1 Trailing Edge Noise Reduction by Passive and Active Flow Controls

This paper presents the results on the use of porous metal foams (passive control) and dielectric barrier surface plasma actuations (active control) for the reduction of vortex shedding tonal noises from the nonflat plate type trailing edge serration in a NACA0012 airfoil previously discussed in Chong et al. (AIAA J. Vol. 51, 2013, pp. 2665-2677). The use of porous metal foams to fill the interstices between adjacent members of the sawtooth can almost completely suppress the vortex shedding tonal noise, whilst the serration effect on the broadband noise reduction is retained. This concept will promote the nonflat plate type serrated trailing edge to become a genuine alternative to the conventional flat plate type serrated trailing edge, which is known to have drawbacks in the structural stability, aerodynamic performances and implementation issues. For the plasma actuators, configuration which produces electric wind in a tangential direction is found to be not very effective in suppressing the vortices emanated from the serration blunt root. On the other hand, for the plasma configuration which produces electric wind in a vertical direction, good level of vortex shedding tonal noise reduction has been demonstrated. However, the self noise produced by the plasma actuators negates the noise benefits on the tonal nois