Abstract:
The invention relates to devices that produce displacements and/or forces (defined as actuators), when a magnetic field source(s) is (are) placed in such a way that the resulting magnetic field is of suitable strength and orientation in relation to the actuating element made from a Magneto-Mechanical Adaptive (MMA) material, so as to produce the desired displacement of the MMA element; or to devices that dampen mechanical vibrations by absorbing the vibration energy into an MMA element and/or by converting the vibration energy into electric power in the device and/or senses displacement, velocity or acceleration. The electric energy can be dissipated to heat or led out from the device. In the latter case, the device works as a power generator. The principle of using the devices as sensors is also described. The MMA material here is defined as a material whose dimensions change when a magnetic field or stress is applied to it, based on twin boundary or austenite-martensite phase boundary motion or magnetostriction.
Abstract:
A jet engine fan noise reduction system. The noise reduction system includes active noise control to suppress fan (15) tone noise of an airplane flyover noise signature. The active noise control includes microphones (1, 11) with acoustic transducers upstream and downstream of the engine fan (15) and fan exit guide vane (16) stage to sense control system errors. Control signals are derived from the fan angular speed or blade passing frequency and the error signal sensed by the acoustic transducers. The control output signals actuate (modulate) air control valves (45) on each side of the fan stage to direct conditioned (pressure and temperature regulated) high pressure primary air flow, thereby producing acoustic cancelling of fan tone noise.
Abstract:
A device including an acoustic wave generator (10) and means (2 or 2', 4, 11) for controlling the generator (10) to transmit acoustic waves in phase opposition to the acoustic waves of the noise. Said generator (10) is an acoustic amplifier in which a pressurised fluid flow interacts with a movable obstacle (15) controlled by said means (2 or 2', 4, 11). Said generator (10) is advantageously a pneumatic loudspeaker. The device is useful for controlling noise in a harsh and/or polluting environment.
Abstract:
A method and system for reducing the acoustic levels of internal and external sound fields (23 and 24) generated by gas turbine engines (2) has several actuators to generate sound (50, 84, and 115), several sensors to measure the acoustic levels (49 and 69), and one or more controllers (113). The controllers are adaptive self-learning neural networks (112) that control the actuators to generate sound in order to effect the reduction of the internal and external sound field as measured by the sensors.