SELECTION OF A SUITABLE WALL-PRESSURE SPECTRUM MODEL FOR ESTIMATING FLOW-INDUCED NOISE IN SONAR APPLICATIONS

Flow-induced structural noise of a sonar dome in which the sonar trans ducer is housed, constitutes a major source of self-noise above a cert ain speed of the vessel. Excitation of the sonar dome structure by ran dom pressure fluctuations in turbulent boundary layer flow leads to ac oustic radiation into the interior of the dome. This acoustic radiatio n is termed flow-induced structural noise. Such noise contributes sign ificantly to sonar self-noise of submerged vessels cruising at high sp eed and plays an important role in surface ships, torpedos, and towed sonars as well. Various turbulent boundary layer wall pressure models published were analyzed and the most suitable analytical model for the sonar dome application selected while taking into account high freque ncy, fluid loading, low wave number contribution, and pressure gradien t effects. These investigations included type of coupling that exists between turbulent boundary layer pressure fluctuations and dome wall s tructure of a typical sonar dome. Comparison of theoretical data with measured data onboard a ship are also reported. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.