Validation setup for the investigation of aeroacoustic and vibroacoustic sound emission of confined turbulent flows

Confined flows induce sound at certain flow conditions, which can be annoying in electric vehicles due to the absence of combustion noise. Noise in internal flow may occur due to unfavorable flow-guiding geometries caused by the complex packaging required in engine compartments of modern vehicles. The flow-induced sound is emitted at duct openings (e.g., ventilation inside the passenger cabin). It also originates from the vibroacoustic emissions of the flow-guiding structure excited by the flow.
We propose a modular validation procedure for aeroacoustic simulations of confined flows. The experimental setup includes the vibroacoustic emission of the involved flow-guiding structure. The test rig consists of a sensor system, a high-pressure blower, modular pipe sections, and absorbers, which decouple the system from blower noise and avoid acoustic reflections at the pipe exit. A sufficiently long straight inlet section ensures fully developed flow conditions entering the investigated region. For capturing the vibroacoustic sound radiation of the flow-guiding structure, the measurement object and the surrounding microphones are encapsulated in a wooden box, lined with micro-perforated plates. Measurement results of a straight pipe and a pipe with a half-moon-shaped orifice are presented. Additionally, the sound generation is reproduced by Lighthill’s aeroacoustic analogy applying a hybrid approach.