Design and characterisation of an open-jet pressure gradient test rig for an aeroacoustic wind tunnel

Abstract

This paper summarises an approach to generating controllable pressure gradients within an open-jet configuration for aeroacoustics research. A novel open-jet pressure gradient test rig has been designed for the UNSW Anechoic Wind Tunnel with the help of RANS simulations. A range of pressure gradients is created by adjusting the inclination angle of the top plate to change the cross-sectional area along the streamwise direction gradually. The test model mounting point is located on the bottom plate adjacent to partially opened side walls to allow far-field noise measurements. A comprehensive characterisation of flow quality, pressure gradient parameters and acoustic data quality has been carried out using Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV), surface pressure taps, and a microphone array. The test rig produces near-uniform pressure gradient flows at the model mounting point, with momentum Reynolds numbers (Reθ) ranging from 3014 to 11853 and Clauser's pressure gradient parameters (β) from -0.24 to 1.66. The pressure gradients generated by this facility are approximately linear, approaching the model mounting point, and the boundary layer profiles compare favourably with those from conventional hard-walled enclosed pressure gradient wind tunnel facilities. Measurements of airfoil trailing-edge noise from this test rig compare well with classical semi-empirical model predictions. Simultaneous acoustic and flow measurements on a square finite wall-mounted cylinder showcase the capability of this facility for coupled acoustic-flow diagnosis.