Turbulent Pressure Spectra for Separated Flow Conditions

The magnitude of the turbulent pressure spectrum in fluid flow over an obstruction is usually much larger than in attached flow over a smooth surface. External features on a vehicle, such as windshield wipers, side mirrors and pillars which cause flow separation, are a major source of wind noise. The modeling of the pressure spectrum in separated flow is important for designing quiet vehicles. In this study wind tunnel tests have been performed with different shaped obstructions to measure and correlate the surface pressure spectra with flow parameters such as the pressure coefficient and separation size. The model by Chase for attached turbulent boundary layer pressures is generalized to apply to separated flow conditions.