Order tracking signal processing for open rotor acoustics

Counter-rotating open rotor acoustic measurements were processed using a two-shaft Vold–Kalman order tracking filter, providing new insight into the complicated noise generation mechanisms of this type of system. The multi-shaft formulation of the Vold–Kalman filter can determine a time-accurate output of shaft order tones associated with each rotor, even as the rotation rate of the two rotors varies. This is a major improvement over the usual short time Fourier transform method for many applications. It was found that the contribution from each rotor to the individual tones varies strongly as a function of shaft order and operating condition. The order tracking filter is also demonstrated as a robust tool for separating the tonal and broadband components of a signal for which the usual shaft phase averaging methods fail.