Numerical investigation of tandem-cylinder noise reduction using plasma-based flow control

Abstract

AbstractThe noise of flow over tandem cylinders at $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}{\mathit{Re}}_D= 22\, 000$ and its reduction using single dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators are simulated numerically both to confirm and extend experimental results. The numerical approach is based on large-eddy simulation (LES) for the turbulent flow field, a semi-empirical plasma actuation model, and Lighthill’s theory for acoustic calculation. Excellent agreement between LES and experimental results is obtained for both the baseline flow and flow with plasma control in terms of wake velocity profiles, turbulence intensity, and frequency spectra of pressure fluctuations on the downstream cylinder. The validated flow-field results allow an accurate acoustic analysis based on Lighthill’s equation, which is solved using a boundary-element method. The effectiveness of plasma actuators for reducing noise is clearly demonstrated. In the baseline flow, the acoustic field is dominated by the interaction between the downstream cylinder and the upstream wake. Through suppression of vortex shedding from the upstream cylinder, the interaction noise is reduced drastically by the plasma flow control, and the vortex-shedding noise from the downstream cylinder becomes equally important. At a free-stream Mach number of 0.2, the peak sound pressure level is reduced by approximately 16 dB. This suggests the viability of plasma actuation for active aeroacoustic control of airframe noise.