An explicit, analytical, multiple-scales solution for modal sound transmission through
slowly varying ducts with mean flow and acoustic lining is tested against a numerical
finite-element solution solving the same potential flow equations. The test geometry
taken is representative of a high-bypass turbofan aircraft engine, with typical Mach
numbers of 0.5–0.7, circumferential mode numbers m of 10–40, dimensionless wavenumbers of
10–50, and both hard and acoustically treated inlet walls of impedance
Z = 2 − i. Of special interest is the presence of the spinner, which incorporates a
geometrical complexity which could previously only be handled by fully numerical
solutions. The results for predicted power attenuation loss show in general a very good
agreement. The results for iso-pressure contour plots compare quite well in the cases
where scattering into many higher radial modes can occur easily (high frequency, low
angular mode), and again a very good agreement in the other cases.