Aerodynamically generated sound propagation for aircraft applications

Theme: Aerodynamically generated sound propagation for aircraft applications

Speaker: Airbus Professor Xin Zhang (University of Southampton, UK)

Time: 19th December, 2013

Location: Lecture Hall, Aerospace Building

Abstract:

In this talk, the problem of aerodynamic flow generated aircraft noise and its environmental impact is introduced. Specifically issues in computation of aerodynamically generated sound propagation for aircraft applications are discussed in details, with focus on airframe and engine applications. The talk starts with a discussion of governing equations for aerodynamically generated sound and its propagation. A new set of linearised perturbation equations based on divergence equation and operators are proposed in time-domain. These new class of equations are designed to overcome Kevin-Helmholtz instability and Rayleigh-Taylor instability that are numerically developed in sheared flow with either velocity or density gradients and commonly found in computations. Based on the assumption that the particle velocity of sound propagation is cure-free, the equations are developed directly from a divergence equation. Applications to aircraft problems are demonstrated. The talk ends with an outlook for future possibilities.

Bio:

Dr Xin Zhang is the Airbus Professor of Aircraft Engineering and the director of the Airbus Noise Technology Centre  (www.southampton.ac.uk/ANTC>)  at University of Southampton, UK. He holds a Ph.D degree in fluid mechanics from the Cambridge University, UK and B.Eng in aerospace engineering from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China. He is a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Dr Zhang’s main research interests are in the areas of aircraft noise, unsteady aerodynamics, computational aeroacoustics, ground effect and vehicle aerodynamics, and flow control. He has conducted studies of airframe noise including high-lift devices, landing gears and bluff bodies, self-sustained fluid flow oscillations, turbulent flow control through streamwise vortices and plasma actuation, flow control jets, engine and duct acoustics, etc.

He is the principal investigator of a number of research projects funded by the UK government, European Commission, and aerospace and motor-racing industries, and has acted as a consultant for a number of industrial companies.