A Conformal Driving Class IV Flextensional Transducer

Tianfang Zhou; Yu Lan; Qicheng Zhang; Jingwen Yuan; Shichang Li; Wei Lu

doi:10.3390/s18072102

A Conformal Driving Class IV Flextensional Transducer

Sensors (Basel). 2018 Jun 30;18(7):2102. doi: 10.3390/s18072102.

Authors

Tianfang Zhou^{1

2

3}, Yu Lan^{4

5

6}, Qicheng Zhang⁷, Jingwen Yuan⁸, Shichang Li⁹, Wei Lu^{10

11

12}

Affiliations

¹ College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. zhoutianfang@hrbeu.edu.cn.
² Acoustic Science and Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. zhoutianfang@hrbeu.edu.cn.
³ Key Laboratory of Marine Information Acquisition and Security, Harbin Engineering University, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150001, China. zhoutianfang@hrbeu.edu.cn.
⁴ College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. lanyu@hrbeu.edu.cn.
⁵ Acoustic Science and Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. lanyu@hrbeu.edu.cn.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Marine Information Acquisition and Security, Harbin Engineering University, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150001, China. lanyu@hrbeu.edu.cn.
⁷ College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. Q.Zhang5@salford.ac.uk.
⁸ College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. yuanjingwen@hrbeu.edu.cn.
⁹ College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. lsc1993@hrbeu.edu.cn.
¹⁰ College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. luwei@hrbeu.edu.cn.
¹¹ Acoustic Science and Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. luwei@hrbeu.edu.cn.
¹² Key Laboratory of Marine Information Acquisition and Security, Harbin Engineering University, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150001, China. luwei@hrbeu.edu.cn.

Abstract

Class IV Flextensional Transducers (FTs) are the most popular among various FTs used as low-frequency and high power underwater acoustic sources. However, an undeniable fact exists in Class IV FTs is that the resonance frequency of breathing mode regulator used is fairly raised by its longitudinal driver stacks. In this research, a conformal driving Class IV FT in which the driver stacks are kept conformal with its oval shell was proposed aiming at the limitations of conventional driving Class IV FTs described above. The device exhibits competitive Transmitting Voltage Responses (TVRs) but much lower operation frequencies with respect to conventional driving Class IV FTs, through the designs of conformal and segmentally controlled driver stacks. Geometric parameters analysis was carried out extensively by Finite Element (FE) simulations for the design optimizations and then a conformal driving Class IV FT resonating at 510 Hz (45% approximately lower than that of conventional driving Class IV FT with the same shell geometry) was finalized. Subsequently the conformal driving Class IV was fabricated and tested in the anechoic tank experimentally. Good agreements of both FE predictions and experimental results demonstrate its low-frequency and small-size acoustic performance.

Keywords: conformal driving class IV flextensional transducer; high power; low frequency; small size.