A High-Order Finite Element Method for the Linearised Euler Equations

Sound propagation in complex non-uniform mean flows is an important feature of turbofan exhaust noise radiation. The Linearised Euler Equations are able to represent the strong shear layer refraction effects on the sound field, as well as multiple length scales. Frequency domain solvers are suitable for tonal noise and considered a way to avoid linear instabilities, which may occur with time domain solvers. However, the classical Finite Element Method suffers from dispersion error and high memory requirements. These shortcomings are particularly critical for high frequencies and for the Linearised Euler Equations, which involve up to five unknowns. In this paper, a high-order Finite Element Method is used to solve the Linearised Euler Equations in the frequency domain in order to overcome those issues. The model involves high-order polynomial shape functions, unstructured triangular meshes, numerical stabilisation and Perfectly Matched Layers. The acoustic radiation from a straight circular semi-infinite hard-wall duct with several mean flow configurations is computed. Comparisons with analytic solutions demonstrate the method accuracy. The acoustic and vorticity waves are well represented, as well as the refraction of the sound field across the jet shear layer. The high-order approach allows to use coarse meshes, while maintaining a sufficient accuracy. The benefits in terms of memory requirements are significant when compared to standard low-order Finite Element Method.