Low-frequency Noise Reduction Research Articles

Study of the noise reduction performance of acoustic enclosures with ultra-thin bending labyrinth metasurfaces

This study proposes a bending labyrinth metasurface (BLM) that integrates an embedded aperture with bending channels. Adopting the thermal-viscous model and the transfer matrix method, a theoretical model for solving the absorption coefficient of the BLM unit was established. Adopting the complex frequency plane method (CFPM) and the principle of critical coupling, a 12-mm thick BLM unit was investigated and found to exhibit perfect absorption (absorption coefficient α > 0.95) specifically at a frequency of 562 Hz. Subsequently, to achieve low-frequency broadband noise reduction, the regulation principle of the sound absorption coefficient of the BLM unit was studied through multi-parameter variation. BLM units that can achieve perfect absorption at multiple discrete frequencies are proposed. Furthermore, to ensure the uniform discrete distribution of the perfect sound absorption frequency of the BLM unit, 12 BLM units were selected and coplanar connected in parallel to constitute panels with equal-height and variable-height BLMs. These panels exhibit highly efficient sound absorption within broadband ranges of 397–706 Hz and 307–706 Hz, respectively. Finally, five identical metasurface panels were bonded together to form a rectangular box-shaped acoustic enclosure, and the noise reduction performance of this enclosure was experimentally studied. The results indicate that within the frequency range of 200–1000 Hz, the average noise reduction improvements for acoustic enclosures with variable-height and equal-height BLMs are 8.3 and 8.2 dB, respectively, compared with the acoustic enclosure with a homogeneous double layer. The frequency range over which the noise reduction is improved matches the frequency range of efficient absorption of the BLM panels. This work provides both a theoretical reference and a practical guide for engineering applications for controlling low-frequency broadband noise in compact spaces.

Replacing diesel buses with electric buses reduced residential low frequency noise

Low frequency noise (20 - 200 Hz) from combustion engines typically dominates the indoor sound environments and is a source for annoyance and sleep disturbance. This study investigated the impact on low frequency noise when diesel operated buses were replaced by electric buses along a bus line in Gothenburg, Sweden. Noise measurements were performed indoors and outdoors for a selection of apartments directly exposed to bus traffic as well as for reference apartments, before and after the intervention. In addition, noise levels were calculated. The results show a significant reduction of the indoor low frequency noise in the range 40 - 80 Hz in the apartments directly exposed to passing buses, both during bus passages (on average 10 dB), and in one-hour measurements (on average 5 dB). The results further show that A-weighted values fail to accurately represent the reduction in noise achieved by the intervention.

Design and Application of a Lightweight Plate-Type Acoustic Metamaterial for Vehicle Interior Low-Frequency Noise Reduction

To reduce the low-frequency noise inside automobiles, a lightweight plate-type locally resonant acoustic metamaterial (LRAM) is proposed. The design method for the low-frequency bending wave bandgap of the LRAM panel was derived. Prototype LRAM panels were fabricated and tested, and the effectiveness of the bandgap design was verified by measuring the vibration transmission characteristics of the steel panels with the installed LRAM. Based on the bandgap design method, the influence of geometric and material parameters on the bandgap of the LRAM panel was investigated. The LRAM panel was installed on the inner side of the tailgate of a traditional SUV, which effectively reduced the low-frequency noise (around 34 Hz) during acceleration and constant-speed driving, improving the subjective perception of the low-frequency noise from “very unsatisfactory” to “basically satisfactory”. Furthermore, the noise reduction performance of the LRAM panel was compared with that of traditional damping panels. It was found that, with a similar installation area and lighter weight than the traditional damping panels, the LRAM panel still achieved significantly better low-frequency noise reduction, exhibiting the advantages of lightweight, superior low-frequency performance, designable bandgap and shape, and high environmental reliability, which suggests its great potential for low-frequency noise reduction in vehicles.

Noise filter using a periodic system of dual Helmholtz resonators

This study investigates noise reduction using a periodic arrangement of dual Helmholtz resonators and explores the introduction of defects within this periodic structure. The transfer matrix method was employed to carry out theoretical research. The computations of the interface response function approach results are verified, and consistent outcomes are demonstrated. The simulation results highlight the distinctive dual resonance frequencies of dual Helmholtz resonators. By differentiating dual Helmholtz resonators from traditional Helmholtz resonators, prospective applications for low-frequency noise reduction are envisioned. In this contribution, introducing defects in the middle of perfect dual Helmholtz resonators adds more value to the acoustic filter. In particular, the first neck and cavity of the defective dual Helmholtz resonator. This study shows that introducing a 2D-defect into identical dual Helmholtz resonators can improve the transmission of defect modes by taking advantage of the advantageous interaction of the resonant modes. In such arrangements, the entire structure functioned as a potent selective filter.

Numerical study of acoustic metamaterial made of Helmholtz resonators with complex necks for low frequencies noise attenuation

In this paper, an acoustic metamaterial consisting of Helmholtz resonators with complex necks is proposed for low frequency noise reduction. The resonators are made of a cavity and a complex neck, which is a periodic succession of necks with small and large diameters. The acoustic attenuation performance of the proposed metamaterial design is demonstrated using finite element method. For such a shaped neck, the sound absorption coefficient presents multiple peaks. With a succession of N small and (N - 1) large neck diameters, N peaks in the sound absorption coefficient are obtained. By increasing the number of successions, the number of peaks increases. At the peaks, the surface acoustic impedance of the metamaterial nearly matches with the characteristic impedance of the air. This makes the sound absorption coefficient being nearly 100%. Keeping the same cavity volume, we increase the number of sound absorption peaks by the complex shape of the neck, while the classic Helmholtz resonator presents only one peak.

Low-frequency Noise Reduction Mechanism and Acoustic Characteristics of the Dipole Surface Source Structure

Low-frequency Noise Reduction Mechanism and Acoustic Characteristics of the Dipole Surface Source Structure

Comprehensive analysis of band gap modulation of hexagonal fan blade and optimized ligament structure in the low-frequency range

This paper proposed a meta material model with low-frequency wide band gap and band gap tunability, optimized its structure as a multibranch chain structure, and analyzed the band gap relationship of above two models based on Brag's theorem and finite element method. Among them, the fan base structure has a band gap of 65.92 % within 20,000 Hz, and the band gap is optimized to low-frequency after the structure is optimized, and the band gap reaches 75.94 % within 10,000 Hz. The effects of the ligament width and the thickness of the center parcel layer on the band gap distribution of the structure are also discussed, and the wave transmission characteristics in the structure are explored by group and phase velocities to verify the acoustic performance of the structure. The results show that the smaller the ligament thickness is, the lower the first band gap opening frequency of the structure is; when the thickness of the central wrapping layer is increased, the structure develops the band gap at the center frequency of 3000 Hz to a lower frequency and generates an ultra-wide band gap at the center frequency of 6000 Hz. These findings can provide a new idea for low-frequency vibration isolation and noise reduction.

Low-frequency sound attenuation by coiled-up meta-liner with nonuniform cross sections under grazing flow

We report a kind of coiled-up meta-liners with nonuniform cross sections (CMNC), which can efficiently attenuate low-frequency sound waves under grazing flow with a deep subwavelength thickness (e.g., ∼λ/17 at 500 Hz). At a grazing flow Mach number of 0.26, the average transmission loss of the meta-liner is 12.6 dB at 500–1000 Hz, which is twice as much as that of a double-degree-of-freedom acoustic liner of the same size. Physically, the nonuniform cross-sectional distribution and significant cross-sectional area ratio enhances vortex shedding, thus resulting in severe acoustic energy dissipation. The excellent low-frequency acoustic attenuation performance of CMNC is investigated thoroughly with experimental, theoretical, and numerical methods. This work provides an avenue for low-frequency noise reduction in grazing flow scenarios (e.g., in a high bypass ratio turbofan engine).

Novel bow-shaped local resonance acoustic metamaterials with ultra-wide low-frequency stopband: design, modeling, and testing

This paper proposes a novel bow-spring local resonance (LR) structure featuring an exceptionally wide low-frequency stopband. Unlike traditional methods reliant on heavy mass or stiffness adjustments, this structure effectively manipulates and amplifies the dynamic characteristics of negative stiffness solely by designing parameter values for the bow-spring set. Through finite element method analysis, an ultra-wide stopband ranging from 91 to 570 Hz is achieved within the LR structure. Further modification of the connection pattern with a perforated plate extends the upper edge to 686 Hz while reducing the lower edge to 76 Hz. Most notably, within the novel bow-spring LR structure, a stopband width of 610 Hz is attained, resulting in a gap-mid gap ratio of 160.1%. The numerical and experimental results demonstrate good agreement. These findings offer a new perspective and guidelines for developing LR structures with ultra-wide low-frequency stopbands, potentially finding applications in the field of low-frequency vibration and noise reduction.

Reverse optimization design of OAM sound barrier based on acoustic metamaterials

An optimized acoustic metamaterial (OAM) railway sound barrier has been designed to address the growing noise problem in railway construction. The low-frequency broadband noise attenuation is realized by an reverse design method relying on genetic algorithm-neural network (GA-NN). Simulation results show that the OAM can perfectly cover the target frequency band from 400 Hz to 1000 Hz with a bandgap ranging from 210 Hz to 1253 Hz. Compared with the initial acoustic metamaterial (IAM), the bandgap of the OAM is widened by 1295 Hz, and the sound transmission loss is improved by 15 dB. The noise reduction performance of the OAM is verified by the experiments of the fully-enclosed impedance tube and the simulation of the acoustic field modes. The acoustic experiments of the semi-enclosed OAM sound barriers show that the noise reduction of OAM sound barriers has a low-frequency broadband noise reduction effect. Compared with the existing sound barriers, the average noise reductions of OAM sound barriers in the target frequency band and bandgap range are improved to 15.9 dB and 7.8 dB, respectively.

Simulation and Experimental Study of the Suppression of Low-Frequency Flow Noise Signals by a Placoid-Scale Skin

This paper addresses the challenge of mitigating low-frequency flow noise signals in autonomous underwater vehicles through the optimization of a placoid-scale skin. Drawing inspiration from the bio-inspired surface features of cylindrical shell structures, an enhanced design of placoid-scale skin is developed using 3D printing technology. This improved structure effectively reduced boundary layer vortices and wake intensity, thereby contributing to the suppression of low-frequency flow noise signals. Experimental results demonstrate that the notable reduction in low-frequency flow noise within the frequency range of 0–500 Hz, with average noise reduction of approximately 5 dB observed at 150 Hz. This reduction is validated by a combination of numerical simulations and experimental testing, confirming the efficacy of the optimized placoid-scale skin in attenuating the low-frequency flow noise associated with uniformly advancing turbulent boundary layers underwater.

Comparative Performance Analysis of Filtering Methods for Removing Baseline Wander Noise from an ECG Signal

ECG signals play a vital role in the diagnosis of cardiovascular conditions. However, they often suffer from the effects of various noise sources, including baseline wandering, respiratory artifact noise, power line interference and electrode motion artifacts. To overcome these challenges, it is imperative to implement low-frequency signal noise reduction strategies. Such strategies aim to significantly improve the quality of ECG signals, thus promoting more accurate and reliable diagnosis of cardiovascular disorders. This paper conducts a comparative analysis to assess the effectiveness of commonly used filtering and wavelet techniques in reducing Baseline Wander (BW) noise within ECG signals generated by the influence of breathing or electrode movements. It is common to observe the selection and evaluation of only one particular technique in the existing literature. In contrast, this study aims to provide a comprehensive comparative analysis, providing insight into the performance and relative merits of different techniques. Our research uses both filtering and Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) techniques in baseline noise removal. In this context, a reference point is established utilizing noise-free signals and a meticulous investigation of the wavelet-based approach that most effectively eliminates the resulting noise is provided. Subsequently, we assess the reference input and output signal via Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistical test measurements. The most important contribution of this work to the scientific community resides in the comprehensive examination of IIR/FIR-based and wavelet method-based filtering methods capable of yielding the highest SNR levels across various ECG signals with various types of BW noise. Additionally, the effectiveness of the Chebychev-II filter in BW noise removal is highlighted. Our study was conducted using the MATLAB platform and code command lines were shared to facilitate the reproduction of our study by other researchers. It is considered that this study will be an important reference in the selection of effective techniques for removing BW noise within ECG signals.

Ultra-thin ventilated metasurface pipeline coating for broadband noise reduction✰

This paper proposes a method of designing a metasurface muffling coating for pipeline ventilation and noise reduction, which realises low-frequency broadband noise reduction by laying ultra-thin labyrinth-channel acoustic absorbing metasurface structures on the inner wall surface of the pipeline. With the advantage of relatively loose size constraints in the length direction of the fluid conveying pipeline, the thickness dimensions required for low-frequency broadband sound absorption are transferred to the length direction, which significantly increases the effective ventilation area, and the ventilatable area is as high as 55.5 % of the overall structural section area. Since sound waves can be gradually attenuated in the pipeline as the fluid medium flows along the length of the pipeline rather than needing to be attenuated at the same time as in a flat plate acoustic structure, the performance requirements of the acoustic structure are substantially reduced, enabling a significant increase in the operating bandwidth. We have tried the arrangement method of coating layers with gradient thickness, which shows that the combination of different thicknesses of metasurface coating layers can broaden the muffling frequency band and improve the transmission loss of the muffling structure. The design is equally suitable for the noise reduction of liquid-filled piping systems, and the peak transmission loss can be as high as 54.6 dB, which represents a pleasing combination of low-frequency muffling and lightweight design, as well as excellent ventilation capability, and embraces a promising future for application.

Band gap characteristics of bionic acoustic metamaterials based on spider web

For the purpose of low-frequency vibration isolation and noise reduction, combined with the nested mode of spider web, a new concave star bionic acoustic metamaterial was proposed in this paper. Based on the finite element method (FEM) and Bloch theory, the effects of vertex connection mode, nesting level (n), and rotation angle (α) on the band gap distribution, transmission spectrum, and isofrequency line of concave star structure were discussed. The results showed that the two-dimensional (2D) concave star structure had the lowest opening frequency of the first band gap when the vertices coincide and n = 3; when α = 45°, the three-dimensional (3D) concave star structure had the widest band gap distribution and the lowest first band gap in the frequency range within 1000 Hz. The correctness of the simulation results was verified by experiments. These findings can provide a new idea for low-frequency vibration isolation and noise reduction.

Geometric design and performance analysis of a foldcore sandwich acoustic metastructure for tunable low-frequency sound absorption

Acoustic metamaterial structures have received extensive attention for sound and vibration engineering applications from the scientific community in recent years. However, the real-life application of conventional acoustic metamaterial structures is frequently limited by fixed frequency bands and increased structural thicknesses in low-frequency noise reduction. In this study, we introduce an origami-based acoustic metamaterial structure that consists of a Miura-ori foldcore, along with a perforated and an unperforated panel. The proposed Miura-ori foldcore sandwich acoustic metastructure (MOF-SAM) exhibits adjustable low-frequency sound absorption capacities due to the foldability of the origami foldcore. Moreover, we employ numerical methods to investigate the sound absorption properties of the MOF-SAM, quantified by the sound absorption coefficient. The results indicate that the structure has a single absorption peak which is superior to that of acoustic structures composed of conventional honeycomb cores. The dissipation of acoustic energy is due to the structural vibrations of the metastructure and the losses in the folding process of the origami foldcore. The numerical results of this study show that the proposed sound absorption mechanism enables tunable low-frequency sound absorption. The geometric design and periodicity of the origami unit fragments offer multiple distinct absorption peaks and thus tunable acoustic performance. These findings of this study are expected to inspire novel designs for next-generation acoustic devices.

Development of a weather robust microphone configuration for sonic boom measurments

This paper discusses ongoing development and testing of ground-based, weather-robust microphone measurement systems in conjunction with preparation for community testing of NASA's X-59 low-boom aircraft. Prior efforts [Anderson et al., Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 42, 040005 (2022)] resulted in the refinement of a ground-plate setup by investigating varied windscreen and plate diameter and thickness. The most recent goal has been to make the setup more compact and easier to manufacture. This paper discusses the results of additional tests performed on updated designs meant to find the balance between compactness and performance. Anechoic chamber testing was performed to show ground plate and windscreen performance and to compared results against prior versions. Outdoor tests included measurements during different wind conditions and over different ground surfaces to examine low-frequency wind noise reduction and ground impedance effects. Results discussed during the presentation suggest the new design strikes an acceptable compromise between compactness, manufacturing ease and robustness, and performance. [Work supported by NASA Langley Research Center through Analytical Mechanics Associates]

Membrane-type acoustic meta-material-based low-frequency noise reduction design and verification for transformers

In order to effectively reduce the radiated transformer noise, high sound insulation membrane-type acoustic meta-materials is designed based on CAE method and the main noise reduction frequency is typical 100Hz to make the maximum noise reduction of transformer. After a scale-reduced 500kV transformer semi an-echoic room noise tests comparison, the results show that the membrane-type acoustic meta-materials effectively suppressed the tonal noise of the transformer, providing a solid application foundation for the noise reduction design of transformer in the future.

Non-contact electromagnetic controlled metamaterial beams for low-frequency vibration suppression

To address the challenge of suppressing extremely-low frequency vibration and noise in precision instruments and equipment, a novel non-contact metamaterial beams is proposed in this paper. The resonators of the metamaterial beams integrate negative stiffness mechanism and electromagnetic damping tuning system. Based on the magnetic dipole theory and the electromagnetic induction law, the mechanical model of magnetic resonator is established. The band structure and transmission spectrum of the metamaterial beams are obtained by transfer matrix method. Besides, the results of numerical simulations are used to verify the accuracy of theoretical results. The result shows that the negative stiffness can be controlled by nonlinear magnetic force among the magnets. Based on this mechanism, the bandgap frequency can be reduced to a minimum of 50Hz. Then, the method of combining electromagnetic damping and negative impedance circuit is proposed to form a tuning system which can reduce the initial frequency of the bandgap to 4Hz. Interestingly, the proposed bandgap control mechanism achieves the extremely-low bandgap while broadens the bandwidth relatively, which overcomes the deficiency of traditional quasi-zero-stiffness metamaterials that reduce the bandgap frequency while causing the bandwidth to narrow. This study is expected to provide valuable ideas for the application of metamaterials in the field of low-frequency vibration and noise reduction.

Reduction of Low Frequency Noise of Buried Channel PMOSFETs With Retrograde Counter Doping Profiles

Reduction of Low Frequency Noise of Buried Channel PMOSFETs With Retrograde Counter Doping Profiles

Noise reduction through a waveguide structure consisting of expansion chambers with a geometrical defect

Noise control helps to make working environments safer and keep operations in line with health and safety standards. Exhaust noise is the main component of noise pollution in urban environments. In this paper, we focus on noise control by improving acoustic attenuation performance using a one-dimensional waveguide structure composed of simple periodic expansion chambers with a geometric defect. This defect is located at the center of the periodic structure and results from a modification in the length of the central chamber of the system. The objective is to study the properties of acoustic transmission and transmission loss and to examine the effect of defects in a periodic acoustic structure. The system’s spatial periodicity enables us to design wide band gaps where sound waves cannot propagate. This characteristic is very important for reducing noise in our environment. The effect of the cross-sectional ratio on the band gap behavior was also examined in this work. In addition, we have shown that the presence of a defect in a regular structure leads to a perturbation of the structure’s spatial periodicity. This leads to the creation of defect modes or resonance modes in the band gaps. We also controlled the number and amplitude of defect peaks within the band gap by varying the length of the defect. The results of this work are of interest for various applications, such as the creation of wide acoustic bands, low-frequency noise reduction, and acoustic wave filtering.