Far-field noise of a subsonic jet under controlled excitation

Abstract

The phenomena of excitation-induced suppression and amplification of broadband jet noise have been experimentally investigated in an effort to understand the mechanisms, especially in relation to the near flow-field large-scale structure dynamics. Suppression is found to occur only in jets at low speeds with laminar exit boundary layers, the optimum occurring for excitation at Stθ ≈ 0.017, where Stθ is the Strouhal number based on the initial shear-layer momentum thickness. The suppression mechanism is linked to an initial-condition effect on the large-scale structure dynamics. The interaction and evolution of laminar-like structures at low jet speeds produce more (normalized) noise and turbulence, compared to asymptotically lower levels at high speeds when the initial shear layer is no longer laminar. The effect of initial condition has been demonstrated by tripped versus untripped jet data. The excitation at Stθ ≈ 0.017 results in a quick roll-up and transition of the laminar shear-layer vortices, yielding coherent structures which are similar to those at high speeds. Thus, the broadband noise and turbulence are suppressed, but at the most to the asymptotically lower levels. When at the asymptotic level, the broadband jet noise can only be amplified by the excitation; the amplification is found to be maximum for excitation in the StD range of 0.65–0.85, StD being the Strouhal number based on the jet diameter. Excitation in this StD range also produces strongest vortexpairing activity. From spectral analysis of the flow-field and the near sound-pressure field, it is inferred that the pairing process induced by the excitation is at the origin of the broadband noise amplification.