Numerical analysis of aerodynamic noise mitigation via leading edge serrations for a rod–airfoil configuration

Noise produced by aerodynamic interaction between a circular cylinder (rod) and an airfoil in a tandem arrangement is investigated numerically using incompressible large eddy simulations. Quasi-periodic shedding from the rod and the resulting wake impinges on the airfoil to produce unsteady loads on the two geometries. These unsteady loads act as sources of aerodynamic sound and the sound radiates to the far-field with a dipole directivity. The airfoil is set at zero angle of attack for the simulations and the Reynolds number based on the rod diameter is Red = 48 K. Comparisons with experimental measurements are made for (a) mean and root mean square surface pressure on the rod, (b) profiles of mean and root mean square streamwise velocity in the rod wake, (c) velocity spectra in the near field, and (d) far-field pressure spectra. Curle’s acoustic analogy is used with the airfoil surface pressure data from the simulations to predict the far-field sound. An improved correction based on observed spanwise coherence is used to account for the difference in span lengths between the experiments and the simulations. Good agreement with data is observed for the near-field aerodynamics and the far-field sound predictions. The straight leading edge airfoil is then replaced with a test airfoil with a serrated leading edge geometry while maintaining the mean chord. This new configuration is also analyzed numerically and found to give a substantial reduction in the far-field noise spectra in the mid- to high-frequency range. Source diagnostics show that the serrations reduce unsteady loading on the airfoil, reduce coherence along the span, and increase spanwise phase variation, all of which contribute to noise reduction.