Soon-Hong Park

Experimental and Computational Modal Analyses for Launch Vehicle Models considering Liquid Propellant and Flange Joints

In this research, modal tests and analyses are performed for a simplified and scaled first-stage model of a space launch vehicle using liquid propellant. This study aims to establish finite element modeling techniques for computational modal analyses by considering the liquid propellant and flange joints of launch vehicles. The modal tests measure the natural frequencies and mode shapes in the first and second lateral bending modes. As the liquid filling ratio increases, the measured frequencies decrease. In addition, as the number of flange joints increases, the measured natural frequencies increase. Computational modal analyses using the finite element method are conducted. The liquid is modeled by the virtual mass method, and the flange joints are modeled using one-dimensional spring elements along with the node-to-node connection. Comparison of the modal test results and predicted natural frequencies shows good or moderate agreement. The correlation between the modal tests and analyses establishes finite element modeling techniques for modeling the liquid propellant and flange joints of space launch vehicles.

An Empirical Acoustic Impedance Model for the Design of Acoustic Resonator with Extended Neck at a High Pressure Environment

An empirical acoustic impedance model of acoustic resonators with extended neck at a high sound pressure environment is proposed. The acoustic resonator with extended neck into its cavity is appropriate for the launcher fairing application because the length of neck does not increase the total height of the resonator. This enables one to design slim and light acoustic resonators for launch vehicles. The suggested acoustic impedance model considers the incident pressure and geometric variables(the neck length, the perforation ratio and the hole diameter) in terms of non-dimensional variables. Several acoustic resonators with extended neck are manufactured and their wall impedances are measured according to the pre-defined incident pressure levels. Effects of non-dimensional variables on the non-linear acoustic impedance are investigated so that a simple non-linear impedance model for the launcher fairing application can be proposed. It is demonstrated that the estimated acoustic resistance and acoustic length correction show reasonable agreement with the measured ones within the range of design parameters for launcher fairings.

Acoustic Analysis in the Payload Fairing of Launch Vehicle

Acoustic load from rocket propulsion system is main source of random vibration working on the payload. To protect payload from this acoustic load, additional APS(acoustic protection system) is generally applied. Noise reduction capacity of APS can be verified through acoustic test and vibro-acoustic coupled analysis. This paper compared the results of acoustic test and vibro-acoustic coupled analysis about KSLV-I payload fairing with APS.

Design of a Micro-perforated Panel Absorber at High Incident Sound Pressure

Reduction of acoustic loads of space launch vehicles can be achieved by acoustic absorbers satisfying strict cleanness requirements. This limited the use of general porous materials and requires non-porous sound absorbers. Micro-perforated panel absorbers(MPPA) is one of promising sound absorbers satisfying the cleanness requirement for launch vehicles. However, its applicability was limited to low sound pressure levels according to the acoustic impedance model of micro-perforated panels. In this paper the applicability of micro-perforated panel absorbers at high incident sound pressure was investigated in experimental ways. The absorption characteristics of a micro-perforated panel absorber was simulated according to its design variables, e.g., minute hole diameters and aperture ratios. It was shown that optimal design can be readily done by using proposed design charts. Experiments were conducted to measure acoustic properties of the designed micro-perforated panel absorbers. The results showed that acoustic resistance increases rapidly as incident sound pressure level does but change of acoustic reactance can be neglected in a practical point of view. This caused the decrease of peak value of absorption coefficient at high incident sound pressure level, but the amount of reduction can be accepted in practice. The major advantage of the micro-perforated panel absorber(wide absorption bandwidth) was still kept at high sound pressure level.

A design method of fairing acoustic noise mitigation for Korean space launcher

In this presentation, fairing acoustic protection system (APS) for Korean space launcher is introduced. The design of APS for payload fairing of KSLV-II is summarized. The current APS consists of acoustic blankets for midfrequency range absorption and acoustic resonators for low frequency noise absorption. Detailed design procedures of APS, which include external acoustic loading prediction based on the modified NASA SP-8072 monograph and fairing system vibro-acoustic analysis, are presented. An acoustic test of a cylindrical composite structure with APS is also presented. The effect of spatial correlation of external acoustic excitation on the vibro-acoustic response of fairing structure and its interior volume is discussed. The concept of future APS by using the micro-perforated panel absorber combined with Helmholtz resonators is also introduced. Effects of high pressure environment on the acoustic absorption of micro-perforated panel is discussed.

Absorption Characteristics of Micro-perforated Panel Absorber According to High Incident Pressure Magnitude and Variation of Geometric Parameters

The micro-perforated panel absorber(MPPA) is one of promising noise control elements because of its applicability to extreme environments where general porous materials cannot be used. Since the MPPA is inherently non-porous sound absorber, it can be a good candidate of acoustic protection system of a space launcher. The overall sound pressure level inside payload fairings of commercial launch vehicles is so high(around 140 dB OASPL) that the conventional linear impedance model cannot be directly applied to the design of the acoustic protection systems. In this paper an acoustic impedance models of a micro-perforated panel absorber at high sound pressure environment were reviewed and the use of the impedance on the practical design of MPPAs was addressed. The variation of absorption characteristics of MPPA was discussed according to the design parameters, e.g., perforation ratio, the minute hole diameter, the thickness of MPP and the incident sound pressure level.