A Design Method for Vibration and Acoustic Reduction of the Power System in an Underwater Automobile Glider

Abstract

Underwater automobile gliders (AUGs) are new underwater vehicles, that should have lightweight structures with low vibration and acoustic characteristics due to their working conditions. This paper proposes a design method for vibration and acoustic reduction of the power system in an AUG by using the stand-off layer perforated viscoelastic material (SOL-PVEM) damping treatment with lightweight characteristics. The finite element method is used to calculate the vibration characteristics and modal loss factors of the plates with different SOL-PVEM damping treatments. The influence of the perforation of the damping layer on the modal loss factor is investigated. Then, the structure and acoustic coupling of finite element models of the power system with the SOL-VEM and SOL-PVEM damping treatments are established. The vibration acceleration, sound power, and sound pressure directivity of the power system of the AUG coated with the two proposed damping treatments are analyzed respectively. The results show that the vibration and acoustic responses of the power system can be effectively reduced by using the proposed lightweight SOL-PVEM damping treatment.