Reynolds number and jet noise scaling

Abstract

The Reynolds number and Mach number are classical quantities used to determine the similarity of aerodynamic flows. Existing studies on the role of Reynolds Number on jet noise show inconsistent results, casting doubt on how small a nozzle diameter can be for the classical jet noise scaling laws to hold. A systematic study was therefore undertaken to resolve this issue. The Reynolds number of jet flows was adjusted using a Mach number variation between 0.4 and 0.8, and nozzle-exit diameters of 0.25, 0.5, and two inches. When the jet noise measurements were normalized, spectral collapse was observed for the spectra across the whole Reynolds number range. It was found that the Reynolds number does not have a significant effect on jet noise, and jet noise can be scaled from even the smallest of nozzle to larger nozzles.