Virtual sensors for active noise control in acoustic-structural coupled enclosures using structural sensing: part II--Optimization of structural sensor placement

The work proposed an optimization approach for structural sensor placement to improve the performance of vibro-acoustic virtual sensor for active noise control applications. The vibro-acoustic virtual sensor was designed to estimate the interior sound pressure of an acoustic-structural coupled enclosure using structural sensors. A spectral-spatial performance metric was proposed, which was used to quantify the averaged structural sensor output energy of a vibro-acoustic system excited by a spatially varying point source. It was shown that (i) the overall virtual sensing error energy was contributed additively by the modal virtual sensing error and the measurement noise energy; (ii) each of the modal virtual sensing error system was contributed by both the modal observability levels for the structural sensing and the target acoustic virtual sensing; and further (iii) the strength of each modal observability level was influenced by the modal coupling and resonance frequencies of the associated uncoupled structural/cavity modes. An optimal design of structural sensor placement was proposed to achieve sufficiently high modal observability levels for certain important panel- and cavity-controlled modes. Numerical analysis on a panel-cavity system demonstrated the importance of structural sensor placement on virtual sensing and active noise control performance, particularly for cavity-controlled modes.     

Passive and active interior noise control of box structures using the structural intensity method

This paper presents passive and active vibro-acoustic noise control methods for attenuating the interior noise level in box structures which can be an analogy of cabins of vehicle and aircraft. The structural intensity (SI) approach is adopted to identify the predominant vibration panels and interior noise sources for box structures. In the study, the finite element method is used to determine the structural vibration and structural intensity in the box surfaces. According to structural intensity vectors plot and structural intensity stream lines presentation, the possible effective control positions where the dampers may be attached and the active control forces may act to reduce vibration and interior noise, are identified. From the study, it can be demonstrated that the structural intensity approach and stream line presentation are possible methods for identifying the vibro-acoustic interior noise source and predominant panels which may be modified to reduce the interior noise level. The structural intensity methodology, passive and active noise control results can be extended to the further study of the vibration and interior noise control of actual cabins of vehicles and aircraft.     

The design of synthesized structural acoustic sensors for active control of interior noise with experimental validation

In this paper, the feasibility of using synthesized structural acoustic sensors (SSAS) for active noise control inside irregularly shaped enclosures is investigated. A SSAS consists of a cluster of inter-connected discrete PVDF elements, located on the surface of a vibrating structure enclosing a sound field. An optimal design ensures the sensor output to be directly related to the acoustical potential energy inside the enclosure. Hence, synthesized structural acoustic sensors can provide error signals for an active noise control system, and the use of microphones inside the enclosure can be avoided. A cylindrical shell with a floor partition, which can be used to model an aircraft cabin, is used as a test case. PZT actuators are used as control actuators. Both SISO (single input and single output) and MIMO (multi-input and multi-output) control systems are optimally designed using Genetic Algorithms and implemented with a Filtered-X Feedforward LMS (least-mean-square) controller. Their control performances are evaluated with different types of disturbances. To show the effectiveness of the optimal design approach, some non-optimal control systems are also tested and compared with the optimal one. It is shown that with optimally designed SSAS, an active structural acoustic control system can effectively reduce noise inside the enclosures without using any acoustic transducers.     

Virtual sensing for broadband noise control in a lightly damped enclosure

Available virtual sensing schemes either depend on assumptions that are valid for isolated frequencies, or require heavy online adaptations. A simple method is proposed here to predict the virtual signal exactly for broadband noise control in a lightly damped enclosure. The proposed method requires two physical sensors installed judiciously in a sound field to predict a virtual signal. The method is based on an exact mathematical relation between the virtual and physical sensors, which is valid for the entire frequency of interest. It is possible to use multiple sensor-pairs to reduce the sensitivity of the proposed method with respect to acoustic parameters, such as speed of sound or sensor mismatching. Experimental results are presented to verify the analytical results.     

复杂封闭空间结构声辐射的有源消声机制

采用两种控制目标函数,通过比较控制前后两个弹性板及空腔内声压模态坐标幅值与相角的变化,分析了复杂封闭空间结构声辐射的有源消声机制.结果表明,在一般情况下,空腔内噪声的降低是由两个弹性板的模态重组来实现;当扰动频率为顶板的一个固有频率时,有源消声则由顶板模态幅值抑制和底板模态重组的共同作用来完成.     

封闭腔体噪声控制中亥姆霍兹共振器的优化设计方法

提出用亥姆霍兹共振器控制声腔内噪声时计算共振器最优阻尼比和最优工作带宽的理论公式,并进行实验验证。首先,建立共振器与待控腔体的声学耦合方程,以最小化腔体内目标声压幅值为参考,对共振器的阻尼比和工作带宽进行理论分析,求出最优阻尼比和最优工作带宽的计算公式。接着,提出在声腔噪声控制中使用最优亥姆霍兹共振器的实施步骤。最后,以一维声学腔体内的噪声为控制对象,通过对比控制前后的理论结果与实测数据,验证最优阻尼比和最优工作带宽的理论公式。结果表明,本文开发的亥姆霍兹共振器优化设计方法能准确地预报共振器的最优阻尼比与最优工作带宽,在声腔中低频噪声控制中有广泛的应用前景。     

Reduction of radiated exterior noise from the flexible vibrating plate of a rectangular enclosure using multi-channel active control

This study attempted to control the radiated exterior noise from a rectangular enclosure in which an internal plate vibrates by acoustic excitation and noise is thus radiated from that plate. Multi-channel active control was applied to reduce the vibration and external radiation of this enclosed plate. A piezoelectric ceramic was used as a distributed actuator for multiple mode control of the vibration and radiated noise in the acoustically excited plate. To maximize the effective control, an approach was proposed for attachment the piezoelectric actuator in the optimal location. The plate and internal acoustic space in the enclosure are coupled with each other. This will change dominant frequency characteristics of the plate and, thus, those of the externally radiated noise. Active noise control was accomplished using an accelerometer attached to the plate and a microphone placed adjacent to that plate as an error sensor under acoustic excitation of sine wave and white noise. It was found that the control of radiated external radiation noise requires a microphone as an error sensor, a sound pressure sensor due to vibration of the plate, differences in the dominant frequency of externally radiated noise, and complex vibration modes of the plate.     

复杂声学环境中人耳附近空间有源降噪研究综述

复杂声学环境中人耳附近空间降噪是有源噪声控制研究的重要课题,目前采用的主要方法为有源降噪头靠(AHR)和虚拟声屏障(VSB).本文简述AHR与VSB的发展历史和研究现状,介绍其物理原理和设计方法,评述其在实际应用中的优缺点,讨论了目前存在的问题与未来相关的研究方向.已有理论、数值仿真和实验研究验证了相关技术在人耳附近空间产生静区的可行性. AHR系统需要较少控制源,系统相对简单易实现,但静区范围较小,结合虚拟传声器技术和人头跟踪技术后可实现随人头移动的静区,降噪频率可达中高频; VSB产生的静区范围较大,但控制源个数较多,系统复杂和成本高,可通过代价函数和控制源优化,以及主被动混合控制技术来提高有效降噪频率范围和减少控制源个数.     

Performance of an independent planar virtual sound barrier at the opening of a rectangular enclosure

Planar virtual sound barrier systems have been used successfully to reduce noise radiation through an opening without affecting natural ventilation and lighting. However, the complexity of a fully coupled control system grows at the rate proportional to the square of the number of channels and this make the system implementation become impractical for enclosures with large openings. To reduce the system complexity, this paper proposes an independent planar virtual sound barrier, which is a multi-channel system consisting of many independent single channel active noise control systems. Each single channel system is “independent” in the sense that the control source output of the system is updated only with the signal from its own error sensor. Based on the analytical model of sound radiation through the opening of a rectangular enclosure, the transfer functions from both primary and control sources are calculated first. Then the noise reduction performance, the stability, and the convergence behavior of both fully coupled and independent planar virtual sound barrier systems are investigated. It is found that the independent system with no control output constraint becomes inherently unstable at some frequencies; however its stability can be improved by applying some control output constraint. Reducing the number of channels and the distance between secondary loudspeakers and error microphones can also increase system stability but at the cost of smaller noise reduction. When the system is inherently stable and there is no constraint on control output, the independent system can provide the same noise reduction as the fully coupled one but with faster convergence speed.     

基于声辐射模态的有源结构声传入及其辐射控制

从辐射模态的概念和角度研究利用结构误差传感方法对弹性封闭空间结构声辐射进行传感和有源控制。首先分析了辐射模态的数学和物理意义并揭示了辐射模态与声腔模态之间的内在耦合关系。通过声辐射模态建立了弹性封闭空间结构声辐射传感和有源控制模型,并提出了通过传感器阵列测量结构表面有限点的振速分布和设计特定的辐射模态空间滤波器来获得控制所需的误差信号。在此基础上对封闭空间结构声辐射有源控制和误差传感策略进行了深入的理论和数值仿真分析,重点讨论了传感器的数量和布放对辐射模态传感及其有源控制效果的影响。结果表明:辐射模态与声腔模态的耦合具有严格的选择性,各阶辐射模态的形状和与相耦合的主导声模态在耦合面上的形状非常相似;利用结构传感技术传感封闭空间的辐射模态时测点不足或空间采样不足将可能产生较严重的模态泄漏问题,使得不希望的结构模态泄露进所测的辐射模态当中来。在低频范围内,一般只需传感并最小化前三阶有效辐射模态声势能,在更低频和空间声模态频率附近,只需最小化前一阶最有效辐射模态声势能,便能和总声势能最小化策略控制效果基本一样。     

Secondary actuation and error sensing for active acoustic structure

A typical approach to active control of sound radiation or transmission from vibrating structures involves active structural acoustic control (ASAC) and active noise control (ANC), which introduce respectively force input and compacted sound source to apply on or be close to the vibrating structure. However, for the ASAC approach, arrangement for secondary force and error sensor is heavily dependent upon the properties of the primary structure and acoustical space; for the ANC approach, a large number of compacted secondary sources are required. Hence, in this paper, based on distributed secondary sound source and near-field error sensor, active acoustic structure is proposed to construct adaptive or smart structure as a versatile module or element for controlling sound radiation or transmission at low frequencies. First, a theoretical model based on a minimization of the total sound radiation from the primary and secondary panel is established, after which, taking into consideration the relationship between the vibration modes pattern and sound radiation characteristics for secondary panels, optimal arrangement for the secondary panels is examined in detail. Finally, a near-field pressure-based error sensing approach is presented, based on two kinds of object function, and active control of sound radiation is performed.     

Noise transmission from a curved panel into a cylindrical enclosure: analysis of structural acoustic coupling

Much of the research on sound transmission through the aircraft fuselage into the interior of aircraft has considered coupling of the entire cylinder to the acoustic modes of the enclosure. Yet, much of the work on structural acoustic control of sound radiation has focused on reducing sound radiation from individual panels into an acoustic space. Research by the authors seeks to bridge this gap by considering the transmission of sound from individual panels on the fuselage to the interior of the aircraft. As part of this research, an analytical model of a curved panel, with attached piezoelectric actuators, subjected to a static pressure load was previously developed. In the present work, the analytical model is extended to consider the coupling of a curved panel to the interior acoustics of a rigid-walled cylinder. Insight gained from an accurate analytical model of the dynamics of the noise transmission from the curved panels of the fuselage into the cylindrical enclosure of an aircraft is essential to the development of feedback control systems for the control of stochastic inputs, such as turbulent boundary layer excitation. The criteria for maximal structural acoustic coupling between the modes of the curved panel and the modes of the cylindrical enclosure are studied. For panels with aspect ratios typical of those found in aircraft, results indicate that predominately axial structural modes couple most efficiently to the acoustic modes of the enclosure. The effects of the position of the curved panel on the cylinder are also studied. Structural acoustic coupling is found to not be significantly affected by varying panel position. The impact of the findings of this study on structural acoustic control design is discussed.     

外力源和外声源共同作用下复杂封闭空间的有源消声

对于具有两个弹性板的复杂封闭空间,建立了在外声源和外力源以及控制电压共同作用下有源消声系统建模的新方法。长方体封闭空间耦合系数数值计算的结果,验证了这一方法的正确性。采用全局控制和局部控制方案,进行了计算机仿真,取得了良好的消声效果。该方法拓宽了利用结构声辐射进行有源消声的范围,可适用于任意形状的封闭空间。     

A moving zone of quiet for narrowband noise in a one-dimensional duct using virtual sensing

A frequent problem in active noise control is that the zone of quiet created at the error sensor tends to be very small. This means that the error sensor generally needs to be located close to an observer's ear, which might not always be a convenient or feasible solution. Virtual sensing is a method that can move the zone of quiet away from the error sensor to a desired location that is spatially fixed. This method has been investigated previously, and has shown potential to improve the performance of an active noise control system. However, it is very likely that the desired location of the zone of quiet is not spatially fixed. An active noise control system incorporating a virtual sensing method thus has to be able to create a moving zone of quiet that tracks the observer's ears. This paper presents a method for creating a moving zone of quiet based on the LMS virtual microphone technique. To illustrate the proposed method, it is implemented in an acoustic duct and narrowband control results are presented. These results show that a moving zone of quiet was effectively created inside the duct for narrowband noise.     

Investigation of spherical loudspeaker arrays for local active control of sound

Active control of sound can be employed globally to reduce noise levels in an entire enclosure, or locally around a listener's head. Recently, spherical loudspeaker arrays have been studied as multiple-channel sources for local active control of sound, presenting the fundamental theory and several active control configurations. In this paper, important aspects of using a spherical loudspeaker array for local active control of sound are further investigated. First, the feasibility of creating sphere-shaped quiet zones away from the source is studied both theoretically and numerically, showing that these quiet zones are associated with sound amplification and poor system robustness. To mitigate the latter, the design of shell-shaped quiet zones around the source is investigated. A combination of two spherical sources is then studied with the aim of enlarging the quiet zone. The two sources are employed to generate quiet zones that surround a rigid sphere, investigating the application of active control around a listener's head. A significant improvement in performance is demonstrated in this case over a conventional headrest-type system that uses two monopole secondary sources. Finally, several simulations are presented to support the theoretical work and to demonstrate the performance and limitations of the system.     

Prediction of noise inside tracked vehicles

In this paper, numerical simulation has been used to predict the noise inside tracked vehicles. To determine the interaction forces between running track system and the chassis hull of a tracked vehicle, a rigid multi-body tracked vehicle mode, which includes the track moving system, was constructed and simulated using ADAMS software. Finite element (FE) and boundary element (BE) models of the chassis hull of a tracked vehicle were created and adopted to perform the vibro-acoustic analysis. Correlation between the FE and BE models and physical measurements proved sufficiently good that the models could be used to predict the interior noise in a tracked vehicle. The structural frequency dynamic response was determined using the software MSC/NASTRAN. The interior noise was predicted using the software SYSNOISE. The predicted noise levels in a tracked vehicle have been found to be in good agreement with physical measurements.     

Mathematical model for characterizing noise transmission into finite cylindrical structures

This work presents a theoretical study of the sound transmission into a finite cylinder under coupled structural and acoustic vibration. Particular attention of this study is focused on evaluating a dimensionless quantity, "noise reduction," for characterizing noise transmission into a small cylindrical enclosure. An analytical expression of the exterior sound pressure resulting from an oblique plane wave impinging upon the cylindrical shell is first presented, which is approximated from the exterior sound pressure for an infinite cylindrical structure. Next, the analytical solution of the interior sound pressure is computed using modal-interaction theory for the coupled structural acoustic system. These results are then used to derive the analytical formula for the noise reduction. Finally, the model is used to predict and characterize the sound transmission into a ChamberCore cylindrical structure, and the results are compared with experimental data. The effects of incidence angle and internal acoustic damping on the sound transmission into the cylinder are also parametrically studied.     

ANALYSIS OF SOUND TRANSMISSION THROUGH PERIODICALLY STIFFENED PANELS BY SPACE-HARMONIC EXPANSION METHOD

An analysis method is developed to study sound transmission characteristics of a thin plate stiffened by equally spaced line stiffeners. The dynamic equation that describes the vibro-acoustic response of the system is derived by expanding the structural and acoustic responses in terms of the space harmonics and by using the virtual energy method. The series solution can be considered as the exact solution because the structural and acoustic-structural coupling effects in the system are fully considered and the solution converges. Parameter studies are conducted for major design parameters to understand the characteristics of the system.     

Comparison of various decentralised structural and cavity feedback control strategies for transmitted noise reduction through a double panel structure

This paper compares various decentralised control strategies, including structural and acoustic actuator–sensor configuration designs, to reduce noise transmission through a double panel structure. The comparison is based on identical control stability indexes. The double panel structure consists of two panels with air in between and offers the advantages of low sound transmission at high frequencies, low heat transmission, and low weight. The double panel structure is widely used, such as in the aerospace and automotive industries. Nevertheless, the resonance of the cavity and the poor sound transmission loss at low frequencies limit the double panel's noise control performance. Applying active structural acoustic control to the panels or active noise control to the cavity has been discussed in many papers. In this paper, the resonances of the panels and the cavity are considered simultaneously to further reduce the transmitted noise through an existing double panel structure. A structural–acoustic coupled model is developed to investigate and compare various structural control and cavity control methods. Numerical analysis and real-time control results show that structural control should be applied to both panels. Three types of cavity control sources are presented and compared. The results indicate that the largest noise reduction is obtained with cavity control by loudspeakers modified to operate as incident pressure sources.