Effects of Geometric Details on Slat Noise Generation and Propagation

Abstract

The relevance of geometric details to the generation and propagation of noise from leading-edge slats is considered. Typically, such details are omitted in computational simulations and model-scale experiments thereby creating ambiguities in comparisons with acoustic results from flight tests. The current study uses two-dimensional, computational simulations in conjunction with a Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) solver to investigate the effects of previously neglected slat “bulb” and “blade” seals on the local flow field and the associated acoustic radiation. The computations show that the presence of the “blade” seal at the cusp in the simulated geometry significantly changes the slat cove flow dynamics, reduces the amplitudes of the radiated sound, and to a lesser extent, alters the directivity beneath the airfoil. Furthermore, the computations suggest that a modest extension of the baseline “blade” seal further enhances the suppression of slat noise. As a side issue, the utility and equivalence of FW-H methodology for calculating far-field noise as opposed to a more direct approach is examined and demonstrated.