Parametric Airfoil Design for Trailing-Edge Noise Reduction

This paper presents the investigation of airfoil trailing-edge noise reduction using a parametric airfoil design. The parametric airfoil design tool performs a parameterization starting from a baseline airfoil and then morphing it with a number of design parameters, which include camber, camber crest position, thickness, thickness crest position, leading edge radius, trailing-edge camber, and boat-tail angle. A predictive method that combines an empirical wall-pressure spectrum model and a diffraction model is used to predict airfoil trailing-edge noise. In this study, a NACA0012 airfoil is used to analyze the effects of the design parameters on airfoil trailing-edge noise. The sensitivity of different parameters is performed with Morris' method in order to further assess their relative influences. Overall, it is found that thickness, trailing-edge camber, and boat-tail angle have a significant influence on noise levels.