Summary

The present work considers the numerical prediction of the acoustic field generated by turbulent plane jet. Considering the strong physical distinction between the flow field and the acoustic field, the problem has been solved through a hybrid methodology composed of two steps. In the first one, the turbulent jet flow is numerically solved using large eddy simulation (LES), so that the transient behavior of the large turbulence scales can be described. Effects associated to small scales are taken into account via Smagorinsky#s sub-grid viscosity model. In the second step, the sound pressure level is estimated from the transient flow field using Lighthill#s analogy. The turbulent plane jet is solved for three Reynolds numbers (Re = 400; 3.000 and 7.200). Results of average quantities (such as velocity, Reynolds stress and turbulence intensity) are shown to be in agreement with available data in the literature. Results of instantaneous fields for vorticity and sub-grid viscosity are also made available to illustrate the transient and asymmetric nature of turbulence. Results of sound pressure level for different observer#s positions are seen to be physically consistent, with levels decaying correctly in respect to the distance. The sound pressure level resembles a white noise spectrum, typically attributed to turbulence. Despite the physical consistency of the flow field and some encouraging predictions for sound pressure level, the present methodology should be further developed to minimize the presence of spurious noise in the results. Two aspects of merit for a separate work are the investigation of truncation error and the implementation of non reflecting boundary conditions.

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