On the noise prediction for serrated leading edges

TL;DR

This paper presents an analytical model predicting noise reduction from serrated aerofoil leading edges, showing that serrations cause destructive interference and must meet specific geometrical criteria for effective noise mitigation.

Contribution

The paper introduces a new analytical model using Fourier and Schwarzschild techniques to predict aerofoil noise with serrated leading edges, highlighting the importance of geometrical criteria for noise reduction.

Findings

Serrations cause destructive interference reducing noise.

Effective noise reduction requires specific serration geometries.

Serrations alter high-frequency noise directivity patterns.

Abstract

An analytical model is developed for the prediction of noise radiated by an aerofoil with leading edge serration in a subsonic turbulent stream. The model makes use of the Fourier Expansion and Schwarzschild techniques in order to solve a set of coupled differential equations iteratively and express the far-field sound power spectral density in terms of the statistics of incoming turbulent upwash velocity. The model has shown that the primary noise reduction mechanism is due to the destructive interference of the scattered pressure induced by the leading edge serrations. It has also shown that in order to achieve significant sound reduction, the serration must satisfy two geometrical criteria related to the serration sharpness and hydrodynamic properties of the turbulence. A parametric study has been carried out and it is shown that serrations can reduce the overall sound pressure level at most radiation angles, particularly at downstream angles close to the aerofoil surface. The sound directivity results have also shown that the use of leading edge serration does not particularity change the dipolar pattern of the far-field noise at low frequencies, but it changes the cardioid directivity pattern associated with radiation from straight-edge scattering at high frequencies to a tilted dipolar pattern.