Trailing-edge broadband noise prediction of an airfoil with boundary-layer tripping

Abstract Hybrid methods for trailing edge noise prediction are applied to a NACA 6512-63 airfoil at zero angle of attack embedded in the actual narrow stream of the Siegen open-jet anechoic wind-tunnel. Incompressible large-eddy simulations (LES) of the airfoil trailing-edge flow yield the noise sources, and different analytical acoustic analogies then predict the acoustic far-field pressure. The chord-based Reynolds number of 1.9 × 105 triggers long laminar flow regions along the airfoil, leading to instability waves with an associated broadband noise radiation. To avoid this laminar-instability noise, the airfoil boundary layer is experimentally tripped on both sides. The actual serration tripping is included in the numerical grid as well as a simplified stair-step trip. Aerodynamic and acoustic results of the performed LES are compared with measurements and compressible direct numerical simulation (DNS) results. No noticeable influence of the trip geometry is found whereas the numerical schemes play a more important role. LES predictions with boundary layer trip compare well with experimental measurements and DNS cases. If the boundary-layer trip is not sufficiently thick in the numerical model, or not present at all, the far-field acoustic pressure is overpredicted and resembles more closely the sound radiation from the untripped airfoil with laminar instability noise.