Time Domain Impedance Boundary Condition (TDIBC) can effectively model acoustic liners of practical interest, including when the latter are exposed to realistic conditions (grazing flow and noise excitation). The investigation consists in numerically reproducing two experimental campaigns initially performed at NASA Langley Research Center. Two different materials are considered (honeycomb superimposed with perforate or wiremesh resistive face-sheet), each being characterized by a specific noise attenuation behaviour ( e.g. dependency on the flow conditions and/or noise excitation). Each material is tested under various flow conditions ( e.g. grazing flow of Mach up to 0.5) and/or noise source excitation ( e.g. multiple tones of level up to 140 dB each). The results demonstrate the ability of the underlying CAA/TDIBC approach to simulate realistic acoustic liners in non-trivial configurations, with enough physical accuracy ( e.g. correct capture of the noise attenuation characteristics) and numerical robustness ( e.g. absence of instabilities). The study also reveals that, independent from the CAA/TDIBC approach itself, some specific pre-processing tasks (e.g. impedance eduction and subsequent TDIBC calibration) may play a bigger role than expected, in practice.

Design and optimization of acoustic liners with a shear grazing flow: OPAL software platform applications

In the context of noise reduction in diverse applications where a shear grazing flow is present (i.e., engine nacelle, jet pump, landing gear), improved acoustic liner solutions are being sought. This is particularly true in the low-frequency regime, where space constraints currently limit the efficiency of classic liner technology. To perform the required multi-objective optimization of complex meta-surface liner candidates, a software platform called OPAL was developed. Its first goal is to allow the user to assemble a large panel of parallel/serial assembly of unit acoustic elements, including the recent concept of LEONAR materials. Then, the physical properties of this liner can be optimized, relatively to given weighted objectives (noise reduction, total size of the sample, weight), for a given configuration. Alternatively, properties such as the different impedances of liner unit surfaces can be optimized. To accelerate the process, different nested levels of optimization are considered, from 0D analytical coarse designs in order to reduce the parameter space, up to 2D plan or axisymmetric high-order Discontinuous Galerkin resolution of the Linearized Euler Equations. The presentation will focus on the different aspects of liner design considered in OPAL, and present an application on different samples made for a small scale aeroacoustic bench.

Design and optimization of acoustic liners with a shear grazing flow: OPAL software platform description

In the context of aircraft noise reduction in varied applications where a cold or hot shear grazing flow is present (i.e., engine nacelle, combustion chamber, jet pump, landing gear), improved acoustic liner solutions are being sought. This is particularly true in the low-frequency regime, where space constraints limit the efficiency of conventional liner technology. Therefore, liner design must take into account the dimensional and phenomenological characteristics of constituent materials, assembly specifications and industrial requirements involving multiphysical phenomena. To perform the single/multi-objective optimization of complex meta-surface liner candidates, a software platform coined OPAL (OPtimisation of Acoustic Liners) was developed. Its first goal is to allow the user to assemble a large panel of parallel/serial elementary acoustic layers along a given duct. Then, the physical properties of this liner can be optimized, relatively to weighted objectives, for a given flow and frequency range: impedance target, maximum absorption coefficient or transmission loss with a total sample size and weight... The presentation will focus on the different elementary bricks and assembly of a problem (from 0D analytical coarse designs in order to reduce the parameter space, up to 2D plan or axisymmetric high-order Discontinuous Galerkin simulations of the Linearized Euler Equations).

Resonant metamaterial designs for a broadband mitigation of flow-induced vibrations

Resonant metamaterials have recently emerged as lightweight and performant noise and vibration solutions for the hard-to-address low-frequency ranges. These engineered materials are made by an assembly of resonant elements onto a host structure. Their interaction leads to tuneable frequency ranges, known as stop bands, in which they can outperform classical noise control measures. However, these stop bands have a limited frequency range effect. To broaden the noise and vibration performance also outside the stop band, this paper presents a design approach for a finite resonant metamaterial plate. Two regularly spaced grids of resonant elements are both added to a plate. In the first grid, the resonant elements are tuned to the same nominal frequency and stop band behaviour is achieved. In the second grid, the tuned frequency of each resonant element is found through an optimisation procedure, with the goal of minimising the dynamic response of the plate outside the stop band. To speed up the optimisation, model order reduction and a dynamic sub-structuring method are employed. The performance of this finite resonant metamaterial plate design is validated by evaluating its vibration response due to a broadband grazing flow excitation and comparing it to a plate with equivalent mass additions.

A review of variable-impedance acoustic liner concepts developed at NASA

This paper presents results attained in the NASA Langley Research Center test rigs using concepts for which the impedance varies over the surface of the liner. These liners are typically designed for significant sound absorption over a wide frequency range, but it is also possible to tune the design to achieve increased absorption at selected frequencies. A brief review is provided regarding a number of variable-impedance concepts. The first is a modified version of a conventional two-layer liner, in which the embedded septum location and acoustic properties are different for adjacent core chambers. Two concepts employ core chambers with different lengths, one with bent chambers to allow packaging within a limited volume, and the other with shared inlet ports to reduce the surface porosity. The last employs a perforated facesheet in which the hole diameter and porosity are varied over the surface of the liner. Data acquired in the NASA normal incidence and grazing flow impedance tubes are used to demonstrate the capabilities of these concepts. Impedance prediction models are also presented for comparison with these measured data.

Proposal of Acoustic Liners Combined with Fine-Perforated-Film

This paper deals with a resonant type liner panel with a special surface structure. A typical resonant type liner panel generally consists of a perforated face plate, cells, and a back rigid plate. One of the technical challenges of the acoustic liners applied to the future ultra-high bypass ratio engines is to increase the sound absorption efficiency under grazing conditions because the nacelle, covering of the engine, tends to reduce its length and the lined area. It is known that the sound absorption of the conventional liners tends to deteriorate as grazing flow increases. The authors introduced a special thin acoustically transparent film over the face plate of the acoustic liner. The film, a fine perforated film (FPF), is expected to prevent the interaction of the grazing flow with the opening of the liner face plate. An experimental result with a flow duct rig in JAXA confirmed that the proposed combination of the acoustic liner and the FPF improved the absorption in acoustic energy under grazing conditions, compared with the sole acoustic liner and simple treatment of the FPF.

A flow and acoustic facility for characterization of liner and meta-acoustic surfaces under grazing flow condition

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has designed and assembled a new facility, a grazing flow tube, for aeroacoustic characteristics measurement of acoustic liners, e.g. transmission loss, impedance, etc., under a high-speed grazing flow. The cross-section of the test section of the tube has a dimension of 50 mm × 50 mm, and the grazing flow speed can be up to 0.3 Ma. A settling chamber, a long-enough flow development section and a multi-stage anechoic termination are adopted to ensure the high-quality flow field and acoustic field. This paper presents the detailed designs of the key components of the facility, as well as the calibrations of the velocity profile in a series of cross-section surfaces of the duct along the streamwise direction and sound pressure distributions in the axial and circumferential directions. Pitot tube, Hotwire and PIV are used to obtain the flow field measurement results. The overall performance of the diagnostic facility is verified by comparing the impedance results of acoustic liners acquired from an impedance tube under the static condition and the theoretical variation of axial wavenumber with Ma number under the grazing flow.

Acoustic space filling curve metamaterials for grazing flow in Jet engine inlets

Acoustic metamaterials research has grown exponentially in the past 10 years driven by the advances in manufacturing and an increased understanding of damaging environment noise. 2020 was the first noise reduction target as set by Advisory Council for Aircraft Research and Innovation in Europe with a relative 50% decrease. This was missed by current Jet engine noise control technology; however, metamaterials offer an encouraging alternative. Space Filling Curves (SFC) have the potential to provide a lightweight, thin, high performance acoustic liner. SFC have a history in mathematical geometry dating back to the 1890's but are a comparatively new addition to acoustics. They are designed with a sub-wavelength curled cross-section creating a maze-like pattern which slows acoustic wave propagation through the liner enabling characteristics such as negative refraction and low frequency attenuation. This paper contains a comparison of some of the most promising SFC metamaterial acoustic liner designs, in terms of the fundamental theory of the design category and a discussion of the reflection, absorption and transmission characteristics in terms of a grazing flow conditions. Computer simulation and impedance tube based experimental testing compares the designs. The paper concludes with future application for aeroacoustics with particular focus on the engine inlet.