On the generation of entropy noise in a shock containing nozzle of high-performance aircraft at afterburner

Abstract

High performance aircraft operate at high jet temperature and velocity. Measured noise data indicate that at afterburner condition their noise contain components not found in high temperature supersonic laboratory model jets. The combustion process inside an afterburner is highly unsteady and incomplete. Residual combustion takes place in the jet plume. This suggests that the flow from the afterburner into the jet nozzle would contain significant amount of hot and cold temperature blobs, generally referred to as entropy waves. It is known that when entropy waves move through a non-uniform mean flow, indirect combustion noise (also called entropy noise) would be generated. Military styled nozzles have a rather abrupt area change at and near the throat. This induces the formation of internal shocks inside the nozzle. This paper investigates the generation of entropy noise when strong entropy blobs or waves are convected through the internal shocks. It is found that the result of entropy blobs-shock interaction could lead to the radiation of intense entropy noise out of the nozzle exit into the jet plume as fast waves with a speed equal to sound speed plus jet flow speed. These fast waves create highly supersonic flow disturbances in the jet flow leading to strong Mach wave radiation. It is proposed that this Mach wave radiation is the source of a new noise component observed in the spectra of the F-22A aircraft. Detailed analysis of the F-22A noise data provides support for the proposal.