Effective Sound Absorption Research Articles

Broadband noise absorption by time-varying devices

A resonator array can broaden the effective sound absorption bandwidth by using the structure with multiple cavities in parallel or in series in space. However, this kind of fixed mechanical structure cannot flexibly adapt to different noise sources, which severely limits the development prospect of the resonator array in practical applications. In this paper, a time-varying resonator is proposed based on a shunted electrical circuit, realizing the equivalent effect of multi-cavities in space. Based on the working principle of spatial and temporal resonators, the theoretical models are established, and the three designs for achieving broadband effects are analyzed theoretically. Through time-domain numerical calculation, the sound absorption performance of the two spatial designs and the temporal design with the same cavity volume is obtained. This study focuses on the scheme design and performance optimization of the temporal resonator. Compared with the traditional spatial resonator, the proposed temporal resonator has the advantages of tunable frequency and high adaptability to varying sources while achieving similar or even better sound absorption performance.

Sound absorption performance of micro-perforated plate sandwich structure based on triply periodic minimal surface

The sandwich structure based on Triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) is a lightweight and high-strength multifunctional composite material that combines the versatility of heat exchange, impact resistance, and energy absorption, and has been widely used in various fields such as aviation and aerospace. However, its sound absorption performance has not meant fully studied. In this paper, a Micro-perforated plate Diamond sandwich structure (MPP-DSS) was designed based on TPMS method, which was composed of aluminum alloy solid panel, aluminum alloy macroscopically ordered porous Diamond structure and aluminum alloy micro-perforated plate. The acoustic absorption performance in low and medium frequency band was studied by impedance tube method. The results show that MPP-DSS has higher absorption coefficient and bandwidth than traditional perforated plate structure with the same structural parameters. Increasing the thickness of micro-perforated plate can improve the sound absorption capacity of MPP-DSS in the low frequency range, but the width of the sound absorption band will be narrowed accordingly. Different from the resonant sound absorption mechanism of the traditional perforated plate structure, the sound absorption mechanism of MPP-DSS is the combined effect of resonant sound absorption and friction loss sound absorption. This study broadens the versatility of the TPMS structure and can serve as a reference for the design of integrated load-bearing and sound-absorbing structures.

Simulation, measurement and optimization of sound absorption in gradient impedance fiber-based composites

In order to achieve effective noise absorption by finite thickness fiber-based materials, fiber-based composites integrating porous, resonant and damping structures were prepared in this research. Here, the effects of gradient structure, number of constituent units, nonwovens thickness and micro-perforated membrane fabric (MPMF) arrangement on the noise reduction of the composites were simulated and measured. The results showed that the gradient fiber-based composite has excellent broadband sound absorption effect. Moreover, designing the arrangement of micro-perforated structures in the composite can further improve its noise reduction coefficient (NRC). The fiber-based composite (thickness of 1.34 cm) designed by the algorithm has an NRC of 0.51, which is much higher than other noise reduction products with the same thickness. The multi-layer fiber-based composites have the advantages of strong noise reduction capability, small thickness, simple processing and low manufacturing cost, which can be flexibly applied in various noise reduction fields.

Low-frequency sound-absorbing metamaterial based on a series-parallel arrangement structure

Low-frequency noise has a long wavelength, decays very slowly, and is extremely penetrating. Traditional marine acoustic insulation materials have difficulty achieving effective control of this low-frequency noise. In this paper, a series-parallel arrangement structure of a low-frequency metamaterial is designed, which mainly comprises convoluted channels and Helmholtz cavities in series and a sandwich arrangement of multiple cells (as opposed to the traditional parallel arrangement). We use a numerical method to establish an acoustic-solid coupling model for the metamaterial, consider the influence of thermal and viscous losses on its sound absorption performance, and investigate the sound absorption characteristics and mechanisms of the single-cell and multicell structures. The metamaterial designed in this paper shows an average absorption coefficient of 0.97 in the range of 130–145 Hz. An experimental model was prepared by 3D printing, and the intended sound absorption effect was experimentally verified.

A composite acoustic black hole for ultra-low-frequency and ultra-broad-band sound wave control

Achieving ultra-low and ultra-broad-band sound absorption and full-band sound insulation is a major challenge. Here, we propose a composite structure of a multilayer micro-perforated plate and acoustic black holes to achieve this purpose. Combining the stable sound absorption effect of the multilayer micro-perforated plate in the full frequency band and the sound insulation effect of the acoustic black hole in the low frequency and the excellent sound absorption effect in the high frequency, the excellent sound control effect of 600–3150 Hz absorption coefficient greater than 0.8 and 100–3150 Hz sound transmission loss greater than 50 dB is achieved. The acoustic properties of different components and different acoustic black hole outlet were evaluated by finite element method, and the principles of sound absorption and insulation of the composite structure were elaborated. Finally, the results of finite element method are verified by impedance tube experiments. This work can make further progress in elucidating the acoustic properties of the ABH and open up new avenues in the control of ultra-low and ultra-wide frequency acoustic waves.

Preparation and sound absorption properties of multi-layer composites formed by waste polyphenylene sulfide filters

Composite materials with multi-layer structure were prepared by combining polyurethane film and waste polyphenylene sulfide filters by hot melting, which could be used as sound-absorbing materials to contribute to the noise control and reutilization of industrial waste. The structure, mechanical property, pore size distribution and stability of waste polyphenylene sulfide filters were investigated and could directly affect the quality of recycled products. The effects of layer numbers, layering sequence and polyurethane film thickness on sound absorption and insulation properties were also analyzed using an impedance tube absorption test system. The results showed that multi-layer materials had a better sound absorption effect than single-layer polyphenylene sulfide filters at low frequency. The sound absorption coefficients of the single-layer sample was only 0.081 at 1000 Hz, while the sound absorption coefficients of the five-layer sample could reach 0.26. The sound absorption properties of multi-layer materials were slightly affected by layering sequence, but polyurethane film thickness had a significant effect on sound absorption properties. The α of the SUS1 and USU1 samples were 0.151 and 0.170, while the α of the SUS3 and USU3 samples were only 0.076 and 0.056, respectively. Meanwhile, the sound insulation properties of multi-layer materials could be significantly influenced by the polyurethane film position. The sound transmission loss of the SUSUSU3 sample was just 32.83 dB, whereas that of the USUSU3 sample could reach 47.94 dB. Moreover, when polyurethane film was located on the sound facing side of multi-layer materials, the increase in polyurethane film thickness could cause the average sound reduction index of the USUSU sample to increase from 28.76 dB to 47.94 dB.

Noise Reduction in Helicopter Cabins Using Microperforated Panel Composite Sound Absorption Structures

The high level of noise in helicopter cabins considerably compromises the comfort and safety of the pilot and passengers. To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of microperforated panel composite sound absorption structures for noise suppression in helicopter cabins, simulation and experimental studies were conducted on a model of a light helicopter cabin. First, three microperforated composite sound absorption structures for the helicopter cabin wall panel were designed. Then, a finite element model of the main gear/body acoustic vibration coupling was established to obtain the target frequencies of the microperforated composite sound absorption structures; the acoustic effect was verified via simulation. Finally, a model helicopter cabin equipped with the three microperforated composite sound absorption structures was built, and a cabin noise test was performed. The test results showed that the combined microperforated panel acoustic structure and microperforated panel–porous material composite structure realized an overall cabin sound pressure level attenuation of 8–10 dB, on average, in a wide frequency range of 500–2000 Hz, with an amplitude of more than 20 dB. The microperforated panel–acoustic supermaterial composite structure achieved low-frequency sound absorption in the frequency range of 300–450 Hz. The sound absorption effect reached 50%, and it also exhibited good noise reduction effects in the middle- and high-frequency bands.

Sound absorption performance based on auxetic microstructure model: A parametric study

With the increasing prominence and complexity of environmental noise problems, there is an urgent need for novel acoustic materials to meet noise reduction requirements. In this paper, two auxetic microstructures and three typical lattice microstructures are established, and a microscopic-macroscopic acoustic performance study scheme is established through the Johnson-Champoux-Allard-Pride-Lafarge (JCAPL) model. Auxetic-BCC porous materials have lower acoustic resistance and reactance amplitudes than many typical porous materials through experimental verification and comparative analysis of numerical calculations. The porous material's thickness and the backing cavity's thickness have similar effects on sound absorption performance when controlling a single change in structural parameters, and there is an optimum thickness. As acoustic resistance and reactance are dominant at low and high frequencies, respectively, noise reduction is better at low (high) frequencies than at minor (large) porosity, and the porosity of 76.4%–82.0% has the best sound absorption effect. Changes in prism length of materials with high porosity are more sensitive than those with low porosity, so the prism length with porosity of 76.4%, 79.0%, and 82.6% shall be designed to be less than 1.1 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.8 mm, respectively. This study provides theoretical guidance for designing multifunctional porous materials in extreme environments.

Superior broadband sound absorption in hierarchical ultralight graphene oxide aerogels achieved through emulsion freeze-casting

Ultra-lightweight aerogels have profound applications as advanced multi-functional sound-absorbing materials. At present, conventional aerogels are associated with pores with sizes too small for effective sound absorption in the audible range. In this work, we fabricated a hierarchically porous ultralight graphene oxide (GO) aerogel through a novel emulsion freeze-casting process of an air-in-water emulsion. Microstructural analysis of the aerogels reveals a hierarchical pore morphology consisting of highly inter-connected pores produced from the emulsion bubbles and the micro-pores produced by freeze-casting. Sound absorption measurements revealed that an aerogel with a surfactant-to-GO weight ratio of 1:1 displays an average absorption coefficient of up to 0.86 at a broadband frequency range between 250 Hz and 6300 Hz, a vast improvement by up to 58% as compared to conventional GO aerogels. Numerical microstructural models were developed to model the acoustic absorption phenomenon and understand the mechanisms behind enhanced sound absorption. These models identified the enhanced acoustic absorption as attributed to the increased air-wetting area as derived from the high reticulation rate in this hierarchical microstructure. Overall, we demonstrate the potential of leveraging the highly inter-dependent material-process-structure relationships of GO aerogel production to achieve hierarchical GO aerogels as advanced ultralight sound-absorbing materials.

A modified sonic black hole structure for improving and broadening sound absorption

In order to improve and broaden the absorption performance of Sonic Black Hole (SBH), we propose a modified SBH structure with micro-perforated panels which is embedded the multiple resonator cavities, and investigate the sound absorption effect of the structure. Characteristics of acoustic streaming effects are embodied in sound pressure and flow velocity distribution. Further, proposed SBH structure can achieve high sound absorption under 6.0 kHz. Based on the symmetry of the structure, the Two-dimensional axisymmetric Finite Element Method (FEM) model is proposed to study the sound absorption mechanism, which shows that the change of flow velocity gradient of acoustic medium leads to the loss of acoustic energy inside the structure. By discussion on acoustic streaming effects of different frequencies, the resonator cavity and micro-perforated panels contributes more to the sound absorption performance at low frequencies, and SBH produces a sound absorption advantage at high frequencies.The theoretical calculation and simulation result match and prove the correctness of the sound streaming effect. Sound absorption tests by acoustic impedance tube confirm that the proposed structure can maintain a sound absorption coefficient of over 0.5 in the range of 0.05–6.0 kHz. The combination of micro-perforated panels and SBH structure is widely applicable to muffler design and has good application prospects.

Study on Sound Absorption Performance of Aluminum Foam Combination

Aluminum foam is a kind of new material with a large number of holes distributed in aluminum alloy. It has the characteristics of lightweight, sound absorption, energy absorption and vibration reduction, and other porous materials. Aluminum foam has good acoustic performance. However, its excellent sound absorption ability is only reflected in the middle and high-frequency bands. Besides, the low-frequency sound absorption ability is very poor and the frequency band is narrow. Therefore, in this paper, different types of perforated aluminum foams with different parameters are combined to explore the influence on acoustic performance and find that the combination of large porosity perforated sample and aluminum foam has a better sound absorption effect. The unperforated sample is placed in front of the perforated sample to improve the sound absorption coefficient of the low and medium frequencies. Finally, different types of perforated aluminum foam samples were properly combined, and it was found through the test that almost all sound waves in the band of 1200 HZ~2000 Hz could be absorbed by the combined structure.

Flame-retardant, ultralight, and superelastic electrospun fiber sponges for effective sound absorption

Traffic noise does great harm to the physical and mental health of humans, which has become the main source of noise pollution, making sound absorption materials highly in demand. Fibrous sound-absorbing materials are widely used in controlling traffic noise pollution; nevertheless, due to the monotonic internal structure and large fiber diameter, they suffer poor mechanical properties and sound absorption performance. Herein, we develop a credible way to create flame-retardant fibrous sound absorption sponges by humidity-assisted electrospinning and an in-situ crosslinking approach. The obtained fibrous sponges possess outstanding superelastic and hydrophobic properties. Most importantly, fluffy fiber networks endow sponges with good low-frequency sound-absorbing properties (noise reduction coefficient or NRC of 0.51) and lightweight features (density of 9 mg cm−3) compared with commercial and reported sound-absorbing materials. This work will shed light on future research in developing excellent sound-absorbing materials.

Enhancement of sound absorption performance of Helmholtz resonators by space division and chamber grouping

Sound absorption performance of the Helmholtz resonator was enhanced by space division and chamber grouping in this research, which aimed to achieve high sound absorption coefficient and broad absorption band simultaneously. Based on acoustic finite element simulation, it could be found that the effective sound absorption frequency band of multiple divided Helmholtz resonators shifted to high frequency direction and the effective absorption bandwidth rose gradually with the increase of division number Ns from 1 to 24, and the effective sound absorption band of multiple divided and grouped Helmholtz resonators with the certain division number Ns would shift to the high frequency direction gradually and its width was improved normally with the increase of grouping number Gs. Moreover, the multiple divided and grouped Helmholtz resonators with division number Ns = 18 and grouping number Gs = 6 was optimized for the certain practical demand, and the optimal geometric parameters were obtained by the joint simulation method incorporating the finite element simulation and the cuckoo search algorithm. Furthermore, its actual sound absorption coefficients were obtained through sample fabrication by the additive manufacturing and standing wave tube measurement by the AWA6290T, and all the actual sound absorption coefficients in 400–800 Hz were above 0.8 and the average value in this range was up to 0.8729 with limited total thickness of 40 mm. Enhancement of the sound absorption performance of multiple divided and grouped Helmholtz resonators would be favorable to promote the practical applications of acoustic metamaterials in the noise reduction field.

Design and optimization of lightweight porous damping treatments

Here, it is shown that properly-designed limp porous materials such as fibrous layers can provide damping equivalent to conventional viscoelastic dampers while providing advantages such as light weight and effective sound absorption. This then allows porous layers to be used as multi-functional noise and vibration control solutions in automotive and aerospace applications. It has also been found that the addition of bulk elasticity to the solid phase of the porous medium is beneficial since it improves damping performance compared to equivalent limp treatments. In this study, porous media, such as fibers and foams, were designed to serve as treatments for various vibrating structures to examine their damping effectiveness. Both analytical modeling and numerical simulation based on finite element methods were involved depending on the complexity of the structure. Specifically, a Fourier transform-based computational method was introduced as the key step to realize the accurate prediction of a panel’s spatial response based on its wavenumber-frequency spectrum. Then, parametric studies were conducted on a porous layer to identify the optimal bulk properties that would allow the layer to provide the largest possible damping within the target frequency region. Finally, design concepts for achieving the maximum damping potential of porous layers are summarized.

AN EXPERIMENT ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND EFFECTS OF SOUND ABSORPTION ON COGNITIVE TASK PERFORMANCE

In recent years, it has become known that children with developmental disabilities have hearing-related difficulties in the learning environment. In this study, we investigated the influence of ambient sound as background noise on the performance of four different cognitive tasks by subjects with developmental disability characteristics, and whether this was mitigated by the sound absorption of the room. The results showed that subjects with developmental disability characteristics tended to score relatively higher on some cognitive tasks under conditions where sound-absorbing material was installed. While further investigation is needed, the results suggest a positive effect of sound absorption.

Study on the Low-Frequency and Broadband Sound Absorption Performance of an Underwater Anechoic Layer with Novel Design

To further improve the low-frequency broadband sound absorption capability of the underwater anechoic layer (UAL) on the surface of marine equipment, a novel sound absorption structure with cavities (NSSC) is designed by adding resonators and honeycombs to the traditional sound absorption structure with cavities (SSC). Based on the principle of shear dissipation, the original intention of the design is to allow more parts of the viscoelastic material to participate the dissipation of acoustic energy. The approximate multilayer sound absorption theoretical model based on the modified transfer matrix method is used to verify the accuracy of finite element calculations. In the frequency range of 1100 Hz–10,000 Hz, the sound absorption coefficient (α) of NSSC can reach 0.8. The effects of the presence and size of cylindrical oscillators and honeycomb structures on sound absorption are discussed in detail. The results show that expanding the effective sound absorption range of the damping area of the structure is the key to improve the wideband sound absorption effect. This design concept could guide the structural design of the UAL.

Multilayer structures for high-intensity sound energy absorption in low-frequency range

Although small-amplitude sound absorption problems have been comprehensively studied over the past decades, the high-intensity sound absorption problem in the low-frequency range remains unresolved. This paper is concerned with the design of a multilayer structure consisting of a main pore and hierarchical absorption layers to realize perfect absorption of high-intensity sound energy in the low-frequency range. The multilayer structure has enhanced energy dissipation ability in the high-intensity noise excitation environment due to vortex shedding in the sub-slits of the structure. An analytical model based on the equivalent fluid method is established for computing the nonlinear sound absorption coefficient of the structure. Effects of geometrical parameters on the sound absorption coefficient of the multilayer structure are investigated. It is found that under high-intensity sound excitation (e.g., 140 dB), the resistance of the multilayer structure grows along with the sound amplitude and renders a higher absorption coefficient, leading to great sound energy attenuation for high-intensity acoustic waves. The effective sound absorption coefficient of the designed structure is also studied by experiments based on an impedance tube. Noise reduction of a scaled-down payload fairing equipped with multilayer structures is investigated by experiments in a high-intensity sound pressure reverberation chamber in order to confirm the great noise control performance of the proposed structure. The results show that the sound pressure levels inside the fairing can be significantly suppressed by the multilayer structure in broadband, and the maximum reduction of the average sound pressure level is more than 17.5 dB.

A field experiment on the effect of sound absorption installed to a highly reverberant preschool classroom

Japanese national or local governments have not published any standard for acoustic performance of classrooms and this is reflected by the rare consideration of sound absorption in classrooms. A preschool classroom, targeted in this study, was found to be highly reverberant (V = 200 m³, RT = 1.0 s at 1 kHz) because the room was originally an outdoor space of ground floor pilotis and converted into a classroom by constructing concrete walls between the columns with the fire-resistant hard ceiling panels remained. The author proposed a temporary installation of sound absorbing material and to conduct a field experiment to examine and experience the effect of sound absorption. Sound absorbing felt was attached on the ceiling and the walls to reduce the RT to 0.5 s. By this, the slope of doubled distance reduction increased from 1.1 dB to 2.5 dB, which should mitigate the confusion of speech by children in the room. The result of sound level monitoring indicated 6.8 dB decrease at 1-2 kHz in the absorbed condition, which is greater than the 3.8 dB decrease measured in the unoccupied condition using a loudspeaker source, implying 2.9 dB decrease of the voice of the children.

Programmable time-serial resonances for broadband spectrum matching

Spatially parallel and cascading acoustic liners are commonly used to treat duct noise. Their performance depends on the spectral match with source characteristics. Such liners rely on subtle geometrical and mechanical designs which are not difficult to adapt to different noise sources in a passive device. Here, we propose a temporal analogy, which is a shunted electromechanical diaphragm (SEMD) having different resonant frequencies in different time segments, namely, a time-serial resonator. Its sound absorption spectrum can be easily adapted by a program and yet the device functions passively. The acoustic impedance of the SEMD is determined by the shunt circuit, hence its resonant frequency and absorption peak. A multiple set of branch circuits are used to shunt the diaphragm. A MOSFET, which is a voltage-controlled ultrafast electronic switch, is introduced to cascade and switch each circuit branch. By activating circuit branches in a pre-defined time sequence, we obtain a series of resonance and the absorption which are effective for specific frequency bands at different time segments. When viewed over a long period, the averaged effective sound absorption spectrum is broadened and can be easily shaped by the working duty cycle of each circuit branch. Note that the switching voltage changes the circuit states without supplying power to the SEMD. Both numerical results and experimental demonstrations are presented. This study would open the new era of temporal design of acoustic liners.

Mathematical Model for Estimating the Sound Absorption Coefficient in Grid Network Structures.

Although grid network structures are often not necessarily intended to absorb sound, the gaps between the rods that make up the grid network are expected to have a sound absorption effect. In this study, the one-dimensional transfer matrix method was used to develop a simple mathematical model for accurately estimating the sound absorption coefficient of a grid network structure. The gaps in the grid network structure were approximated as the clearance between two parallel planes, and analysis units were derived to consider the exact geometry of the layers. The characteristic impedance and propagation constant were determined for the approximated gaps and treated as a one-dimensional transfer matrix. The transfer matrix obtained for each layer was used to calculate the sound absorption coefficient. The samples were fabricated from light-curing resin by using a Form2 3D printer from Formlabs. The measurement results showed that a sound absorption coefficient of 0.81 was obtained at the peak when seven layers were stacked. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to investigate the influence of the rod diameter and pitch. The simulated values tended to be close to the experimental values. The above results indicate that the mathematical model used to calculate the sound absorption coefficient is sufficiently accurate to predict the sound absorption coefficient for practical application.