Wizard Speeds Turbomachinery Acoustics Analyses

NUMECA International has announced that version 8.1 of its FINE/Acoustics integrated simulation suite for aero-acoustics and vibro-acoustics analysis is now available. This new version focuses on user-friendliness and robustness, in particular for turbomachinery applications, according to the company. NUMECA adds that the highlight enhancement is a new wizard that enables fast and accurate turbomachinery broadband and tonal noise analyses.

NUMECA describes FINE/Acoustics as engineered for a range of industrial applications and, the company adds, the software can be used for rapid pre-design calculations as well as large-scale analyses. For tonal noise studies, it provides for simultaneous noise source and propagation analyses using the Non-Linear Harmonic (NLH) method. 

For projects involving broadband noise, it provides capabilities for flow-noise source reconstruction based on steady RANS (Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes). It also provides abilities for analyzing noise propagation with using BEM (boundary element method) and FEM (finite element method) solvers.

Among the methods available for large eddy simulations, detached eddy simulations and unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (LES/DES/URANS) coupling is the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) solver for radiation analysis. Vibro-acoustics methods provide for fluid-structure coupling based on modal approach.

NUMECA reports that FINE/Acoustics version 8.1's new Turbomachinery Wizard can help engineers predict tonal and broadband noise for turbomachinery applications when using solutions from the company's FINE/Turbo integrated environment for turbomachinery analysis or its FINE/Open with OpenLabs integrated multiphysics CFD (computational fluid dynamics) environment.

The Turbomachinery Wizard, explains NUMECA, enables users to set up and then automatically run and post-process aero-acoustic analyses of tonal and broadband noise for turbomachinery configurations (axial, radial or mixed-flow). Its main advantages for users, the company says, include minimal user inputs, rapid and detailed acoustics results as well as reduced design cycle costs.

Along with the new Turbomachinery Wizard announcement, the company reports it has run a series of validation cases on academic and industrial configurations. Among these validation cases are tandem cylinder; airfoil with flap; NASA Advanced Noise Control Fan; simple axial fan case from Concepts NREC database; centrifugal vacuum cleaner compressor; IMAGE research project “aero-engine” axial fan; blower for air conditioning systems; INSEAN E779A marine propeller; and mufflers.

NUMECA has also enhanced FINE/Acoustics version 8.1 with the addition of more functions to its Python API (application programming interface) to extend the scripting and automation of workflows. 

NUMECA advises current users to check out the version 8.1 release notes in the customer area for important changes in this release. FINE/Acoustics version 8.1 comes with documentation included in the package, available in the customer area on the website. FINE/Acoustics and other NUMECA simulation software are now also available through the cloud on demand.

For more details on FINE/Acoustics, click here.

Click here for the highlights of the FINE/Acoustics version 8.1 release.

Watch a demo of the Turbomachinery Wizard.

Read how FINE/Acoustics is being used to study the noise of exhaust mufflers.

Learn more about NUMECA's on-demand services.

See why DE's Editors selected FINE/Acoustics version 8.1 as their Pick of the Week.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company's website.

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