Traditional sound-absorbing materials, which are intended to address the issue of low-frequency noise control in automobile air-conditioning duct mufflers, have limited noise reduction effects in small spaces. Because of their straightforward structure and excellent controllability, acoustic metamaterials—particularly Helmholtz resonators—have emerged as a research hotspot in low-frequency noise reduction. However, existing technologies have issues such as restricted structural scale, narrow absorption frequency bands, and conflicts with ventilation requirements. To address these, this paper proposes a new type of Helmholtz perforated and tortuous-characteristic duct muffler for the unit cell of acoustic metamaterials. Through the innovative structural design combining a perforated panel with a multi-channel tortuous cavity, the length of the channel is changed in a limited space, thereby extending the sound wave propagation path and enhancing the dissipation of sound wave energy. Meanwhile, for the muffler, acoustic theoretical modeling, finite element simulation, and parametric optimization methods are adopted to systematically analyze the influence of its key structural parameters on the sound transmission loss (STL) of the muffler. Compared with the traditional folded-channel metamaterial, the two differ in resonance frequency by 38 Hz, in transmission loss by 1.157 dB, and in effective bandwidth by 1 Hz. This research provides theoretical support and design basis for solving the problem of low-frequency noise control in ventilation ducts, improves low-frequency broadband sound absorption performance, and promotes the engineering application of high-efficiency noise reduction devices.

The multi-wing centrifugal fan is an important part of air conditioning systems, particularly in the automotive domain. Due to the compact structure and short blade passage of the fan, it may reduce the aerodynamic performance and generate noise. As a key part of the multi-wing centrifugal fan, the volute tongue has an important impact on the aerodynamic performance and noise of the multi-wing centrifugal fan. In this paper, the volute tongue of a multi-wing centrifugal fan is modified for air conditioning systems, and a novel gradient-radius volute tongue is designed. Specifically, a simulation calculation model for the multi-wing centrifugal fan is developed based on the Realizable k-ε turbulence model and the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FW-H) equation. The simulation results are analyzed, and the reliability of the proposed method is assessed by comparing the total pressure efficiency and noise levels with the corresponding experimental measurements. Subsequently, the aerodynamic performance and noise characteristics of the gradient-radius volute tongue are investigated, with particular attention given to variations in the flow field, pressure pulsation, and noise before and after the modification. The results indicate that the gradient-radius volute tongue effectively attenuates the pressure pulsations arising from the interaction between the volute and the airflow, thereby reducing the tongue-region noise. Compared with the original fan, a noise reduction of 3.5 dB is achieved through the implementation of the gradient-radius volute tongue.

The vibration noise of plate structures in engineering is strongly related to the modal resonance, and modal design is the key to improve the dynamic characteristics of plate structures and avoid structural resonance. This paper investigates the dynamic and mode characteristics for an edge periodic acoustic black hole plate structure to provide a new approach to vibration and sound attenuation in plate structures. Firstly, based on the principles of symmetry and periodicity, this work presents the geometrical modeling and mathematical description of a rectangular plate with symmetrical periodic acoustic black holes at its edge. Then, it presents the dynamic modeling of a rectangular plate with periodic acoustic black holes at its edge via the “remove-and-fill” substitution method, which reveals the effects of the structural parameters and period distribution, etc., on the modal characteristics of vibration. The study indicates that the power law index, radius, number and configuration (e.g., semicircular, rectangular block shape) of the edge periodic acoustic black holes significantly affect the modal frequency of the rectangular plate, and increasing the radius of the acoustic black holes or the number of the black holes results in a decrease in the modal frequency of the rectangular plate. Moreover, the four-side symmetric layout achieves broader modal frequency modulation, while semicircular acoustic black holes can achieve a lower modal frequency compared with the rectangular wedge-shaped acoustic black hole. The theoretical model is verified by finite element simulation (FEM) and experiments, in which the errors of the first six modal frequencies are within 2%. The research in this paper provides a theoretical basis for the realization of modal frequency control in plate structures and the suppression of structural resonance through the design of edge periodic acoustic black hole structures.

Acoustic coatings play a vital role in enhancing the acoustic stealth of underwater structures across the full depth range and, especially, in the low-frequency band. However, existing small-scale acoustic coatings struggle to achieve low-frequency broadband sound absorption, which limits further performance improvements. Ni₅₀Ti₅₀ alloy, with their shape memory effect, hyper elasticity, and high damping properties, offer promising applications in vibration and noise control. In this study, a rubber-based Ni₅₀Ti₅₀ alloy multilayer acoustic coating is proposed, based on the sound absorption mechanism of rubber and the vibration and noise reduction mechanism of Ni₅₀Ti₅₀ alloy. The sound absorption characteristics of the proposed composite coating were obtained through analytical derivations, numerical simulations, and experimental investigations. The objective was to combine the high-frequency absorption capability of rubber and the low-frequency absorption characteristics of Ni₅₀Ti₅₀ alloy without increasing material dimensions, thereby introducing a novel approach for the design of the next generation of underwater acoustic coatings.

This study proposes a composite acoustic porous duct metamaterial muffler composed of a perforated tortuous channel and an externally wrapped porous layer, integrating both structural resonance and material damping effects. Theoretical models for the perforated plate, tortuous channel, and porous material were established, and analytical formulas for the total acoustic impedance and transmission loss of the composite structure were derived. Finite element simulations verified the accuracy of the models. A systematic parametric study was then performed on the effects of porous material type, thickness, and width on acoustic performance, showing that polyester fiber achieves the best results at a thickness of 30 mm and a width of 5 mm. Further analysis of periodic distribution modes revealed that axial periodic arrangement significantly enhances the peak noise attenuation, radial periodic arrangement broadens the effective bandwidth, and multi-frequency parallel configurations further expand the operating range. Considering practical duct conditions, a single-layer multi-cell array was constructed, and its modal excitation mechanism was clarified. By employing the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm for multi-parameter optimization, the average transmission loss was improved from 26.493 dB to 29.686 dB, corresponding to an increase of approximately 12.05%. Finally, physical samples were fabricated via 3D printing, and four-sensor impedance tube experiments confirmed good agreement among theoretical, numerical, and experimental results. The composite structure exhibited an average experimental transmission loss of 24.599 dB, outperforming the configuration without porous material. Overall, this work highlights substantial scientific and practical advances in sound energy dissipation mechanisms, structural optimization design, and engineering applicability, providing an effective approach for broadband and high-efficiency duct noise reduction.

This paper studies the data-driven attitude tracking control issue for an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) with disturbances. First, a new polynomial finite-time prescribed performance function (FTPF) is introduced to avoid the problem of the computation number increasing as the exponential term increases in the conventional exponential FTPF. By using the new polynomial FTPF, the tracking error is converted into a constrained form. Then, an estimator is designed for estimating the unknown pseudo-partitioned Jacobian matrix (PJM) in the linearization model, and a discrete-time nonlinear disturbance observer (DNDO) is adopted for observing unknown disturbances. It is worth noting that the DNDO can avoid the large overshoot by introducing a saturated function. With the help of the estimator for the PJM, the DNDO, and the constrained error, a data-driven robust control strategy with performance constraints is designed to fulfill accurate attitude tracking control of the UUV, which ensures that the tracking error draws into a prescribed region in a predetermined time. Eventually, the control strategy is verified by numerical simulations.