Coupled Helmholtz Resonators for Acoustic Attenuation

Helmholtz resonators are used in a variety of applications to reduce the transmission of unwanted sound. This work demonstrates that mechanically coupled resonators can be used to design a particular transmission loss response, provide a wider bandwidth of attenuation, and adapt the transmission loss characteristics of a structure to attenuate disturbances of varying frequency. An analytical model is developed for a single, coupled resonator system mounted on a one-dimensional duct. Experiments are conducted on a similar system that uses a thin membrane to couple the resonator volumes. A simplistic model of the membrane is presented to estimate equivalent “piston” properties from measured physical properties. Experiments confirm that the coupled resonator system behaves as predicted by the model simulations, and that the transmission loss can be shaped by adjusting the mass or stiffness of the coupling member. The experimental results also illustrate the structural-acoustic coupling effects between the resonators and the membrane, and indicate that a more inclusive model of the membrane and acoustic dynamics is required in order to accurately predict the resonator transmission loss.