Optimal placement of loudspeakers and microphones in an enclosure using genetic algorithm

In this paper genetic algorithm has been used for optimal placement of loudspeakers and microphones in an experimental enclosure for active noise control system. A control system with two secondary loudspeakers and four error microphones is used to reduce the potential energy generated by primary source in a frequency range of 50 Hz to 300 Hz. By choosing the average of potential energy in this frequency range as a performance index, genetic algorithm is used to find the global minimum of this function. This performance index is a function of the locations of microphones and loudspeakers, hence a configuration of them corresponds to a value for this performance index. In this genetic algorithm a multivariable binary coding scheme along with a random initial population are used. Computation of the potential energy, and also the acoustical pressure pattern in a specified level shows that the locations obtained by genetic algorithm are very effective in the results.