Narrowband and broadband active control in an enclosure using the acoustic energy density

An active control system based on the acoustic energy density is investigated. The system is targeted for use in three-dimensional enclosures, such as aircraft cabins and rooms. The acoustic energy density control method senses both the potential and kinetic energy densities, while the most popular control systems of the past have relied on the potential energy density alone. Energy density fields are more uniform than squared pressure fields, and therefore, energy density measurements are less sensitive to sensor location. Experimental results are compared to computer-generated results for control systems based on energy density and squared pressure for a rectangular enclosure measuring 1.5 x 2.4 x 1.9 m. Broadband and narrowband frequency pressure fields in the room are controlled experimentally. Pressure-field and mode-amplitude data are presented for the narrowband experiments, while spectra and pressure-field data are presented for the broadband experiment. It is found that the energy density control system has superior performance to the squared pressure control system since the energy density measurement is more capable of observing the modes of a pressure field. Up to 14.4 and 3.8 dB of cancellation are achieved for the energy density control method for the narrowband and broadband experiments presented, respectively.