DOWNLOADS
CONTACT US
SignalSound HIGH INTENSITY & UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS
TM
Home > What We Do > SignalSound High Intensity and Underwater Acoustics
SignalSound HIGH INTENSITY & UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS
The SignalSound family encompasses both products and services for specialised, high intensity acoustic tests and underwater acoustic tests.
High intensity acoustic tests are most often performed in a reverberant acoustic test facility (RATF) or a progressive wave tube (PWT).
The test facilities are used to generate very high sound pressure levels for testing aerospace components.
Rocket and aircraft noise can damage aerospace structures and components.
Acoustic excitation cannot generally be simulated using electrodynamic or hydraulic shakers, and engineers rely on RATFs and PWTs to generate the proper acoustic excitation.
SignalSound underwater acoustic test systems focus on a variety of underwater applications including sonar range calibration, ship signature generation and mine detonation.
Underwater noise sources can generate the acoustic signature normally associated with submarines or surface targets.
SignalSound HIGH INTENSITY ACOUSTICS
Whether testing a spacecraft in a reverberant acoustic test facility (RATF) or a component in a progressive wave tube (PWT), the principals of operation are the same.
Both types of facilities require a compressed flow of air or nitrogen, noise sources, test chambers, and acoustic control systems.
Data Physics can offer both expertise and equipment for new facility development as well as repair and service of existing facilities.
​
For new facility development, Data Physics can act as a primary subcontractor on any RATF or PWT project.
Capabilities include concept and preliminary design, supply of specialty equipment, design and construction meetings, start-up activities, acceptance testing, training, and documentation.
​
High intensity acoustic test facilities represent a significant investment, and SignalSound services and support can help extend that investment.
Trained technicians can repair noise sources, amplifiers, and cooling units, and existing test facilities can be upgraded with the latest acoustic controllers, dynamic signal measurement systems, noise sources, amplifiers, cooling units, and horns.
SignalSound Acoustic Power Generators
The SignalForce model for high frequency noise generation, model LE-APG-10K, produces 10 kW of acoustic power with a gas flow of 1500 scfm.
The spectrum from the APG-10K can be shaped and controlled in 1/3 octave bands up to the 1.25 kHz band, and acoustic power is produced above 1.25 kHz through the useful distortion of the power in the lower-frequency bands.
The APG-10K is fully compatible with the older Ling Electronics EPT-200 design. A lower-frequency acoustic power generator, the APG-10K (LF), is available with direct control of the spectrum through the 200 Hz 1/3 octave band.
SignalSound Random Acoustic Controller
The SignalSound Random Acoustic Controller is designed to be used with a Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility (RATF) or a Progressive Wave Tube (PWT) to simulate high-intensity acoustic noise similar to that experienced during a rocket launch or high-speed flight.
​
The Random Acoustic Controller runs on the Data Physics Abacus hardware. Abacus is ideal for acoustic testing with high dynamic range and excellent channel-to-channel phase matching.
Up to 32 input channels can be used for microphone measurements and up to 8 output channels can be used to drive separate acoustic noise sources in di¬fferent frequency bands. Random acoustic control supports 1/1 octave, 1/3 octave, and narrowband control. A local throughput disk in the ABACUS hardware enables continuous throughput to disk of time history data for post processing.
​
Safety of the test article is at the forefront of the controller design, and a range of safety checks provides protection for the test article.
The Random Acoustic Control software provides extensive display and analysis capability during a test. The test operator may view time and frequency domain data (narrowband or nth octave) from all active channels during the test. Averaged control signals can be overlaid with reference and tolerance profiles.
SignalSound UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS
Since 1973, Gearing & Watson has built an impressive range of underwater products.
With Gearing & Watson (part of Data Physics), this legacy continues.
Data Physics offers complete turnkey solutions for underwater acoustic tests, including sound sources, transducers, drive electronics, towfish, tow cables, full handling systems, trials support and service.
​
SignalSound underwater acoustic products provide a versatile means of projecting simulated target spectra, at sea, for operation with all types of passive sonar and passive ranging systems.
Low frequency underwater projectors (hydrosounders) also produce pulses for exercising intercept sonars, and they include an echo repeat sub system for operation with active sonars.
SignalSound underwater projectors are in the following configurations:
​
-
Towable from tugs, auxiliaries, COOP
-
Ship hull mounted systems
-
Submarine hull mounted
-
Seabed installation
-
Free ranging systems with integral GPS
​
These systems are used for a variety of applications including:
​
-
Command team training for ships, submarines, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft
-
Training for sonar operators in the art of detection and classification of modern submarine targets in a realistic environment
-
Performance proving for in-service sonars and design proving for new development sonars
-
High power calibration systems
-
Acoustic range calibration, research and oceanographic applications
-
Minesweeping operations
​
Using commercial-off-the-shelf technology, SignalSound underwater systems are available as complete turnkey packages.
Installation assistance, trials support, and lifetime service are all available.
​
SignalSound Low Frequency Underwater Projectors
Data Physics offers a world leading range of low frequency, pressure compensated, moving coil hydrosounders.
​
The UW350 is a smaller and lighter device that provides a versatile operating bandwidth of 20 Hz to 20 kHz with excellent beam patterns up to 1 kHz.
The average sound pressure level across the operating band is 165 dB re 1 µPa at 1 m, and the maximum operating depth is 188 m. This operating depth can be extended for deployment on the hull of deep diving nuclear or conventional submarines.
The UW350 is employed by the navies of many countries.
​
Data Physics can also supply a range of systems incorporating segmented/free flooded ring transducers with resonant frequencies as low as 500 Hz and with a sound pressure level capability in excess of 200 dB re 1 µPa at 1 m.
Data Physics has produced and supplied rings as large as 1.5 m diameter with deployment framework, cables, winch and A-frame.
Calibration systems are also available with transducers arranged in configurations for towing or for static deployment.
The transducers are arranged to produce excellent beam patterns from 20 Hz to 80 kHz in both horizontal and vertical directions. Such systems provide an accurate method of calibrating and proving the performance of other active and passive sonars.
​
Contact RESONATE SYSTEMS for more information about underwater acoustic projectors.
SignalSound Underwater Signal Generation and Measurement
Data Physics SignalSound systems are able to generate the narrowband lines and broadband noise that is associated with the acoustic signatures of ships and submarines. SignalSound products can also generate sonar pulses as an echo repeater to interact with active sonar.
​
This signal processing solution is based on Data Physics Abacus and Quattro hardware and is highly accurate both in component generation and measurement.
External signals can be imported for replay or target signals can be generated with multiple lines, broadband noise, and modulation effects.
​
The ability to both measure and record signals allows full recording of trials signals for post-test analysis and future comparison.
​
Contact RESONATE SYSTEMS for more information about underwater acoustic projectors.