How Can Simulation Help Mitigate Aircraft Noise?
Simulation tools like SIMULIA are revolutionizing the aircraft industry by offering a cost-effective and efficient solution to mitigate both external and internal aircraft noise, enhancing passenger comfort and community well-being.
As the aircraft industry continues to grow, engineers and designers are constantly faced with the challenge of creating more efficient and environmentally friendly aircrafts. Among the many challenges this industry faces, one challenge that stands out among the rest is mitigating external and internal aircraft noise. There has been an internal impact of the noise becoming a disturbance to passengers and crew, as well as an external concern as noise impacts nearby communities during aircrafts takeoffs and landings. Mitigating this noise is not an easy solution and demands simulation tools to optimize early in the design phase.
The Limitations of Physical Testing to Mitigate Aircraft Noise
Traditionally, engineers aiming to mitigate noise would validate their optimization by analyzing limited data from physical experiments and trial and error. While this is a good start, this way of optimizing is both time-consuming and costly due to the constraints of physical experimentation. Along with the physical experimentation, this process could stretch the process longer and decrease the efficiency of the whole product workflow.
The Advantages of using Simulation and Virtual Testing
To find a better solution to mitigate noise, engineers and designers of the future are looking towards simulation tools such as SIMULIA PowerFLOW CFD (computational fluid dynamics). This simulation application allows engineers to accurately replicate aerodynamic, aeroacoustics, and thermal management scenarios virtually to revolutionize aircraft design testing. Some features include:
- Virtual Prototyping: Engineers can now create detailed virtual models of aircraft engines and components before a physical version is built.
- Scenario Simulations: Analyze a component’s behavior and responses across various conditions, especially critical situations like takeoffs and landings.
- Noise Identification: With precise simulations, engineers can target noise hotspots in the early design phase, preventing expensive redesigns later.
Interior Modeling with Simulation
Beyond the external noise that effects takeoff and landing, there are also internal noise concerns that could be solved. For passengers and the crew, cabin noise can make or break their flight experience. Using applications like SIMULIA Acoustics can help mitigate noise within the cabin by allowing engineers to visualize and analyze sound behavior inside the aircraft. By simulating and analyzing sound and how it travels throughout the aircraft, engineers can design interiors that deflect and decrease disturbing noise, resulting in a quieter aircraft environment for passengers and crew.
Other Simulation Tools to Help Mitigate Aircraft Noise:
Aircraft noise is a multifaceted issue, and addressing it requires a diverse set of applications. Here’s how the SIMULIA’s suite of tools offers a comprehensive solution:
- SIMULIA Abaqus: By analyzing the entire aircraft’s structure, from the wings to the tail, Abaqus identifies areas where noise and vibration could be an issue. This ensures that potential problems are caught and addressed in the design phase itself.
- SIMULIA Wave6: This tool specializes in the full audible spectrum of noise and vibration, its early integration into the design process means noise management starts from the very first draft.
- SIMULIA fe-safe: An aircraft’s lifespan isn’t just about how long it can fly but also how well it can maintain its performance. Over time, wear and tear on components can increase noise. fe-safe predicts these fatigue points, helping engineers strengthen or redesign parts as needed.
Collaboration to Create Noise Simulation Design Tools
When using tools within SIMULIA, a solution within the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform, collaboration becomes a bonus in creating these changes. Team members can work together in real-time with access to the latest product data and design changes. Using this collaborative environment ensures that designs and changes move swiftly from ideation to finalization, creating a smooth workflow for the whole team.
Conclusion
As the aircraft industry evolves, addressing the issue of aircraft noise is crucial for both passenger and community needs. Engineers and designers who have used traditional design methods, such as physical testing, have dealt with inefficiencies in time, cost, and workflow. With SIMULIA’s suite of tools, engineers can virtually prototype, identify noise sources, and optimize designs, both externally and internally. These simulation tools help speed up the design process of the aircraft and increase accuracy and transparency while reducing costly redesigns. Additionally, the collaborative nature of the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform ensures a efficient and smooth workflow. Simulation emerges as the ultimate solution for crafting innovative noise-mitigating solutions.
