Tonpilz Transducer Array
for SONAR Systems
DB #55891
Unless otherwise noted, any of the images, text, and equations here may be copied
and modified for your own internal use. © Copyright 2017 COMSOL. All trademarks
are the property of their respective owners. See www.comsol.com/trademarks.
Background and Motivation
•
•
•
•
This model sets up a linear array of nine tonpilz piezoelectric transducers placed in a 3x3 grid. A
voltage is applied that includes a phase change across the three rows. The transducers are located in
a box below the sea surface.
The exterior acoustics are modeled using the Pressure Acoustics, Boundary Elements interface which
is coupled to the vibrating structures with the Acoustic-Structure Boundary multiphysics coupling.
This results in a hybrid BEM-FEM model of the full system.
The simple box geometry used here can, for example, be extended to a more realistic hull and sonar
geometry.
Two version of the model exist:
–
–
In the first, the exterior radiated free field is calculated and visualized. Model file: tonpilz_transducer_array_53a.mph
In the second, a simple scattering object is placed roughly 12 wavelengths away from the transducers. The resulting
sound field is modeled and visualized. Model file: tonpilz_transducer_array_scattering_53a.mph
Model Setup
Piezoelectric Materials
Solid Mechanics
Pressure Acoustics,
Boundary Elements
Results
Displacement of the transducers.
Electric potential in the piezo-discs.
Results: Free field
Sea surface:
Infinite sound
soft boundary
Results: Free field
Results: Scattering Object