Sound power flux measurements in strongly exited ducts with flow

This contribution describes new robust procedures for the measurement of sound power flux at appropriate axial positions along a duct with flow, using pairs of flush wall mounted microphones, or pressure transducers. The technology includes the application of selective averaging, order tracking, and optimized sampling rate methods to identify the small fraction of the total fluctuating wave energy that is being propagated along the flow path in a reverberent, or highly reactive duct system. Such measurements can also be used to quantify the local acoustic characteristics that govern the generation, transfer, and propagation of wave energy in the system. Illustrative examples include the determination of the acoustic characteristics of individual silencing elements installed in IC engine intakes and exhausts both on the flow bench and during controlled acceleration or run down on a test bed, where the wave component spectral levels approached 170 dB.