“Buzz-saw” noise: A comparison of measurement with prediction

Accurate prediction of “buzz-saw” noise in a turbofan inlet duct necessitates consideration of nonlinear acoustics, modelling a complete fan blade set, modelling an acoustic liner, and calculations at high frequencies. A recent series of papers has described new work concerning the application of one-dimensional propagation models to the prediction of buzz-saw noise. A numerical model, termed the frequency domain numerical solution or FDNS, has been developed. It can be used to calculate the nonlinear propagation of the rotor-alone pressure field in either a rigid or acoustically-lined inlet duct. From this the in-duct noise level of the buzz-saw tones can be determined. In previous work, validation of this method by comparison with in-duct noise measurements has been limited to rigid inlet ducts, because of the lack of availability of suitable measurements from lined ducts. In this article new measurements of buzz-saw noise in an acoustically-lined inlet duct are utilized. A comparison of measurements of buzz-saw noise in a lined inlet duct, and noise predictions from numerical simulations by the FDNS is presented. The detailed measurements reveal the effect of an acoustic liner on buzz-saw noise. The suitability of the numerical model to be used to provide realistic noise predictions for supersonic ducted fans is also examined.