Prediction of noise radiation from basic configurations of landing gears by means of computational aeroacoustics

Noise radiation from aircraft during the takeoff and landing has become a major issue for inhabitants living in the vicinity of airports and thus for regulation authorities and aircraft developers. However the numerical simulation of aeroacoustic noise, especially for complex geometries like a landing gear, remains one of the most difficult challenges in aeroacoustics. The present study, aiming at predicting noise radiation from basic geometries as well as the noise radiation of a simplified landing gear, employs a hybrid approach that combines a CFD simulation with the decoupled computational aeroacoustics (CAA) simulation. Flow-induced noise is assumed to originate from turbulence. Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with different closure approaches can be employed to gain the required turbulent quantities. Subsequently, quantities as the mean flow velocities, pressure, density, turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate of the CFD simulation are the starting point for the generation of the transient acoustic sources by the stochastic noise generation and radiation (SNGR) method. It is assumed that the acoustic phenomena do not provide feedback to the mean flow field and turbulence and thus a recalculation of the flow field is not required. Since the propagation of sound is insignificantly influenced by turbulent and viscous effects, it can be described by the Euler equations in the near field. The CAA simulation is extended with a Ffowcs Williams Hawkings (FWH) module that calculates the noise levels in the far field upon integrating the surface source terms on a porous FWH surface within the CAA domain. The results of the simulations are compared with experimental data, obtained by measurements in an acoustic wind tunnel.