September 30, 2024-Sheryl Grace, Boston University

September 30, 2024
4:00 p.m.
Room:  Torgersen Hall 2150
Speaker:  Sheryl Grace, Boston University
Faculty Host: Dr. Nathan Alexander

"Predicting Turbofan Fan-stage Interaction Broadband Noise" 

Abstract:   Interaction noise in the fan stage of a turbofan engine is now a dominant commercial engine noise source especially on approach and landing. The noise is created by the interaction of the fan wake and the fan exit guide vanes (FEGV). Tonal noise is attributed to the mean fan wake while the broadband noise is produced by the turbulence in the wake. This talk will focus on the broadband noise, for which there are fewer known mitigation techniques. While large eddy simulations of a fan stage can be run, fast prediction methods are necessary for design. This talk will describe a method that utilizes classical semi-analytical methods. Validation of this method for determining the FEGV response to interaction with fan-wake turbulence and the associated downstream duct noise will be presented. The effect of necessary assumptions will be shown. Finally, a new method for fully enabling fast prediction that relies on machine learning to define the fan wake flow will be presented.  

Bio:   Professor Grace earned her undergrad from University of Akron in Ohio, MS from Oklahoma State University, PhD from Notre Dame and has been at Boston University heading the Unsteady Fluid Mechanics and Acoustics Lab for 29 years. Professor Grace’s primary research interests lie in the fields of unsteady aero/hydrodynamics and aero/hydro-acoustics. She is expert in the prediction of broadband noise for rotating machinery and has been funded by both the Aeraocoustics Research Consortium and the FAA on this topic. She is also actively working on the performance of and noise from multirotor vehicles and was recently awarded a NASA ULI in collaboration with colleagues at VT to improve understanding of multirotor vehicle operation in an urban canopy. Finally, she is working on an AFOSR project to determine the fundamental mechanism of raindrop breakup upon interaction with the shock preceding a hypersonic vehicle. 

Professor Grace has been awarded teaching and service awards at BU and the National AIAA faculty advisor award and the New England AIAA service award. She’s an associate fellow of the AIAA, her research has been repeatedly highlighted in Aerospace America, and she is a member of the AIAA associate fellow review committee. She was the founder of the women in science engineering organization at BU and has been awarded the INSIGHT Into Diversity Inspiring Women in STEM Award. Recently, she oversaw the implementation of a NASA Downlink which engaged 400 targeted middle and high school students in aerospace related activities and introduced them to the BU alum on board the International Space Station.