Active Noise Control - Introduction

What is Active noise control?

It works on the principle of destructive interference between soundfeelds
generated by the original (primary) source and the secondary sources, which
can be controlled.
Why active control?
Convential methods of suppressing acoustic noise using sound absorbers do
not work well at low frequencies
(wavelength >> thickness of a typical absorber, 100 Hz 3.4m, using velocity of
acoustic waves in air = 333 m/s)
Active Noise Control Historic background
1936: Paul Lueg describes basic ideas of active control
He considered sound to be travelling as @W NNW caused by
@ WW . A @W W detects the sound wave and supplies the
WW W , which drives the W@WWW (see Figure 1,
Diagram 1) WWNW WWWW.
Diagrams 2, 3 and 4 show his intentions of mirror waveforms for nonsinusoidal
signals and signals extending in 3 dimensions
Figure 1: Diagrams from Paul Luegs patent 1936
Active Noise Control Acoustical Principles (1)
Acoustic Objectives
Power output minimisation
Quiet zone
Power absorption
Control Strategies
Feedback control
Feedforward control
All of these principles rely on W@W@W, which applies in all linear systems.
The propagation of an W NNW is a W @WWW.
W usually occurs in the W@WWW acting as the secondary source
Active Noise Control Acoustical Principles (2)
How can destructive interference be achieved?
WW @W of a signal driving one loudspeaker have to be adjusted
WNW to that driving another loudspeaker
W @WWWW at a single point can be driven to zero.
On the other hand, WNW WWWW can occur in other points
Problem.
How to solve this problem?
Position @W WW WW WW WW
W WW is NW @W the @W, and a low
voltage is needed to drive the loudspeaker
W @WWWW at other points will W WW by the secondary
source
W W around the microphone. W W in a zone around
the microphone within lW W NNWW is achieved.
(0.34m at 100 Hz, 3.4 mm at 10 kHz)
Active Noise Control Acoustical Principles (3)
How to achieve global cancellation?
An Example:
2 loudspeakers work at N WWWW WW W. If the NW
NNWW are WW W@W compared with the acoustic wavelength,
and the two sources are of the WW @W, but @WW, then
global destructive interference can be achieved. (See figure 2(a)).
If the WW W WWW, the interference will be WWNW in some
points, but WNW in others, and global control will not be achieved.
(See figure 2(b)).
Figure 2: Wavefronts from 2 acoustic sources at frequencies, where the space
between the diverging wavefronts is (a) large and (b) nearly the same compared
with the acoustic wavelength
Active Noise Control Acoustical Principles (4)
How to achieve global cancellation?
Another way to describe global cancellation is to use the W W @NW
output of two equal, but out of phase acoustic sources, as shown in figure 3(c).
At large separation distances compared with the wavelength, the two
sources generate a total output which is twice that of only one operating
alone.
If the distance between the two sources is reduced, the interference
becomes much stronger.
Figure 3: W
TD
describes the net acoustic power(dB) of two sources of the same
amplitude, but out of phase.
W
TO
is the net acoustic power(DB) if amplitude and phase of the
secondary source are optimally adjusted to reduce the power output.
Active Noise Control Sound in Enclosures (1)
Standing Waves
In an enclosure, for example the interior of a car, The W W is
WWW and causes W W NNWW at certain frequencies.
These 3-dimensional acoustic waves are the WW of the enclosure.
They can be used to WWW the W @WWWW efficiently.
Acoustic potential energy
In enclosures, the quantity to be controlled is the W @W
WW. It is proportional to the sum of the mean square amplitude of
each of the acoustic modes.
It can be controlled similar to the Example mentioned before, by
changing amplitude and phase of the secondary source.
WW W W @W WW W WNW
W W W W @NW.
Active Noise Control Sound in Enclosures (2)
An Example:
Figure 4 (solid line) shows the W @W WW generated in a
W WWW of dimensions 1.9 m x 1.1 m x 1.0 m, which is
equivalent to the interior of a small car, by a @W @W W
WW in one corner of the enclosure.
A WW W WW is placed in the opposite corner and driven
at the same discrete frequency as the primary source. Its @W
@WW are adjusted to WW the W @W WW.
The WW W @W WW is plotted as the dashed
curve.
Figure 4: Total acoustic potantial energy in an enclosure
equivalent to a small car.
Active Noise Control Sound in Enclosures (3)
Conclusions:
The secondary source WW WNWW WW W
@ WW without increasing the excitation of other modes. Therefore
the optimum secondary source strength is reduced and only W
W at these frequencies is achieved.
In practice, it is @WWW WW W W @W
WW in an enclosure, because an W W @WW
would be required.
The microphones need to be positioned such that they are affected by all
the dominant acoustic modes.
The secondary sources need to be positioned that they can excite these
modes.
How many microphones are reasonable?
In practice, using NW W @WW W WW WWW is a
good compromise between complexity and performance.
Active Noise Control Feedback Control (1)
How it works
The effect of the WWW @ forcing W to be W @W , will be to
W the W @WWWW at the monitor @W, as required for
active control.
Figure 5 a) shows an active noise system using feedback control.
In 5 b) the electrical configuration can be seen:
d ... Disturbance
e ... microphone signal
H ... electrical filter
C ... secondary source.
Figure 5: (a) Active noise system using feedback control. (b) Equivalent electrical configuration.
Active Noise Control Feedback Control (2)
Applications:
Feedback systems have been used for WW WWWW
and ear defenders. Several commercial systems achieve W * W
of the acoustic pressure at frequencies from 30 Hz to 500 Hz.
Problems in this application
Although the @W W WW WW W @W NW
WW together, the WW is set by the
@WW W N WW, causing instability unless the gain is reduced.
The W @ between the secondary loudspeaker and the
microphone WW as the headset is worn by different people, or in
different positions of the same person, or even if it is lifted on and off the
head.
Active Noise Control Feedforward Control (1)
How it works
In the case of feedforward control, a separate WWWW W is used to NW
the WW WW N the WW W.
This reference signal must be NW WW N the signal from the @
WW.
The reference signal can often be W W from the W
@W W @ WW (tachometer, ...) and is @WW
WW W WW WW.
W W @W WWN. (See figure 6)
The WWWW W @NWW NW about the @
WW before it reaches the microphone. This WWW the W WW
W.
When the noise W is WWW (harmonic tones, ...), this information
has W W. The controller only has to implement the necessary
@WW W.
Active Noise Control Feedforward Control (2)
How it works
Because the @@WWW the @ WW and the WWW the
W @ between the secondary source and the microphone can W
N W, the W in active feedforward systems is often W
@NW.
Therefore, WWWW are used.
Figure 6
(a) Active noise system using feedforward control.
(b) Equivalent electrical configuration:
P ... Primary source
W ... Electrical filter
C ... Secondary source
x ... Reference signal
d ... Disturbance
e ... Microphone signal
Active Noise Control Practical applications (1)
Goals and problems in practical solutions
Active control is W WW in which the WW@ between the
@ WW WWW is W of the WW W as the
W NNWW.
In WWWW, whose smallest WWW are of the order of a WN
WWW, the @@W WW is restricted to a WN W W.
At these frequencies, NW WW is W WWNW @WWNW
WW techniques, because of the higher acoustic wavelengths.
At low frequencies, passive control systems need a
NW. Therefore, active systems are especially used in W and
NW W.
Active Noise Control Practical applications (2)
Active headsets
They are designed to reduce any external noise, deterministic and random.
They use a WWW WWW.
The typical performance is shown in figure 7:
@@W NW+ Spectrum of cockpit noise in a jet aircraft
WW NW+ Noise at the ears of the pilot when wearing a
conventional headset
NW+ Noise at the pilots ear using the headset with active control
Figure 7
Active Noise Control Practical applications (3)
Active control in air conditions
This system operates on the WWN @@W.
Figure 8 shows the spectrum of the resulting pressure signal in an
with N M lW.
Below 40 hertz, the performance is limited by high levels of turbulence.
Figure 8
Active Noise Control Practical applications (4)
Active control in a propeller plane
On a W WW @@WW @W, an active noise control system with @W
W@WWWW @WW was implemented.
W W@WWWW and wA @WW where used in a WWN WWW
to minimise the sum of the squared pressure of the blade passing frequency and
its first two harmonics.
A W W * M was achieved. The sound pressure in the passenger
cabin is shown in figure 9 (a) without and (b) with active noise control.
Figure 9
Active Noise Control Practical applications (5)
Active control in cars
At higher engine speeds, many W W7 some kind of , caused by the
engine. Figure 10 shows an active noise control systems developed for
reduction of engine noise in cars.
A WWN W uses a reference signal taken from the W
WW to drive W W@WWWW (often those already installed in the car).
@WW are used to provide an error signal.
Figure 10
Active Noise Control Practical applications (6)
Active control in cars - Results
The WWW of using a M W@WWW @W active control system in a
W . W M W are shown in figure 11.
The car was accelerated at full load from 1500 to 6000 rpm. This corresponds to
WW WWWW from W AWW .
W
W+ Active control system off
WW W+ Active control system on
Active Noise Control The future of active control
Future applications of active control, which are now developed
Active control of structural vibration
Adaptive sound reproduction systems
Active control of fluid flow
Active control of electromagnetic fields