Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran.

Abstract

The noise generated by a blade is assumed as one of the most central acoustic generation sources in a turbine. The sound induced by the movement of turbulent fluid over the turbine blade and its interaction with the surrounding environment causes the presence of vortices of different sizes in the turbulent flow. These vortices are considered as the major sources of acoustic waves in a wide range of frequencies. In the present study, the acoustic field induced by turbine blades is simulated by the aid of numerical simulation. In this respect, the flow_field around the blades is solved by using the flow governing equations and then the acoustic solution of flow is modeled by using the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings acoustic model. The main objectives of the present study include investigations of sound propagation at different distances of turbine axis, the extent of sound propagation along the blade direction, and the effect of the cavity implemented over the blade on acoustic results. The obtained results reveal that the sound pressure level generally decreases as the observer’s distance increases. Furthermore, based on the obtained results, one can infer that the reduction in the sound pressure level is triggered by the presence of larger vortices with higher energy close to the blade (a larger sound pressure level) and smaller vortices at a further distance from the blade (a lower sound pressure level). Numerical simulations indicate that adding a cavity to the turbine blade does not reduce noise but instead increases the acoustic generation level.

Keywords

Main Subjects

[1] M. Ghasemian and A. Nejat, "Aero-acoustics prediction of a vertical axis wind turbine using Large Eddy Simulation and acoustic analogy," Energy, 88, pp. 711-717, 2015.
[2] M. S. Mathias, E. M. Gennaro, and M. A. Medeiros, "Vortex generation and aeroacoustics in asymmetric wakes," Procedia IUTAM, 14, pp. 590-594, Jan 1, 2015.
[3] M. Kuntz, D. Lohmann, and J. Lieser, "Comparison of rotor noise predictions by a lifting surface method and Euler solutions using Kirchhoff equation," in First CEAS/AQIAA Joint Aeroacoustic Conf, Munich, Germany, pp. 949-961, 1995.
[4] R. C. Strawn and R. Biswas, "Numerical simulations of helicopter aerodynamics and acoustics," Journal of computational and applied mathematics, 66(1-2), pp. 471-483, 1996.
[5] J. Lieser, D. Lohmann, and C. H. Rohardt, "Aeroacoustic design of a 6-bladed propeller," Aerospace science and technology, 1(6), pp. 381-389, 1997.
[6] K.-R. Fehse and W. Neise, "Generation mechanisms of low-frequency centrifugal fan noise," AIAA journal, 37(10), pp. 1173-1179, 1999.
[7] B. R. Jones, W. A. Crossley, and A. S. Lyrintzis, "Aerodynamic and aeroacoustic optimization of rotorcraft airfoils via a parallel genetic algorithm," Journal of Aircraft, 37(6), pp. 1088-1096, 2000.
[8] C. J. Chapman, "Some benchmark problems for computational aeroacoustics," Journal of sound and vibration, 270(3), pp. 495-508, 2004.
[9] T. Kim, S. Lee, H. Kim, and S. Lee, "Design of low noise airfoil with high aerodynamic performance for use on small wind turbines," Science in China Series E: Technological Sciences, 53(1), pp. 75-79, 2010.
[10] P. X. C. Domenge and M. Ilie, "Numerical study of helicopter blade–vortex mechanism of interaction using the potential flow theory," Applied Mathematical Modelling, 36(7), pp. 2841-2857, 2012.
[11] M. H. Mohamed, "Aero-acoustics noise evaluation of H-rotor Darrieus wind turbines," Energy, 65, pp. 596-604, 2014.
[12] M. H. Mohamed, "Reduction of the generated aero-acoustics noise of a vertical axis wind turbine using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) techniques," Energy, 96, pp. 531-544, 2016.
[13] A. Giauque, B. Ortun, B. Rodriguez, and B. Caruelle, "Numerical error analysis with application to transonic propeller aeroacoustics," Computers & Fluids, 69, pp. 20-34, 2012.
[14] T. F. Brooks, D. S. Pope, and M. A. Marcolini, "Airfoil self-noise and prediction," Technical Report: NASA-RP-1218, L-16528, NAS 1.61:1218, Jul 1, 1989.
[15] N. Gregory and C. L. O'reilly, Low-Speed aerodynamic characteristics of NACA0012 aerofoil section, including the effects of upper-surface roughness simulating hoar frost, Reports and Memoranda No. 3726, Jan, 1973.
[16] S. H. Wasala, R. C. Storey, S. E. Norris, and J. E. Cater, "Aeroacoustic noise prediction for wind turbines using Large Eddy Simulation," Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 145, pp.17-29, 2015.