Acoustic Imaging of Clustered Rocket Nozzles Undergoing End Effects
A nonintrusive measure of the exhaust plume and immediate sound field produced by a cluster of two thrust-optimized parabolic contour nozzles is studied during two steady-state conditions. The first condition is at a nozzle pressure ratio of 25, at which point the flow is in a restricted-shock separated state. The second condition is at a nozzle pressure ratio of 37 and is when the flow and internal shock pattern transition rapidly between free-shock separated flow and the end-effects regime. These end-effects regime pulsations produce significant vibroacoustic loads due to the intermittent breathing of the last trapped annular separation bubble with the ambient. The exhaust plumes and surrounding sound field are first visualized by way of retroreflective shadowgraphy. Radon transforms of the spatially resolved shadowgraphy images are then used to characterize the statistical behavior of the acoustic wave fronts that reside within the hydrodynamic periphery of the nozzle flow. The findings reveal quantita...