Three-dimensional flow field over a trailing-edge serration and implications on broadband noise

The three-dimensional flow field over the suction side of a NACA 0018 airfoil with trailing-edge serrations was studied by means of time-resolved tomographic particle image velocimetry. Mean flow results show that the boundary layer thickness decreases along the streamwise direction with a corresponding reduction of the size of the turbulent structures developing over the suction side of the serrations. At a positive angle of attack, streamwise-oriented and counter-rotating vortices aligned with the edge of the serrations are found to be the main features of the mean flow field. Their formation is attributed to the pressure imbalance between the two sides of the airfoil and the mixing layer at the edge. They locally modify the effective angle seen by the turbulent flow approaching the serrated edge. This effect may contribute to the serration underperformance in terms of noise reduction reported in literature. The spatial distribution of the spectra of the source term of the Poisson equation, which relates the velocity field to pressure fluctuations, suggests that the contribution of the serrations to far-field broadband noise is a function of the streamwise location. This observation is congruent with the spectra of the wall-normal and spanwise velocity fluctuations, which typically show low intensity close to the tips of the individual serrations. It follows that analytical models must take into account the local contribution to the far-field noise induced by the streamwise variation of the hydrodynamic pressure on the serration surface.