An aeroacoustic study of micro-tab on airframe noise reduction

Aircraft high-lift devices such as leading-edge slats and trailing-edge flaps generate noise when extended, causing significant contributions to overall aircraft sound pressure levels, in particular in approach to land phase. It is shown by previous research efforts that noise generated by the high-lift devices increases with their deployment angles. Hence it is possible to mitigate such high-lift noise by using reduced settings without sacrificing the aerodynamic performance, particularly lift. In this dissertation research, micro-tab device attached at the pressure side of the flap surface near its trailing-edge is envisioned as the way to compensate the lift loss due to reduced high-lift device settings. Hybrid numerical method, which combines computational fluid dynamics and acoustics analogy, was adopted to predict the farfield noise spectrum. It is the goal of this research project to illustrate that noise level increase due to micro-tab deployment is smaller than that from the prescribed slat and flap setting increases, so that an overall airframe noise reduction can be achieved. Two-dimensional computational simulations and three-dimensional computational simulations were performed progressively. Results indicated that the proposed reduced high-lift settings with micro-tab application achieved noise reduction, particularly in the mid-frequency range where human hearing is most sensitive to. Parametric studies involving geometry and size effects of the micro-tab configurations were conducted using two-dimensional and three-dimensional models. Results showed that considerable noise reduction was obtained if slit micro-tab was used. An airworthiness study regarding applying micro-tab device onto existing commercial airliners as retrofit to lower noise emission in approach was also investigated and compliance strategy was provided. In the last part of this research, a different approach from aviation policy was taken as the airport noise compatibility planning was reviewed and assessed. Current policy options were surveyed and their pros and cons were revealed. Necessity of supplemental noise metrics and better policy alternatives were then suggested. The contribution of this dissertation is a new approach to high-lift noise reduction from both engineering and policy aspects.