Toward an adjustable nonlinear low frequency acoustic absorber

A study of the targeted energy transfer (TET) phenomenon between an acoustic resonator and a thin viscoelastic membrane has recently been presented in the paper [R. Bellet et al., Experimental study of targeted energy transfer from an acoustic system to a nonlinear membrane absorber, Journal of Sound and Vibration 329 (2010) 2768–2791], providing a new path to passive sound control in the low frequency domain where no efficient dissipative device exists. This paper presents experimental results showing that a loudspeaker used as a suspended piston working outside its range of linearity can also be used as a nonlinear acoustic absorber. The main advantage of this technology of absorber is the perspective to adjust independently the device parameters (mass, nonlinear stiffness and damping) according to the operational conditions. To achieve this purpose, quasi-static and dynamic tests have been performed on three types of commercial devices (one with structural modifications), in order to define the constructive characteristics that it should present. An experimental setup has been developed using a one-dimensional acoustic linear system coupled through a box (acting as a weak spring) to a loudspeaker used as a suspended piston acting as an essentially nonlinear oscillator. The tests carried out on the whole vibro-acoustic system have showed the occurrence of the acoustic TET from the acoustic media to the suspended piston and demonstrated the efficiency of this new kind of absorber at low frequencies over a wide frequency range. Moreover, the experimental analyses conducted with different NES masses have confirmed that it is possible to optimize the noise absorption with respect to the excitation level of the acoustic resonator.

Research highlights
► Experimental demonstration of acoustic target energy transfer with a loudspeaker.
► A loudspeaker working in its non linear regime can work as an acoustic absorber.
► The loudspeaker technology permits to adjust and optimize the absorber parameters.
► Passive sound control in the low frequency domain with a non linear absorber.