The effect of streamwise vortices on the aeroacoustics of a Mach 0.9 jet

Abstract

The role of the streamwise vortices on the aeroacoustics of a Mach 0.9 axisymmetric jet is investigated using two different devices to generate streamwise vortices: microjets and chevrons. The resultant acoustic field is mapped by sideline microphones and a microphone phased array. The flow-field characteristics within the first few diameters of the nozzle exit are obtained using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV). The flow-field measurements reveal that the counter-rotating streamwise vortex pairs generated by microjets are located primarily at the high-speed side of the initial shear layer. In contrast, the chevrons generate vortices of greater strength that reside mostly on the low-speed side. Although the magnitude of the chevron's axial vorticity is initially higher, it decays more rapidly with downstream distance. As a result, their influence is confined to a smaller region of the jet. The axial vorticity generated by both devices produces an increase in local entrainment and mixing, increasing the near-field turbulence levels. It is argued that the increase in high-frequency sound pressure levels (SPL) commonly observed in the far-field noise spectrum is due to the increase in the turbulence levels close to the jet exit on the high-speed side of the shear layer. The greater persistence and lower strength of the streamwise vortices generated by microjets appear to shift the cross-over frequencies to higher values and minimize the high-frequency lift in the far-field spectrum. The measured overall sound pressure level (OASPL) shows that microjet injection provides relatively uniform noise suppression for a wider range of sound radiation angles when compared to that of a chevron nozzle.