Acoustic time histories from vibrating surfaces of a diesel engine

An experiment on a diesel engine provides for validation of a method that retrieves source strength spectra, source strength time histories and sound pressure time histories of the engine’s complex partial sources. The method is based on empirical transfer function measurements and inverse matrix calculations briefly described in the article. Different simplifying source models were selected by comparison of calculated and measured auto spectra. The results show: (1) indication of time efficient measurements of source strength spectra, (2) the importance of correct source models in the case of separated source strength time histories, and (3) spectra of separated sound pressure time histories. Listening tests reported that it is possible to detect well differentiated sounds of the partial sources as a result of the method.