Cross-spectral method of measuring acoustic intensity by correcting phase and gain

mismatch errors by microphone calibration

G. Krishnappa

Citation: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 69, 307 (1981); doi: 10.1121/1.385314
View online: https://doi.org/10.1121/1.385314
View Table of Contents: https://asa.scitation.org/toc/jas/69/1
Published by the Acoustical Society of America

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Cross-spectralmethodof measuringacousticintensityby
correctingphaseand gainmismatcherrorsby microphone
calibration
G. Krishnappa
EngineLaboratory,
Divisionof Mechanical
Engineering,
NationalResearch
Councilof Canada,Ottawa,
Canada KI•I OR 6

(Received
5 February
1980;accepted
forpublication
24September
1980)

Theaccuracy
ofmeasuring
acoustic
intensity
using
twoclosely
spacedmicrophones
isexamined.
Thephase
andgainmismatch
errorsarecorrected
by measuring
thetransfer
function
between
thetwomicrophone
systems
exposing
themto thesamesound(phase
andpressurelevels)
overa widerangeof frequencies.
The
accuracy
of themeasurement
methodwasverified
by creating
a soundfieldin an anechoicroomandby
generating
plane-wave
propagation
insidea longlengthof pipewith an anechoictermination.The
measurement
accuracies
wereverysatisfactory.Thismethod hastheadvantage
of eliminating
therecording
andprocessing
oftwosetsofdatarequired
in thecircuitswitching
technique.
PACS numbers:43.85.Dj, 43.50.Yw, 43.20.Mv, 43.88.Kb

INTRODUCTION sensing, recording, processing, and manipulating the

There has been considerable interest recently in
acoustic intensity measurements by noise control engi-
neers. The significant advantage of these measure-
ments over sound pressure levels is that the acoustic
power radiated by a noise source can be estimated ac-
curately both close to its surface as well as at greater
distances from it, even in the presence of interfering
acoustic fields. Acoustic power estimates close to the
surface of a machine consisting of several components
are useful in identifying and rank ordering the promi-
nent sources of noise for noise-control purposes.
The method of making intensity measurements using
two closely spaced microphones is a highly promising
technique. This method has been recently investigated
by Fahy/'2 Alfredson,s and Chung.4's The main advan-
tages of this method are that intensity measurements
can be carried out at positions close to the source as
well as at greater distances from the source and the
inherent phase differences between the two microphone
systems can be checked and corrected. Alfredson s has
calculated the acoustic intensity from two closely
spaced microphone signals directly on a computer via
an analogue to digital converter. The accuracies were
found to be within 2 dB. Since the formulation of this
method is based on single frequency analysis, it is
likely to involve large numbers of calculations with pro-
visions to store vast amounts of data in the computer.
Fahy• and Chungs have shown that acoustic intensities
can be obtained by cross-spectral density estimates of
the two closely spaced microphone signals. This meth-
od has the advantage of obtaining the acoustic intensity
over a continuous range of frequencies by using dual-
channel FFT analyzers.
In any dual channel data processing, it is important
to match the phase between the two-channel instrumen-
tation systems used in sensing and recording the sig-
nals. Chung4 avoided the phase mismatch errors by
resorting to circuit-switching techniquesø This involves
sets of data collected by interchanging the instrumenta-
tion channels(microphones,amplifiers, and tape re-
corder channels) for each intensity measurement.
Acoustic intensities were measured with great ac-
curacies, using this method. However, this technique
consumes double the time required for acquiring and
processing of a single set of data and also takes up
large amounts of storage space on FFT analyzers for
manipulating the data. Gain and phase errors can also
be corrected by carefully calibrating the two micro-
phone systems and applying the correction for the com-
puted cross spectrum. The advantage of this method is
that it involves only one set of data acquiring and pro-
cessing. In this paper the accuracy of the measure-
ment of acoustic intensity by correcting the gain and
phase mismatch errors by precalibrations of the two
microphone systems is examined.
I. CALIBRATION CORRECTION FOR PHASE
AND GAIN MISMATCH ERRORS
Based on Fahy• and Chung4 the expression for acous-
tic intensity in a given direction r using two closely
spaced microphones is given by
It(f)= Im(S,•.)
2pArw' (1)
where the cross-spectral density S•. =P•(/)Pf0•),
P•{f), andP•.(f)are the Fourier transforms of the
pressures px(t) andp•.(t) sensedby microphones1 and
2ø f is the frequency, t is the time, * denotes the com-
plex conjugate, p is the density, Ar is the separation
distance between the two microphones.
The phase and gain mismatch errors between two micro-
phone systems used in intensity measurements can be
corrected by their relative calibration. The two micro-
phones are exposed to the same sound signal over a re-
quired frequency bandø This method of correction has
been used by Seybert and Ross 6 and Chung?for deter-

307 J. Acoust.
Soc.Am.69(1), Jan.1981 0001-4966/81/010307-04500.80 (D1981Acoustical
Society
of America 307
 , ,

P(f)

P(f)

Vx(f) - 45 e

(b)
ß0 e
FIG. 1. Transfer function between two instrumentation sys-
tems.

O 500 o'
I DO '
15OO 2 o'o
O 2500 3000
FREQUENCY IN HZ

mining the acoustic characteristics of the duct systems. FIG. 3. Gain and phase shift between two microphone systems.
The measured cross-spectral density can be corrected
as indicated by the following analysis.

Referring to Fig. 1, Fourier transforms of the output

signals (from the two channels of a tape recorder in the (Note subscripts ! and 2 are substituted for micro-
present system), when the two microphonesare exposed phones x and y for the obvious reason of separating
to the same signal are given by calibration factors from actual measured quantities.)
Vx(f) =P(f)Hx(f) , By substitutingfor H•(f) from Eq. (3) the cross spec-
(2) trum of the sound pressures sensed by the two micro-
V,(f ) =P (f )H•(f ) , phones

where V•(f) and V•(f) are the Fourier transforms of v,(f)vf(f)

the outputvoltage signals V•(t) and V•(t) from the two St2(/)
=H•*,,(/)l
Hx(f)l
•'' (5)
microphone systems.
v,v,
P(f) is the Fourier transform of the pressure signal H•*•
=V,,
V•*' (6)
p(t) sensedby the two microphones. H•(f) and H•(f)
are the two transfer functions.
II. EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION
From Fig. l(b) the transfer function between the two
systems is given by Two 6.35-mm-diam microphones used to make in-
tensity measurements were exposed to the same sound
signal, by flush mounting them in a rigid circular
H(f) ' (3) plate attached to the end of a long 51-mm-diam pipe,
Cross spectrum of the output signals for acoustic in- which has a cutoff frequency of about 4000 Hz (Fig. 2).
tensity estimation is given by Sound waves were generated at the other end of the pipe
by an acoustic driver excited by a random noise gene-
V,.(f )Vf (f ) =P•(f )P•*(f)H,(f )H•*(f) . (4)
rator. (There is an extra microphone mounted to the
circular plate to be used as an alternate). The two
microphones were connected to their respective power
supply units, amplifiers, and to the two channels of an
FM tape recorder used in the intensity measurements.
MICROPHONES

SEEDETAILS
BELOW ACOUSTIC

4255mm •,•

VIEW ON A SECTION B-B

THREE 6.:.'.'55mm DIA. MICROPHONES FLUSH MOUNTED 6.$5rnm DIA. MICROPHONES

FIG. 2. Experimental arrangement for relative calibration of FIG. 4. Microphone arrangement for acoustic intensity meas-
microphone systems. urements.

308 J. Acoust.Soc. Am., ¾ol. 69, No. 1, January1981 Lettersto the Editor 308
 0 500 I000 1500 2000 2500

Figure 3 shows the transfer function of the two mic- FREQUENCY IN Hz

rophone systems determined by the above method using

FIG. 7. Acoustic intensity inside a pipe with and without phase
an FFT analyzer. The gain and phase difference be-
corrections.
tween the two systems are noticeable below 250 Hz but
at higher frequencies they are almost flat with devia-
tions ranging from 20-5 ø, but nevertheless they are
significant for any dual-channel data analysis. The
significance of these differences can be illustrated by
readingsß Fahyx has evaluated inherent errors in in-
an example. Sound signals sensed by two microphones
tensity estimates due to microphone spacings in terms
16-mm apart record a phase difference of only around
of measurement distance from the source of noise,
5 ø at 300 Hz under free-field conditions in perfectly
type of the source, and wave length. Based on this
phase-matched systemsø
estimate there is a likelihood of 1 dB error at 4000 Hz
The accuracy of the suggested method was verified for 16-mm spacing for plane wave propagation and
for two simple test cases. In both the experiments two simple monopole and dipole source field. The error
6.55-mm-diam microphones, spaced 16 mm apart increases of course at high frequencies and becomes
1
were used. The microphone spacing is determined by less than • dB at frequencies lower than 2000 Hz.
the upper frequency limit to satisfy the condition
Intensity measurements were made inside a long 51-
kAr<l. The principal error is associated with the
mm-diam pipe With an anechoic termination excited by
microphone spacing by the approximation of the pres-
a random noise generator. The microphone arrange-
sure and pressure gradient at the mid point between the
ment is shown in Fig. 4. The sound signals sensed by
spacing by the sum and difference of two microphone
the two microphones were passed through two ampli-
fiers and recorded on the two channels of an FM tape
recorder. The transfer function of the two measuring
systems was already determined by the method indi-
cated in the previous section. The acoustic intensity
65
F spectrum determined by the cross-spectral density
method by applying the correction for the differences in
phaseand gain betweenthe two microphones[as given
•.1 I'l III
by Eqs. (5)and (6)] is comparedwith the intensity
I•,,I,
spectrum by mean-sound pressure measurements esti-
' 55•"•i -, ,l mated by usingthe equationIr =p•'/pc in Fig. 5. The
agreement is exceedingly satisfactory at frequencies
1
II above 200 Hz, and is within •-dB range. As pointed out
earlier the error introduced by the microphones sepa-
ration distance could cause deviations approaching this
I I magnitude. Besides, the anechoic termination at the
•45•
II '•ß, ,
MEAN
--iSQUARE
RS PRESSURE
SPECTRAL
,METHOD
end of the pipe is expected to be accurate at frequencies
above 200 Hz. The reflections from the termination

0 500 I000 1500 2000 2•00 3000 below 200 Hz would give rise to large errors.
FREQUENCY IN Hz
Noise-intensity measurements of the acoustic driver
FIG. 6. Comparison of acoustic intensity measurements inside unit excited by the random-noise generator were also
an anechoic room. carried out in an anechoic room. The two microphones

309 J. Acoust.SocoAm., Vol. 69, No. 1, January1981 Lettersto the Editor 309
 nificant indicating the importance of correcting for the
phase and gain differences. These errors appear to be
in the range of 2-3 dB at frequencies above 200 Hz in
the figures.

III. CONCLUSIONS

It is shown that gain and phase mismatch errors be-

tween the two microphone systems used to obtain cross-
spectral density measurements can be eliminated by
careful calibration of the two systems, The apparatus
required for this purpose is very simple.
,,/,' i ',•i The acoustic intensity estimates obtained by cor-
recting the cross-spectral estimates for phase and gain
I
mismatch by the above calibration method has shown
II
good agreement for the two test cases, This method
has the advantage of sensing, recording, and process-
ing of only one set of data for each cross-spectrum
estimate.
INTENSITY
WITHOUT
PHASECORRECTION
CORRECTED SPECTRUM

I
500 I000 I I
1500 20 •0 I
2500 I
5000
FREQUENCY IN Hz

FIG. 8. Acoustic intensity spectra inside an anechoic room

with and without phase corrections.

t F. J. Fahy, "A techniquefor measuringsoundintensitywith a

with the same separation distance was placed at 1.83-m
distance from the driver unit on its axis.
intensity spectrum computed from two microphone sig-
nals is compared with the intensity spectrum by mean-
square pressure measurements in Fig. 6. The agree-
ment between the two spectra is within 1 dB, at fre-
quencies above 200 Hz. The differences at low fre-
quencies have occurred mainly because of two reasons.
First, the measurements were carried out rather close
to the anechoic wedges and secondly, the cutoff fre-
quency of the wedges is close to 250 Hz. Considering
these differences the agreement between the two spec-
tra is very satisfactory.
The acoustic intensity spectra with and without cor-
rections for the phase differences are shown in Figs. 7
and 8 for the two cases. The errors appear to be sig-
sound level meter," Noise Control Eng. 9, 155-162 (1977).
The acoustic
2F. J. Fahy, "Measurementof acousticintensityusingthe
cross-spectral density of two microphone signals," J.
Acoust. Soc. Am. 62, 1057-1059 (1977).
3R.J. Alfredson, "A newtechniquefor noise sourceidentifica-
tion on a multicyclinder automotive engine," Proc. NOISE
CON 77, 307-318 (1977).
4j. y. Chung,"Crossspectralmethodof measuringacoustical
intensity without error caused by instrument phase mis-
match," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 64, 1613-1616 (1978).
5j. y. Chunk,"Application
of acousticintensitymeasurements
to engine noise evaluation," Proc. Diesel Engine Noise Conf.
P-S0, 353-364 (1979).
6A F. SeybertandD. F. Ross, "Experimentaldetermination
of acoustic properties using a two microphone random exci-
tation technique," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 61, 1362-1370 (1977).
?D.A. Blaser andJ. Y. Chung,"A transfer functiontechnique
for determining the acoustic characteristics of duct systems
with flow," Proceedings of Inter-Noise 78, 901-908 (1978).

310 J. Acoust.Soc.Am., Vol. 69, No. 1, January1981 Lettersto the Editor 310