Large-scale instabilities in a STOVL upwash fountain

The fountain flow created by two underexpanded axisymmetric, turbulent jets impinging on a ground plane was studied through the use of laser-based experimental techniques. Velocity and turbulence data were acquired in the jet and fountain flow regions using laser doppler velocimetry and particle image velocimetry. Profiles of mean and rms velocities along the jet centreline are presented for nozzle pressure ratios of two, three and four. The unsteady nature of the fountain flow was examined and the presence of large-scale coherent structures identified. A spectral analysis of the fountain flow data was performed using the Welch method. The results have relevance to ongoing studies of the fountain flow using large eddy simulation techniques

Scale effects on the performance of sawtooth spoilers in transonic rectangular cavity flow

An experimental study was conducted on the effectiveness of sawtooth spoilers at suppressing acoustic tones within a rectangular cavity with a length-to-depth ratio of five and a width-to-depth ratio of two, operating at a freestream Mach number of 0.71. Whereas previous research has focussed on the ratio of spoiler height to boundary-layer thickness (h/δ), this study also considers the effect of the ratio of cavity length to boundary-layer thickness (L/δ). Using a combination of unsteady pressure measurements and particle image velocimetry, it was established that consideration of the magnitude of both parameters is important when designing passive control methods for transonic cavities. A correlation was developed which suggests that in order to suppress fully the cavity tones, a critical spoiler height, h cr, is defined such that h cr/δ = 0.065 ≤ L/δ ≤ 0.082

Identification of the formation of resonant tones in compressible cavity flows

Identification of the fluid dynamic mechanisms responsible for the formation of resonant tones in a cavity flow is challenging. Time-frequency non-linear analysis techniques were applied to the post-processing of pressure signals recorded on the floor of a rectangular cavity at a transonic Mach number. The results obtained, confirmed that the resonant peaks in the spectrum were produced by the interaction of a carrier frequency (and its harmonics) and a modulating frequency. High-order spectral analysis, based on the instantaneous wavelet bi-coherence method, was able to identify, at individual samples in the pressure–time signal, that the interaction between the fundamental frequency and the amplitude modulation frequency was responsible for the creation of the Rossier–Heller tones. The same technique was also able to correlate the mode switching phenomenon, as well as the deactivation of the resonant tones during the temporal evolution of the signal

Wavelet analysis of complex geometry transonic cavity flows

The aero-acoustic analysis of a weapon bay of an Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) was predicted using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods. Along the reference geometry, consisting in the installation of the Boeing M219 modified type cavity in the Boeing UCAV1303 airframe, two additional configurations, developed modifying the leading and trailing edge geometries of the bay, were tested. Pressure signals inside the cavity were post-processed using Joint Time Frequency Analysis (JTFA) techniques, consisting in a combination of frequency domain and time-frequency domain techniques based respectively on the Fourier and wavelet transform. Results showed an intermittency nature of the modes present in the spectra as well as a continuous change, during the temporal evolution of the signal, of the dominant mode. Also were recorded, using second order wavelet spectral moments, non-linear phenomena between the main modes like phase coupling

Hilbert–Huang spectral analysis of cavity flows incorporating fluidic spoilers

Numerical aeroacoustic analysis was conducted on an M219 cavity geometry, incorporating signature suppression features and leading-edge fluidic spoilers. The numerical model was validated against existing experimental data. The palliative properties of fluidic spoilers were investigated at Mach numbers of 0.85, 1.20, and 1.80 with blowing coefficients of 0.03 and 0.06. The results are presented for the acoustic spectrum, and further analysis was conducted using the Hilbert–Huang methodology. The fluidic spoilers were able to considerably reduce the overall level of acoustic noise and to reduce and/or suppress the resonant modes typical of cavity flows. The effectiveness of the spoilers was a direct consequence of their effect on the detached shear layer, of which the trajectory and coherence were altered. The Hilbert–Huang spectral analysis provided an enhanced understanding of the complex nature of the aeroacoustic behavior of the cavity. Acoustic modes were identified that, together with the Rossiter–Heller tones, governed the behavior of the spectrum. This demonstrated how the generated tones, appearing inside the cavity, were a result of complex nonlinear interactions between shear-layer acoustic instabilities and centrifugal instabilities originating in the flow recirculating in the internal part of the cavity. This also demonstrated that the fundamental frequencies had frequency and amplitude modulation characteristics that spread the energy in a wide bandwidth. This is not captured by classical Fourier analysis

Influence of door gap on aeroacoustics and structural response of a cavity

Numerical aeroacoustic analysis using the Shear Stress Transport–Scale Adaptive Simulation turbulence model was conducted on a weapon bay model based on the M219 geometry with doors incorporating radar cross-section reduction features. The effect of the introduction of a gap between the doors and the cavity edge on the aeroacoustic and structural response of the cavity was analyzed at Mach 0.85. The effect of introducing 3 deg of sideslip was also investigated. Both mean and unsteady flow analyses were conducted. The results showed a strong palliative effect of the door gap with and without sideslips. The overall analysis of the spectral signature on the forces and moments acting on the doors indicated the possibility of fluid–acoustic coupling, as all acoustic spectra showed a predominant tone located at the same frequency of the first structural mode

Aerodynamics of a convex bump on a ground-effect diffuser

A ground-effect diffuser is an upward-sloping section of the underbody of a racing car that enhances aerodynamic performance by increasing the downforce, thus improving tire grip. The downforce generated by a diffuser can be increased by geometric modifications that facilitate passive flow control. Here we modified a bluff body equipped with a 17° diffuser ramp surface (the baseline/plane diffuser) to introduce a convex bump near the end of the ramp surface. The flow features, force and surface pressure measurements determined in wind-tunnel experiments agreed with previous studies but the bump favorably altered the overall diffuser pressure recovery curve by increasing the flow velocity near the diffuser exit. This resulted in a static pressure drop near the diffuser exit followed by an increase to freestream static pressure, thus increasing the downforce across most of the ride heights we tested. We observed a maximum 4.9% increase in downforce when the modified diffuser was compared to the plane diffuser. The downforce increment declined as the ride height was gradually reduced to the low-downforce diffuser flow regime

On the near-wake of a ground-effect diffuser with passive flow control

A ground-effect diffuser is an upwardly-inclined section of an automobile’s underbody which increases aerodynamic performance by generating downforce. To understand the diffuser flow physics (force behaviour, surface and off-surface flow features), we established the near-wake (within one vehicle width of the base) velocity profiles and flow structures of an automotive ground-effect diffuser using a bluff body with a 17 degree slanted section forming the plane diffuser ramp surface (baseline geometry), and endplates extending along both sides of the ramp. Wind tunnel experiments were conducted at a Reynolds number of 1.8 million based on the bluff body length, and laser Doppler velocimetry was used to measure two-dimensional velocity components on three planes of the diffuser near-wake. We also measured the velocity field in the near-wake of diffusers with modified geometry (with an inverted wing or a convex bump) as passive flow control devices. The near-wake velocity profiles indicated that the passive flow control methods increased the diffuser flow velocity and that the longitudinal vortices along the diffuser determined the shape of the flow structures in the near-wake of the diffuser bluff bod

The effect of angle of attack on the aeroacoustic environment within the weapons bay of a generic UCAV

Cavity flow studies are generally concerned with observing the effect of geometry changes whilst maintaining a fixed zero angle of attack. Cavities employed as weapons bays will, however, experience a range of angles of attack. This paper presents the first known results showing the effect of flight angle of attack on the aeroacoustic characteristics of an internal weapons bay installed in an uninhabited combat air vehicle (UCAV). The UCAV geometry consisted of a Boeing M219-type cavity in a Boeing UCAV1303 airframe. Numerical simulation was conducted using a full-scale detached eddy simulation model and representative transonic flight conditions. As well as the reference case of zero degrees, data for angles of attack of 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 degrees were analysed. Experimental data was used to validate the reference computational model, which agreed with the overall fluctuating sound pressure level (OAFPL) to within the experimental uncertainty of 4 dB. Data from the computational model was post-processed with frequency-domain and time-frequency-domain techniques showing that the flow structure within the weapons bay was altered significantly by the angle of attack changes, affecting the mean pressure distribution, frequency spectra and resonant modes. Overall, increasing the angle of attack from 0.0 to 3.0 degrees produced an increment in the acoustic load whilst a further increase tended to affect the resonance mechanism and thereby reduce the coherence and the temporal footprints of the resonant modes

Mutual interference between jets and intakes in STOVL aircraft

During wind tunnel testing of jet-lift, short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft it is usual to simulate the jet efflux but not the intake flows. The intakes, which are commonly faired over or are unpowered, are generally tested in separate wind tunnel experiments. The forces acting on the wind tunnel model are determined by the linear addition of the forces obtained from the two separate tests. There is some doubt as to whether this is a valid approach. A systematic experimental investigation was, therefore, conducted to determine the magnitude of any jet/intake interference effects on a generic jet-lift STOVL aircraft in transitional flight, out of ground effect. Comparisons made between separate and simultaneous jet and intake testing concluded that a mutual jet/intake interference effect does exist. The existence of this interference means that the aerodynamic wing lift loss in transitional flight deduced from isolated jet and intake testing is less than the lift loss obtained from simultaneous jet and intake testing. The experimental research was supplemented by some simplified computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies of elements of the flow-field about the aircraft using the k-e turbulence model. The numerical modelling enabled aspects of the flow-field around the aircraft to be visualised which could not easily be done using the experimental apparatus. It is a requirement of the Eng]) programme that part of this thesis must address a management topic linked to the research. In this case the management aspects of wind tunnel project work were examined. A scenario was developed which established a requirement for a large-scale, low-speed wind tunnel with a Reynolds number capability of 20 million. A study was performed on the decision-making process and investment appraisal methods used in the procurement of such a wind tunnel.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo