EEE 558 Electroacoustic Transduction

Lab-Report -Experiment #1:

Transmission and Reflection of Acoustic Waves
Description:
Acoustic domes, baffles, coatings, reflectors and absorbers are important auxiliary materials used in
many underwater applications. Each of these materials intends to transmit or reflect some percent of
the sound incident on them. We may often want to evaluate a particular sample, whose material
properties, dimensions, configuration and physical support effects the acoustic measurements. The
purpose of this laboratory experiment is to measure the sound percentage transmitted through and
reflected from different samples that are immersed in a water tank.
In practice, the measurements are done on samples which are either in the size, shape and
configuration that they will be used or in the form plane sheets. In the lab, we shall use plane sheets,
since we are interested in comparing the measured data with the theoretical predictions, rather than
testing a sample for a specific application. The two characteristics that we need to measure are defined
as follows with the assumption of plane-wave propagation:
(
(

Fig. 1 The schematic diagram of the experimental setup.

)
)

Experimental Setup:
Equipments Needed :- In this experiment, we will need the following equipments:
Water Tank
Projector and receiver (hydrophone) transducers
Plane sheets made from different materials
Power amplifier, preamplifier and oscilloscope

Procedure:The schematic diagram of the experimental setup is shown in Fig. 1. A projector and receiver in a water
tank are placed in opposite directions and the incident sound pressure level is calculated at some point
between them. To calculate the transmission loss, the sample will be immersed between the
transducers and the sound pressure level of the transmitted wave through the sample is measured with
the receiver. To calculate the reflection loss, receiver must be placed between the projector and the
sample so that the sound pressure level of the reflected wave can be measured.
The sample must be large enough to make the measurements independent of the lateral dimensions,
but still dependent on its thickness. Note that in theory, the sample must be an infinitely long and wide
plane sheet.

Input Signal and Precautions :We will apply a tone-burst voltage signal(Frequency
f=400kHz, Amplitude=1V, Phase=0) to the
projector such that the number of cycles(10 Cycles in this case) is enough to excite the projector in
steady state(we will not send a time varying signal because reflection from many things in the
surrounding may not be understand) . Interference caused by reflections from the surface and bottom
of the tank (Fig. 1), and the diffraction of sound around the sample (Fig.2) are causes of error. We need
to minimize such interferences by keeping the projector and receiver as close as possible, but we must
also be careful to perform the measurements at the far-field of the transducers.

(a)

(b)
Fig.2. (a) Reflection, transmission and diffraction of acoustic waves from a plane sheet. (b) A tone-burst
signal waveform at the output of a typical hydrophone, which shows the directly arrived and reflected
waves.

Rayleigh Distance: For electromagnetic, acoustic, or elastic waves emitted from a uniformly excited
planar array transmitting a sinusoidal signal, the distance from the array at which there is a transition
from a near-field region, in which the radiated energy is confined to a cylindrical region, to a far-field
region, in which the wave field exhibits spherical spreading and the field amplitude varies inversely with
range. Here the diameter is 2a=2cm.

Near Field:- The sound that emanates from a piezoelectric transducer does not originate from a point,
but instead originates from most of the surface of the piezoelectric element. Round transducers are
often referred to as piston source transducers because the sound field resembles a cylindrical mass in
front of the transducer. Since the ultrasound originates from a number of points along the transducer
face, the ultrasound intensity along the beam is affected by constructive and destructive wave
interference. These are sometimes also referred to as diffraction effects. This wave interference leads to
extensive fluctuations in the sound intensity near the source and is known as the near field. Because of
acoustic variations within a near field, it can be extremely difficult to accurately evaluate flaws in
materials when they are positioned within this area.
The pressure waves combine to form a relatively uniform front at the end of the near field. The area
beyond the near field where the ultrasonic beam is more uniform is called the far field. In the far field,
the beam spreads out in a pattern originating from the center of the transducer. The transition between
the near field and the far field occurs at a distance, N, and is sometimes referred to as the "natural
focus" of a flat (or unfocused) transducer. The near/far field distance, N, is significant because amplitude
variations that characterize the near field change to a smoothly declining amplitude at this point.

where D= diameter of transducer

F=frequency
V= velocity of sound

Transducer Beam Spread: Transducers are often referred to as piston source transducers because the
sound field resembles a cylindrical mass in front of the transducer. However, the energy in the beam
does not remain in a cylinder, but instead spreads out as it propagates through the material. The
phenomenon is usually referred to as beam spread. It is given by the following Relation.

where
V=sound velocity
D=diameter
f=frequency

The beam spread angle is given by

Intensity:- Sound intensity or acoustic intensity (I) is defined as the sound power Pac per unit area A. It
can be calculated as

where

Pressure Calculations:- The pressure can be calculated from the measured voltages. The
sensitivity of the hydrophone is -270dB(ref. 1Vrms/1uPa for 1meter). Since the sensitivity is
given for 1 meter range, we can find it for 50cm as follows.
(

The output voltage(Vo) corresponding to 1uPa pressure for sensitivity found as above,
( )
Hence, the 'x' pressure can be calculated as follows,

where x can be incident, reflected or transmitted.

Materials: In this lab, we will use two material namely Styrofoam and Neoprene to see the
Transmission and Reflection loss of sound Pressure.

Styrofoam:Incident Pressure:- In the first Case we will use Styrofoam to see the transmission and reflection loss.
The apparatus setup is shown in figure03. To measure the incident pressure, we generated burst tone
signal of 2volt(RMS) (10 cycles) at 400kHz with zero phase shift. The signal is pre-amplified 100 times
with power amplifier(The voltage measured on oscilloscope was 5.66Vp-p ).The Hydrophone(its tip) is
oriented towards the transducer to measure the incident signal. We should be very careful about
hydrophone as it is very sensitive and avoid touching its tip. The distance between the transducer and
Hydrophone is 50cm.

The signal reaching at the tip of hydrophone is displayed in the following figure04. Time of flight is
measured as 336 usec.

Fig.04
The signal amplitude is measured as 8.08mv peak to peak. We can verify the distance between the
transducer and hydrophone as follows.

The distance between the transducer and hydrophone is pretty much the same with an error 0.4cm or
0.8%. The error can be due to the reflection from the walls of water tank. Beam Spreading can also be
the reason.The incident pressure is calculated from look up table of sensitivity for hydrophone and
tabulated in following table.

frquency

400kHz

Sensitivity of
hydrophone(at
1m)
-270dB with
ref.1V/uPa

Sensitivity of peak to peak Vinc (rms)

hydrophone(at voltage
50cm )
-264dB
8.08mv
2.856mv

incident sound
pressure
45.26kPa

Reflection and Transmission Loss :- To measure the reflected sound pressure we will make a slight
change in reflection setup of figure03.. The hydrophone tip will have to be rotted in opposite direction
so that It can point towards the baffle ( material made up of Styrofoam) . The setup is shown in figure05.
The distance between the baffle and transducer is 50cm.

To measure the transmission loss, we have to change the location and position of hydrophone as shown
in figure06.

The signal reaching the hydrophone directly is very small because hydrophone's tip is not pointing
towards it. The reflected signal measured at the oscilloscope is given in figure07.

Fig.07
The signal reflected from the baffle and detected with Hydrophone is at 572 Usec.

In this case the apparatus was arranged in a such that reflected signal should reach the hydrophone
after 75cm. The percentage error after measurement is as follows.
|

The error can be due to beam spreading and reflection from the walls of water tank.
The reflected signal pressure and reflection loss are tabulated in the following table.
Sensitivity
of
hydropho
ne(50cm)
-264dB

Vtrans(P-P)

0v

Vref(P-P)

5.1mV

Vref
RMS

1.81m
v

Pinc

45.26k
Pa

Pref

28.68kPa

Ptrans

0Pa

Rloss

3.96dB

Tloss

Neoprene:
Reflection and Transmission Loss :- To measure the reflection and transmission loss of Neoprene , we
will repeat the same procedures as we did for the previous material but now the distance between the
transducer and Hydrophone is set in such a way that signal after transmission or reflection will reach to
hydrophone after 80cm. The time of flight was measured as 528usec.

The measured and calculated data is given in the following table.

Sensitivity
of
hydrophone
(50cm)
-264dB

Vtrans(P-P)

2.48mv

Vref(P-P)

0v

Vtrans
RMS

0.877mv

Pinc

45.26kPa

Pref

0Pa

Ptrans

13899.51P
a

Rloss

Tloss

10.25dB

1.

Calculate the TVR (transmitting voltage response) of the transducer (assume there is no
Transmission loss)
The transmitting voltage response is the ratio between the sound pressure measured at 1 meter
and the voltage applied to the projector. We can calculate it for distance of 50cm.

2.

Calculate the near field and beam spread (the transmitter aperture is 2cm and the piezoelectric
ceramic diameter is 1.8cm). Compare your results with your acoustic field measurements.

The beam Spread is given by

The beam spread angle is given by

3.

For the first material immersed, under the assumption of R=-1, calculate the intensity at points A
and B (shown in figure) with and without beam spreading. Compare your measurements with your
calculations.
PB(Pressure
at PA(Pressure
at IB(Intensity
at IA(Intensity
at
Point B)
Point A)
Point B)
Point A)
Without
beam 45.26kPa
spreading
With
beam 28.68kPa
spreading

4.

0Pa

1365.645w/m2

0Pa

548.3616w/m2

Using your calculations from above, calculate the acoustic impedance of neoprene (second material
immersed), compare your results with your measurements.
Since, we did not get any reflected voltage on the oscilloscope, we can say that impedance of the
neoprene is perfectly matched with the impedance of water(1.48x106rayls) and it is equal to it.
However, the incident voltage measured was 2.856mv(RMS) and Transmitted was 0.877mv. It
means that due to beam spread the reflected voltage was spread and could not be measured on
oscilloscope.

where

=1.48x106

at 20oC.