Computational Aeroacoustic Analysis of a Generic Side View Mirror

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of the transient flow-field around a generic side view mirror shape are presented that provide insight into the wind noise generated by the mirror. The generic mirror shape consists of half a cylinder, 0.2 m in diameter and length, topped with a quarter of a sphere of the same diameter. The transient flow past the generic side view mirror is simulated using the commercial CFD code Fluent with the LES turbulence model.

A flow velocity of 200 km/hr is considered which correspond to a Reynolds number of 7 × 10⁵. Detailed velocity vectors and contour plots of the time-varying velocity and pressure fields are presented along cut-planes in the flow-field. Mean and transient pressure are also monitored at several points in the flow field and compared to corresponding experimentally data published in literature. The results are also compared with predictions made using the Ffowcs-Williams-Hawkins acoustic analogy.