Cylinder wake influence on the tonal noise and aerodynamic characteristics of a NACA0018 airfoil

The influence of cylinder wake on discrete tonal noise and aerodynamic characteristics of a NACA0018 airfoil is studied experimentally in a uniform flow at a moderate Reynolds number. The experiments are carried out by measuring sound pressure levels and spectrum, separation and the reattachment points, pressure distribution, fluid forces, mean-flow and turbulence characteristics around the airfoil with and without the cylinder wake. Present results indicate that the tonal noise from the airfoil is suppressed by the influence of the cylinder wake and the aerodynamic characteristics are improved in comparison with the case without the cylinder wake. These are mainly due to the separation control of boundary layers over the airfoil caused by the wake-induced transition, which is observed by surface flow visualization with liquid- crystal coating. The PIV measurements of the flow field around the airfoil confirm that highly turbulent velocity fluctuation of the cylinder wake induces the transition of the boundary layers and produces an attached boundary layer over the airfoil. Then, the vortex shedding phenomenon near the trailing edge of pressure surface is removed by the influence of the wake and results in the suppression of tonal noise.