Noise-absorbing devices made of porous aluminum have been used as components of units and systems of modern industrial equipment (pressure regulators, compressors, exhaust systems, pneumatic tools, heat engines, etc.). The advantages of products made of the material are high mechanical strength, resistance to chemicals, vibrational and thermal loads, and recyclability. Noise absorption in the structure of porous aluminum is caused by the loss of energy as a result of viscous friction and heat exchange between oscillating air particles and the skeleton of the material. Structural parameters of porous metals significantly affect the efficiency of noise absorption. Experimental studies of sound-absorbing properties of porous aluminum samples of different thicknesses, porosity, and pore sizes have been carried out for the present paper.
An acoustic impedance tube, in compliance with the requirements of ISO 10534 and ASTM E1050 on 5–20 mm thick samples, has been used for the study. The porosity of samples was 0.5–0.7, whereas the average pore size was equal to 0.6–2 mm. Two variants of sample installation have been investigated, i.e., without an air gap and with the formation of a 20 mm air gap relative to the surface of the rigid piston of the impedance tube.
The impact of structural parameters and thickness of porous aluminum samples on their noise-absorption properties has been assessed based on the results of the study. It has been determined that the increase of average pore size within the range between 0.6 and 2 mm causes the reduction of the noise-absorption coefficient. The effect becomes more pronounced when a sample with the formation of an air gap relative to the piston surface is installed. With identical average pore sizes and thicknesses, the highest values of sound absorption coefficient by the porous aluminum samples have been registered for a porosity of 0.6. The study results can be used for the development and modernization of sound-absorbing devices for industrial equipment made of porous aluminum.
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