AeroAcoustics

Actran AeroAcoustics Predicting the noise generated by complex flows Actran AeroAcoustics is a finite element based acoustic solver for predicting the noise generated by turbulent flows. Actran AeroAcoustics recovers aerodynamic noise sources from flow simulations performed with commercial CFD codes such as Fluent™, Star-CD™, StarCCM+™ or Powerflow™. The complete simulation procedure involves three steps: An unsteady flow simulation is performed by the CFD code. At each time step, the CFD solution (velocity, density and pressure fields) is stored in its own native format or in the Ensight™ format. Actran AeroAcoustics computes the aero-acoustic noise sources from the CFD results produced in step 1. This involves translating results from the time to the frequency domain and interpolating them from the CFD to the acoustic mesh. Maps of the aero-acoustic sources produced at this stage are in themselves useful results which can be used to identify the most effective sources. The radiated acoustic field radiated is then computed. This produces a wide set of relevant results: acoustic pressure, velocity or intensity maps, frequency response functions of various local (pressure) or global (power) quantities. This multi-step strategy offers several advantages: (1) Each part of the work can be done independently by different engineers, departments or even companies with different responsibilities or skills. (2) A single CFD simulation can feed different acoustic simulations (e.g. with different acoustic treatments). (3) The acoustic mesh does not need to be refined where the aerodynamic structures are small (for instance in the boundary layers). Actran AeroAcoustics offers high performance solvers and parallel processing features and is fully integrated in Actran VI. Actran AeroAcoustics can be combined with Actran VibroAcoustics in order to address aero-vibro-acoustic challenges. Target applications: Air conditioning modules (HVAC). Side mirror noise. Airframe noise (landing gear, trailing edge). Air distribution systems.