Abstract
Barrel stave flextensional transducers are potentially useful as compact, low-frequency, high-power projectors. An equivalent circuit model that includes a higher-mode, extensional compliance is used to estimate the maximum radiated power. Because the mechanical quality factor, Q, is low (on the order of 3 or 4), the source level of such a projector is limited by the maximum electric field that the piezoelectric ring stack driver can safely handle without depolarization or significant dielectric losses (about 400 kV/m for Navy type III lead zirconate titanate). A barrel stave flextensional projector 18 cm long and 9 cm in diameter with a mass of 4.1 kg in air was tested to 200 psig (1.4 MPa) in the pressure vessel at NUSC's Dodge Pond Field Station. A source level of 194.7 dB//1 μPa-m was obtained at 1.56 kHz for an applied rms voltage of 5 kV. The projector figure-of-merit was about 14 W/kg-kHz-Q, and this number would be expected to apply to a larger, lower-frequency projector of commensurate dimensions.
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