Search Results

The most common approach for measuring the transmission loss of a muffler is to determine the incident power by decomposition theory and the transmitted power by the plane wave approximation assuming an anechoic termination. Unfortunately, it is difficult to construct a fully anechoic termination. Thus, two alternative measurement approaches are considered, which do not require an anechoic termination: the two load method and the two-source method. Both methods are demonstrated on two muffler types: (1) a simple expansion chamber and (2) a double expansion chamber with an internal connecting tube. For both cases, the measured transmission losses were compared to those obtained from the boundary element method. The measured transmission losses compared well for both cases demonstrating that transmission losses can be determined reliably without an anechoic termination. It should be noted that the two-load method is the easier to employ for measuring transmission loss.

This paper examines the feasibility of using the boundary element method (BEM) and the Rayleigh integral to assess the sound radiation from engine components such as oil pans. Two oil pans, one cast aluminum and the other stamped steel, are used in the study. All numerical results are compared to running engine data obtained for each of these oil pans on a Cummins engine. Measured running-engine surface velocity data are used as input to the BEM calculations. The BEM models of the oil pains are baffled in various ways to determine the feasibility of analyzing the sound radiated from the oil pan in isolation of the engine. Two baffling conditions are considered: an infinite baffle in which the edge of the oil pan are attached to an infinite, flat surface; and a closed baffle in which the edge of the oil pan is sealed with a rigid structure. It is shown that either of these methods gives satisfactory results when compared to experiment.