In this thesis we explore several topics with applications to both aero and hydroacoustics. Due to the much larger speed of sound in water compared to in air, several of the approximations used in aeroacoustics are not applicable underwater over the range of frequencies of interest. Specifically, we study the finite-chord effects on two broadband noise mechanisms: the trailing edge noise and the ingested noise problems. We start by investigating the acoustic wave diffraction by a finite rigid plate using three different methods. We compare the behaviour of the different solutions as a function of the reduced acoustic wavenumber. Our results reveal that the Mathieu function expansion is the most appropriate method as long as the reduced acoustic wavenumber is not too large. Finally, we show how the Mathieu functions can be used to build a Green's function tailored to an elliptic cylinder of arbitrary aspect ratio without relying on addition theorems. The results obtained in chapter two motivated the search for an exact solution to the trailing edge noise problem using a Mathieu function expansion. It is shown that the approximate methods used in aeroacoustics are not accurate enough for reduced acoustic wavenumbers less than unity, and for all wavenumbers near cut-off. Furthermore it is shown that, even at low Mach numbers, it is crucial to take into account the effects of convection at low frequency. Finally Lighthill's analogy is used, combined with the tailored Green's function introduced previously, to recover the two asymptotic Mach number scalings of the acoustic power for a flat plate at high frequency and low frequency. In chapter four, we introduce a novel method to solve the ingested noise problem by decomposing the pressure field into a singular part whose functional form can easily be found, and a regular part that we express using a Mathieu function expansion. It was found that finite-chord effects do have a strong impact for reduced acoustic wavenumbers less than unity, and for all wavenumbers near cut-off. The following chapter focuses on the trailing edge noise mechanism and details how the theory for a single stationary aerofoil can be applied to a rotating propeller. Due to the general geometry of a blade, we extended Amiet's model to take into account a mean flow misaligned with the blade chordline. Different semi-analytical models of wall pressure spectra are introduced and compared. We make extensive use of Brooks' data for a NACA 0012 aerofoil to obtain realistic inputs in the semi-analytical models. Finally, we introduce and compare two models of rotating blade trailing edge noise. The effects of both the angle of attack and the number of strips are then investigated. The final chapter is distinct from the rest of the thesis. We propose a model for studying the low Mach number flow noise from a 2D circular cylinder with small roughness. The method is based on using the Green's function tailored to a smooth cylinder in Curle's acoustic analogy. It was found that the main source of noise was the tonal low frequency scattering by the smooth geometry. However, it is suggested that roughness elements might be the dominant source of noise at higher frequency.

Les écoulements instationnaires au-dessus de surfaces discontinues produisent d'important bruit aérodynamique. L'objectif de ce travail de thèse est l'étude aéroacoustique d'écoulement au-dessus de cavités bidimensionnelles rectangulaires, et de trouver des stratégies de réduction du bruit. Des simulations numériques directes des équations bidimensionnelles de Navier-Stokes compressibles ont été réalisées afin d'étudier l'influence des conditions initiales sur le mode d'oscillation de l'écoulement pour des cavités profonde et peu profonde. Les résultats montrent que dans le cas de cavités profondes, l'écoulement oscille selon un régime de couche de cisaillement suivant le second mode de Rossiter, et ce quelle que soit la condition initiale choisie. En revanche, dans le cas de cavités peu profondes, le régime d'oscillation observé peut être en couche de cisaillement ou bien en mode de sillage suivant la condition initiale choisie. Une analyse de sensibilité d'écoulement dans le cas de cavités profondes a été réalisé en utilisant une méthode adjointe. Les équations adjointes ont été forcées par une perturbation localisée sinusoïdale soit de la quantité de mouvement suivant x adjointe (au voisinage de la couche de cisaillement), soit de la densité adjointe (loin de la cavité). Les résultats désignent une région de l'écoulement très sensible à l'ajout de masse, et localisée au voisinage du coin supérieur amont de la cavité. Par conséquent, un actionneur de type soufflage/aspiration placé au bord d'attaque de la cavité agira sur les fluctuations de quantité de mouvement suivant x au voisinage de la couche de cisaillement et sur les fluctuations de pression au loin. / The unsteady flow over surface discontinuities produces high aerodynamic noise. The aim of this thesis is to study the aeroacoustics of two-dimensional rectangular cavities and to find strategies for noise reduction. Direct Numerical Simulation of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations is performed to investigate the influence of the initial condition on the oscillation modes in deep and shallow cavities. Results show that the deep cavity oscillates in shear layer regime at the second Rossiter mode regardless of the initial condition. On the other hand different initial conditions lead to a shear layer or wake mode in the shallow cavity case. A sensitivity analysis of the deep cavity is done by the use of adjoint methods. Local sinusoidal perturbations of x-momentum and density are applied to the adjoint equations. The results show a high sensitivity region to mass injection at the upstream corner. Therefore an actuator placed at the leading edge will modify the velocity fluctuations reaching the trailing edge and hence the pressure fluctuations in the far-field.

O estudo concentra-se na localização de fontes de ruídos em aeroacústica, através do processamento digital de sinais. O objetivo em aeroacústica é localizar fontes de ruído em estruturas aerodinâmicas (e.g.: aerofólios, slats, flaps e trens de pouso), motores e turbinas. Isto se faz possível utilizando arranjos de microfones, ou simplesmente arrays, cujos sinais são processados para localizar as fontes. Ao utilizar o beamforming clássico para processar os sinais vindos do array, este é incapaz de localizar as fontes de ruído de forma satisfatória. O 2D-ESPRIT é um método de alta resolução que é apresentado como alternativa. Nas simulações, é possível perceber que o 2D-ESPRIT tem melhor desempenho que o beamforming clássico, conseguindo localizar fontes próximas com arrays quadrados e com um número reduzido de amostras de sinal. / This study focuses on locating sources of noise in aeroacoustics, through digital signal processing. An objective in aeroacoustics is to locate sources of noise in aerodynamic structures (e.g.: airfoils, slats, flaps and landing gears), engines and fans. This is possible using microphone arrays, whose signals are processed to locate the sources. Using classical beamforming as the processing scheme for these signals, it is shown that it is incapable of locating sources satisfactorily in many of the practical scenarios. 2D-ESPRIT is a high resolution processing scheme that is presented as an alternative. Simulations show that 2D-ESPRIT outperfoms classical beamforming, locating closely positioned sources with the simple URA and with a reduced number of signal samples.

O estudo concentra-se na localização de fontes de ruídos em aeroacústica, através do processamento digital de sinais. O objetivo em aeroacústica é localizar fontes de ruído em estruturas aerodinâmicas (e.g.: aerofólios, slats, flaps e trens de pouso), motores e turbinas. Isto se faz possível utilizando arranjos de microfones, ou simplesmente arrays, cujos sinais são processados para localizar as fontes. Ao utilizar o beamforming clássico para processar os sinais vindos do array, este é incapaz de localizar as fontes de ruído de forma satisfatória. O 2D-ESPRIT é um método de alta resolução que é apresentado como alternativa. Nas simulações, é possível perceber que o 2D-ESPRIT tem melhor desempenho que o beamforming clássico, conseguindo localizar fontes próximas com arrays quadrados e com um número reduzido de amostras de sinal. / This study focuses on locating sources of noise in aeroacoustics, through digital signal processing. An objective in aeroacoustics is to locate sources of noise in aerodynamic structures (e.g.: airfoils, slats, flaps and landing gears), engines and fans. This is possible using microphone arrays, whose signals are processed to locate the sources. Using classical beamforming as the processing scheme for these signals, it is shown that it is incapable of locating sources satisfactorily in many of the practical scenarios. 2D-ESPRIT is a high resolution processing scheme that is presented as an alternative. Simulations show that 2D-ESPRIT outperfoms classical beamforming, locating closely positioned sources with the simple URA and with a reduced number of signal samples.

The aerodynamic sound generated by wind turbines was identified as a growing concern within the industry. Prior to performing wind turbine aeroacoustic research, however, a technique suitable for studying low speed airfoils needed to be designed, serving as the primary research objective. A review of aeroacoustic theory and literature indicated that low speed flows are best studied using experimental methods, leading to the design of a near field pressure measurement technique. To facilitate the near field pressure measurements, a custom piezoelectric sensor was developed, exhibiting a pressure and frequency range of approximately 67 to 140[dB], and 100 to 10000[Hz], respectively. As a secondary research objective, a series of experiments were performed to validate the designed technique. The experiments were performed in a non-anechoic wind tunnel using a cylindrical test specimen. Using the near field pressure measurements, as well as a simple far field measurement, the sources of aerodynamic sound were effectively resolved. The Strouhal numbers corresponding to the contributing flow structures were generally within 1.5[%] of correlation based predictions. The near field pressures were consistently 10 to 15[dB] higher than the far field, quantifying the benefit of the near field technique. The method was also effective in detecting the decreasing coherence of the aeroacoustic sources with increasing Reynolds number. A minor deficiency was observed in which the ability to localize aeroacoustic sources was impeded, however, the cylinder experiments were particularly vulnerable to such a deficiency. Although the near field pressure measurements were shown to be effective in characterizing the aeroacoustic sources, a number of recommendations are presented to further improve the flexibility and measurement uncertainty of the experimental technique.

The aerodynamic sound generated by wind turbines was identified as a growing concern within the industry. Prior to performing wind turbine aeroacoustic research, however, a technique suitable for studying low speed airfoils needed to be designed, serving as the primary research objective. A review of aeroacoustic theory and literature indicated that low speed flows are best studied using experimental methods, leading to the design of a near field pressure measurement technique. To facilitate the near field pressure measurements, a custom piezoelectric sensor was developed, exhibiting a pressure and frequency range of approximately 67 to 140[dB], and 100 to 10000[Hz], respectively. As a secondary research objective, a series of experiments were performed to validate the designed technique. The experiments were performed in a non-anechoic wind tunnel using a cylindrical test specimen. Using the near field pressure measurements, as well as a simple far field measurement, the sources of aerodynamic sound were effectively resolved. The Strouhal numbers corresponding to the contributing flow structures were generally within 1.5[%] of correlation based predictions. The near field pressures were consistently 10 to 15[dB] higher than the far field, quantifying the benefit of the near field technique. The method was also effective in detecting the decreasing coherence of the aeroacoustic sources with increasing Reynolds number. A minor deficiency was observed in which the ability to localize aeroacoustic sources was impeded, however, the cylinder experiments were particularly vulnerable to such a deficiency. Although the near field pressure measurements were shown to be effective in characterizing the aeroacoustic sources, a number of recommendations are presented to further improve the flexibility and measurement uncertainty of the experimental technique.

Experimental aeroacoustic research was conducted on a wind turbine specific airfoil at low Reynolds numbers. The goal of this thesis was to study trailing edge noise generation from the airfoil and investigate correlations between the noise and the flow field. Before experiments were performed the current wind tunnel had to be modified in order to make it more suitable for aeroacoustic tests. Sound absorbing foam was added to the inside of the tunnel to lower the background noise levels and turbulence reduction screens were added which lowered the turbulence. An S822 airfoil was chosen because it is designed for low Reynolds flows attainable in the wind tunnel which are on the order of 104. Smoke wire flow visualization was used to gain insight into the airfoil wake development and oil film flow visualization was used to qualitatively assess the boundary layer development. Laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) was used to measure two components of velocity at high data rates in the airfoil wake. Wake profiles were measured in addition to single point measurements to determine the velocity spectrum. A microphone was mounted inside the test section in order to measure the trailing edge noise. Initial plans included measuring the trailing edge noise with a microphone array capable of quantifying and locating noise sources. Although an array was built and beamforming code was written it was only used in preliminary monopole source tests. Oil film results showed the behaviour of the boundary layer to be consistent with previous low Reynolds number experiments. LDA results revealed sharp peaks in the velocity spectra at 1100 Hz from U0 = 15–24 m/s, and 3100 and 3800 Hz, from U0 = 25–35 m/s, which were inconsistent with vortex shedding results of previous researchers. Also present were a series of broad peaks in the spectra that increase from 1200–1700 Hz in the U0 = 25–35 m/s range. The shedding frequency from the smoke wire flow visualization was calculated to be 1250 Hz at U0 = 26 m/s. These sharp peaks were also present in the acoustic spectrum. It was reasoned that these peaks are due to wind tunnel resonance which is a common occurrence in hard wall wind tunnels. In particular the tone at 1100 Hz is due to a standing wave with a wavelength equal to half the tunnel width. The shedding frequency from the smoke wire flow visualization was calculated to be 1100 Hz at U0 = 20 m/s. These tones exhibited a “ladder-like” relationship with freestream velocity, another aspect indicative of wind tunnel resonance. It was reasoned that the wind tunnel resonance was forcing the shedding frequency of the airfoil in the U0 = 15–24 m/s range, and in the U0 = 25–35 m/s range, the shedding frequency corresponded to the broad peaks in the LDA spectra.

Measuring the farfield noise levels of full-scale rotor systems is not trivial and can be costly. Researchers prefer to perform small-scale experiments in the laboratory so that they can extrapolate the model scaled results to the larger scale. Typically Inverse Square Law (ISL) is used to extrapolate the sound pressure levels (SPL), obtained from model-scale experiments at relatively small distances to predict noise at much larger distances for larger scale systems. The assumption underlying this extrapolation is that the source itself can be treated as a point sound source. At what distance from a rotor system it can be treated as a point source has never been established. Likewise, many theoretical models of shielding by hard surfaces assume the source to be a point monopole source. If one is interested in shielding the noise of a rotor system by interposing a hard surface between the rotor and the observer, can the rotor system really be considered to be a monopole? If rotating noise sources are under consideration what is the effect of configuration and design parameters? Exploring the validity of point source assumption alluded to above for a rotor for farfield acoustic measurements with and without shielding form the backbone of the present work.

Three models for the generation and propagation of hydrodynamic noise near the ocean surface are presented, and are compared for their ability to predict hull noise generated by CFAV Quest. The simulated fluctuating pressure field on the hull is also validated against experimental results. The near field flow is first solved using the NWT CFD package, and the hydrodynamic noise is calculated using the Lighthill-Curle acoustic analogy. The far field sound is obtained using three methods: a method of images solution to the Lighthill-Curle equations, a simple source model of the transmission loss, or a normal mode model of the transmission loss. Both the simple source and method of images models improve the SPL predictions of the Lighthil-Curle equations. Best performance is obtained from the method of images, improving predictions by approximately 40 dB. The normal mode model is shown to give poor results, due to assumed sea-floor boundary conditions.

A mixing layer is generally considered as a prototype of free shear flows whichoccur in a very broad spectrum of applications from natural phenomena to the engineeringscience. The increasing development of the aeroacoustics, more particularly thanks to theprogress in numerical simulations, has allowed to identify the coherent structures which evolvein the flow as the main sound sources. Furthermore, the emergence of the instability wavestaking the form of the coherent structures can be characterized by the stability analysis. In thiscontext, we propose through this work to perform a global stability analysis, in order tounderstand the emergence of fundamental frequencies, as well as a modal decompositionwithin both a linear and nonlinear framework, to characterize the coherent structures primarilyresponsible for the sound generation. In particular, we propose to develop the methods of theglobal stability with respect to the compressible flows as well as a technique of calculation ofcoherent structures applied to the nonlinear regimes based on the DMD method. Such analysistools are validated and illustrated on an academic configuration of a co-flowing mixing layer, atypical noise amplifier, from a simple case where a single source is implicated in the acousticradiation to a more complex case where two sources are present. Both the temporal and spatialDMD are shown capable of describing the characteristics of the coherent structures in the nearfield and the behaviour of the acoustic waves in the far field. Finally, the methods of the modaldecomposition have proven themselves as a relevant model reduction aiming at designing anefficient control strategy.