ee sand pmerol SW. stn petleveSPL dre caer aes owe mindz ae Conran psn ind arly omen snd a any eel ag Ton' Compare Sound power, Sound pressure, and Sound inten: a distance from the sound source “Sound Power Level SWI jound Pressure level SPL”, and "Sound Intensity Level SIL" are different quantities which should not be confused. Sound emission is defined as the sound power, which is continuously emitted from a sound source. The total sound energy emitted by a source per unit time is the sound power. {All share as level the same unit of measure: the decibel (dB). The term "sound lever" is commonly substituted for each. ‘As characteristic impedance of alr we use the round value Z = 400 N-sim? (Pa-sim) ‘Then the “sound level", that is the sound pressure level Zp and the sound intensity level /11s exactly the same as a decibel value, ‘The sound power or acoustic power is the sound energy constantly transfered per second from the sound source. A sound source has a given constant sound power that does not chai is placed in a different room environment. Sound power is a theoretical value that is not measurable. Its calculated and, ‘expressed in watts and as sound power level Lw in decibels. ‘A-sound source produces sound power and this generates a sound pressure fluctuation in the air. Sound power is the distance independent cause of this, whereas sound pressure is the distance-dependent effect. Conversion of Sound Power Level to Sound Level a |‘Spor nl SW andi praia SPL daca amp et power en aac i Con tunes and ey cn al any alan ‘Sound power lovel (SWL) Ly AO dB Directvity factor off Distance to sound source r> ~~ 7 1 cakalate Sound pressure level (SPL) L, 5948547626559 48 i Baty NOteg| [Atr=1 meter distance, the sound pressure level (SPL) of point source is 11 dB less than its sound power level (SWL), when @ = 4, the full sphere propagation is given, For 0= 1 (full sphere propagation) the sound power level is equal to sound pressure level or intensity level at the flistance of r = 0.2821 m from the source. Conversion of Sound Level to Sound Power Level ‘Sound pressure level (SPL) Zp fia 4B Directivty factor Off Distance to sound source rf m |_seset_] + _caleslato | Sound power level (SWL) Ly] [9 sand pmerol SW. an petleveSPL dre angrier mindz ae Cnr sand pane ind arly omen snd a aye og pressure is the distance-dependent effect. Sound intensity, distance, and sound power at @ Intensity fim 1 Power Pay OSC Power Puc fi SSO Distance r PZEZOBATET —m | Distance P2A2OGATIT —m | Intensity [70 Wine | ' ees : Power c[ |W Intanaty [Wim 1 stance [dm ont 1 J eseuate :|Soundintensity I = Itis often stated that sound pressure level = SPL, sound intensity level = SIL and sound power level = SWL are not comparable. SPL is measured in pascals = Nim?, sound intensity is energy measured in \Wim?, and sound power is measured in watts? Its little known that the sound power level (without (}) distance r) is the same as the soundee sand pmerol SW. at pestleveSPL dre cane aeie owertindaarce ae Cnr aond psn ind rly amet snd a any og pressure level and the sound intensity levelat full sphere propagation (= 1) at a distance from the sound source r= 0.2821 m. 4 watt of sound power= 120 6B Sound intensity at r= 0.2821 m: Pye = 4 watt/ (4 * 2) = 1 wat that means (4 * 2 10 «og (110""2) = 120 48 ‘Sound pressure level SPL at 0.2821 m = SWL ~ (20% ag 1) ~ 11) = 120 ~ (20x log (0.2821) 11) = 120.48 So how can they nt be comparable? ‘and r= (14a). ‘The sound intensity level and the sound pressure level ata distance of 1 meter from the source iia free field is 11 dB lees than the sound power level of the source. SIL SPL = SWL - 11 dB or L;=L,=ZLy- 11 dB. ‘Acoustic impedance of air Zp = 400 Paxsim Sound pressure is not intensity Differentiate: Sound pressure p is a "sound field quantity" Jand sound intensity / is a "sound energy quantity". In teachings these terms are not often separated sharply Jenough and sometimes are even set equal. But /~ p?. Changing of sound power with distance is nonsense Important: The sound level should not be confused with sound power level! The 148 values in sound pressure levels are always ted fo the distance to the sound however, the dB values in sound power level have really no relation to the sistance from the sound souree. Question: How does the sound power decrease with distance"? Answer: “Apri fool - The sound power does not decrease (drop) with distance from the sound However, levels of sound pressure and levels of sound intensity decrease equallyee sand pmerol SW. adn pestle SPL dre caer aie owe mindz ae Crt aond psn ind arly omen sound a aye rg with the distance from the sound source. Sound power or sound power I has nothing () to do with the distance from the sound source. Thinking helps: A 100 watt light bulb has in 1 m and in 10 m distance really always the same 100 watts, whichis emitted from the lamp all the time, Watts don't change with distance A frequent question: “Does the sound power depend on distance?" The clear Janswer is:"No, not realy.” we consider sound fields in air which are described by the scalar quantiy p (sound pressure) and the vector quantity » (sound velocity) as a sound field quantity Sound power and Sound power level To use the calculator, simply enter a value. The calculator works in both directions ofthe <> sign. [Sound power Pac 200000000004 iw a= Pac * 10°10)arto anu ey cnr su any alan = we-sm| (Fen Reference sound power Pycg = 10-7 W = 0. 08-SWL ‘Sound power is neither room dependent nor distance dependent, Direct conversion of sound pressure to sound intensity and vice versa ‘Simply enter the value to the left or the right side. ‘The calculator works in both directions of the <> sign, ‘Sound Ferd quantity Sound energy quanti (Sound pressure p (alr) ound Titensity (air) 1 Pa Iooozs Wim? f= po 10% Pa Io. 10%" W/m" Florence sound prose WPa=Dx 10" Pa Reference nenay [p= 1 pWIRP= 10 WR ‘Specie acouste impedance of ai Zp~400 Naimn® Sound pressure pn VX Za) inl 1? /2 Sound Wald quantly [sound energy quently] (Sound pressure level L, (SPL al) Sound Titers Tevel F(a} les B bes dB IL, = 20 logy (2) ap IL; = 10 lozyy e aB TReeranc S0ur presaure pPa= 2x10 Pa Ralrerce eralyIp= 1 PAIR? = TO Wine ‘The same "sound level” in dB at Specific acoustic impedance of air Zp = 400 N-sim? \While the sound pressure level in the air is matched withthe sound intensity level when a reference sound characteristic Impedance Z= 400 N-sin i c’chosen, this isnot the case with the distance independent sound power level. ‘The same sound level at distance r= V(Q/4n) Goomety irectivityEqual sound TevelreetteeP dace ono aut oma wines ate Cert od pt nd ry ane sod eae ong factorQ| atdistancer |r scoustical energy in all directions; full sphere. urfaoe near sound source, able fo radiate + Navan =02821 mft1 und source close fo 8 fla surface, able fo > ciate acoustical energy to half ofa sphere hem | 2 __W2n) = 0.9989 my) @ [clos feach other; able to 0 fo two adjacent flat surfaces perpendicular (0 iim) = ciate to one fourth of a sphere|_ 4 _| (Wx) = 0.6642 mS Ta eighth ofa sphere 0.7979 m| 2 comer, able fo radiate acoustical energy to one] | yarn Li Lp Full sphere @=1 Half sphere @: Quarter sphere g= 4 Eighth sphere Q= 8 For the practically occurring solid angle, we get the following relationships between the sound power and sound pressure level I+ (20 * logy (r} + 1128 (lh For Q = 2is Ly = Ly + [20 x logig (r] + 8 8 (haf) For Q = 4s Ly = Lp * [20 * logig()] + 5 dB (quarter) For Q = Bis Ly = Ly + [20 x logig ()] + 28 (eighth) Ly = medium sound pressure level atthe envelope (hemispherical surface) and forthe most frequent case of radiation hemisphere r= 1 m: Lyy= Lp +8 38 Spherical Free Field Sound Propagation, Q=1ee sand pmerol SW. stn petleveSPL dre caer aes owe mindz ae Conran psn ind arly omen snd a any eel ag ay ” as The sound pressura in a spherical distance from a source with a known sound power can be expressed as: Qree-R. 4) Pr’ where [p= sound pressure in Pa = Nim? fensity of air in kglm®: 1.2044 kgim? at 20°C (¢= speed of sound in mis: 343.22 mis at 20°C Pag = sound power in W 3.14159 stance from souree in m Q= directivity factor (spherical = 1, half spherical = 2) irectivy index -dicecivty factor - directivity coefficient For a spherical sound propagation (0 2821 the decibel value of the sound pressure level is equal to the sound power level ) ata distance of r= Vitam) Hemispherical Sound Propagation, Q = 2arto an ey cnr sl any aan ‘The directivity coefficient O depends on several parameters ~ the position {and direction ofthe source, the room or the surrounding area, et. ‘The sound pressure level, can be expressed logarithmic as Lp = 20g (ppg) = 20 log ((Q_p ¢ Pac(4 m12))12/00) 20 og (1H (Q.p 6 Pact4 m))1/2ipq) (2) where Ijp= Sound pressure level in 68 P= 2% 10°- reference sound pressure in Pa Note: That for every doubling of he distance from the noise source, the sound pressure level Lp, will be reduced by 6 decibels. Fora spherical sound propagation (( = 2) ata distance of r= V(1/2m) the decibel value of the sound pressure level is equal to the sound power level 3989 For pointlike sources of sound, we get @ spherical surface A. Depending on the arrangement in space spherical segments are to consider: Solid sphere - sound source anywhere in the room, Q = 1 Hemisphere - sound source on the ground = 2 Quarter sphere - sound source on the wall, = 4 Eighth sphor Q= directivity factor and the area A = (4x 72)/Q Sound source in the comer, Q ‘Sound intensity /= sound power Pye {area 4 Sound power Pyg=1* A= $narto an ey cnr sl any aan Sound Pressure Level Calculator Consider source of sound and imagine a sphere with radius r, centered on the source. “The sound source outputs a total power P, continuously. The sound intensity isthe same ‘verywher on this surface ofa thought sphere, by definition. The intensity is dofined as the power P per unit area 4. The surface area ofthe sphere is A = 4x = 2 so the sound intensity passing through each square meter of surface i, by definition Ts Pn 72 ‘We see that sound intensy is inversely proportional tothe square of the distance away from the source (112) hil But sound intensity is proportional to the square ofthe sound pressure, J~ p?, so we can wate P2/py =" /ra, The sound pressure p changes with 1 /r ofthe distance, 0, if we double the distance, we reduce the sound pressure by a ratio of 2 and the sound intensity by a ratio of 4: in other words, we reduce the sound level by 6 dB. If wo increase r by a ratio of 10, wo decrease the level by 20 dB, When a point source emits sound (or an other form of energy) uniformly in all directions ina free field, itis spreading over the surface of a sphere of increasing radus. Full sphere area is 4 * 2 Directiity factor Q = 1 ‘The same amount of energy is spreading over a larger and larger area, therefore, the intensity will decrease. ‘The sound source is emitting all the time the acoustic power and stays there. The sound power does not decrease with the distance from the sound Converting sound power level to sound pressure level ‘A noise source radiates power which is measured as the sound power level itis characteristic of the source alone and is independent of distance, itis used to rate and compare diferent noise sources, The sound pressure levelofthe source is the vel of sound caused by the source but ata distance feomit. The level of sound pressure is therefore distance dependent The level of sound power is not distance dependent. ‘The formula for converting sound power level to sound pressure level: Ip = Lay ~ 10 x 0g (Q 14x r?)in dB SPL + [20% logyo (r] +11 a SPL + [20 * logyo ("} +8 4B, arto an ey cnr ul any a an PL of Lp in dB, ‘Sound power level = SWL or Lyy in dB, Distance from the source to the measuring point =r W.1.W. CORY: “Relations! Power is like all energy quantities primarily a calculated valu between Sound “Sound power’ and "sound pressure" are two distinct and commonly confused characteristics of sound, They have a cause and effect relationship, Sound power is the acoustical energy emitted by the sound source, and is an absolute value. It is not affected by the environment. Sound power levels are connected to the sound source and are independent of distance. Sound power levels are indicated indecibels Loy = 10%109 (P / Po) where ‘The reference power is 101? watts (W), which isthe lowest sound persons of excellent hearing can discern. Sound power is measured as the total sound ower emitled by a souree in all dvactions in watts (oules per second). Since sound measuring instruments respond to sound pressure the "decibel" is, generally associated with sound pressure level (SPL). Sound pressure levels {uantily in decibels the strength of given sound sources, Sound pressure levels vary substantially with distance from the source, and also diminish as a result of intervening obstacles and barriers, air absorption, wind and other factors Sound pressure levels are incioated in decioels. Sound pressure level (SPL) is [y= 20%l0g (p /po), where:‘Spor nl SW andi rai SPL aca amp en power en sec Con fun peo and ey can al any alan ‘The reference sound pressure is pp = 2x10~S Pa = 20 yPa, Sound pressure is a pressure disturbance inthe air whase intensity is influenced not only by the strength of the source, but also by the surroundings and the distance from the Source fo the receiver’ Sound pressure is what our ears hear and what sound pressure level meters (SPL meters) measure, back Search Engine home