Application of an Aircraft Design-To-Noise Simulation Process

Abstract

System noise has been integrated as an additional design objective within conceptual aircraft design. The DLR system noise prediction tool PANAM accounts for individual noise sources depending on their geometry and operating conditions. PANAM is integrated into the existing aircraft design framework PrADO from the Technical University of Braunschweig in order to realize a design-to-noise simulation process. In addition, a ray-tracing tool from DLR, SHADOW, is incorporated into the simulation framework in order to account for structural engine noise shielding. The overall simulation process is then applied to identify promising low-noise aircraft concepts. The presented application aims at fan noise reduction through shielding. For the selected reference aircraft, the fan is a major noise source during both landing and takeoff. It is demonstrated, that the aircraft designers influence on the environmental vehicle characteristics is significant at the conceptual design phase. Usually, a trade-off between extensive engine noise shielding and economical flight performance is inevitable. The new design-to-noise process is well suitable to assess all four measures of ICAOs balanced approach.