Edgetones and Acoustic Resonances in a Duct

Citation

Aaron, Kim Maynard (1985) Edgetones and Acoustic Resonances in a Duct. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/bfy8-1995. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-01222007-092606

Abstract

Undesirable sound generation in the combustion chamber of segmented solid propellant rocket motors has been attributed to vortex shedding from obstructions that are uncovered as the propellant burns back. This phenomenon has been investigated experimentally and the mechanism explained.

A pair of aluminum baffles within a lucite duct through which air is drawn models the important aspects which enable the sound generation mechanism to operate. The baffles form an edgetone system which interacts with the longitudinal acoustic modes of the chamber. Acoustic tones occur spontaneously, at frequencies determined by the acoustic resonances, when the spacing between the baffles satisfies certain criteria.

Flow visualization using smoke and a strobe light triggered by the pressure oscillations indicate that vortex shedding occurs at the first baffle in phase with the acoustic velocity oscillations there. The interaction of these vortices with the downstream baffle drives the acoustic resonance which, in turn, triggers the formation of new vortices at the upstream separation point.

The phase relations for this feedback to operate require that there be close to an integral number of wavelengths, or vortices, from the separation point to the impingement point.

A model has been developed which predicts the experimentally observed behaviour well. Pressure amplitudes are predicted within an order of magnitude. Mean flow rates and baffle spacings yielding maximum response are determined correctly by the model.

Thesis Files