Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.

Matthew M DeAngelis

Jason W Osborn

Jeffrey J Enos

An acoustic projector which includes an outer shell formed of a reinforced epoxy resin having a longitudinal slot has an inner reinforcing liner formed of metal to reduce mechanical stress. The liner extends throughout the length of the outer shell and has a longitudinal slot aligned with the slot formed in the shell. An arcuate shaped driver is mounted along a portion of the I.D. of the metal liner and separated therefrom by insulation. In an alternate embodiment, the outer shell is formed of a plurality of overlapping layers of epoxy/graphite strips extending at various angles to increase the Z-axis stiffness.

Acoustic projector having minimized mechanical stresses

An acoustic projector which includes an outer shell () formed of a reinforced epoxy resin having a longitudinal slot () has an inner reinforcing liner () formed of metal to reduce stress. The liner () extends throughout the length of the outer shell and has a longitudinal slot () aligned with the slot () formed in the shell (). An arcuate shaped driver () is mounted along a portion of the I.D. of the metal liner () and separated therefrom by insulation ().

An underwater acoustic projector comprising one or more cylindrical shell segments (), each shell segment () having an even number of drivers () mounted therein, and the method of manufacturing said projector. The shell segments () preferably are formed with a longitudinal slot () and have arcuate segments (), preferably of a dielectric material extending along the sides of the slot () for retaining the drivers () within the shell segments (). The combined lengths of the driver is between 70% and 90% of the shell segment () length.

Acoustic projector and method of manufacture

Active acoustic piping that allows treatment of material flowing in a piping system is disclosed. Treatment of waste water and other fluids is enabled, where acoustic radiation operates on the flow material. An inner pipe has a plurality of transducer elements disposed on its external perimeter. A buffer zone around the transducer elements provides an acoustic impedance mismatch, which concentrates the acoustic energy into the flow material traveling in the inner pipe. Processes such as decontamination, flow unclogging, fluid and particulate mixing, particulate size reduction, and particulate separation are enabled. No pressure compensation scheme is required.

Active acoustic piping

A flextensional transducer projector shell design is disclosed. The shell design has a shape formed so as to reduce the stress placed on the transduction driver as compared to other shell designs. The shell design includes first and second bulbous end portions, which can each be adapted to receive a respective end of a transduction driver. A middle portion of the shell design has both concave sections and convex sections, thereby defining a wave profile.

Wave flextensional shell configuration

A degassed polyester varnish is applied to the transduction driver to increase surface dielectric strength (insulation resistance), driver voltage breakdown, physical protection, and heat and water resistance. A vacuum chamber application process is used to apply the polyester varnish. The disclosed coating technique is applicable to all transducer drive materials and all transducer types.

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Bedford, NH, United States of America

Matthew M DeAngelis