Muffler modeling by transfer matrix method and experimental verification

Mufflers are widely used for exhaust noise attenuation in vehicles and machinery. Recent advances in modeling procedures for accurate performance prediction have led to the development of modeling methods for practical muffler components in commercial design. Muffler designers need simple and fast modeling tools, especially in the preliminary design evaluation stages. Finite Element and Boundary Element methods are often used to provide valid results in a wide range of frequencies. However, these methods are time-consuming, its use needs highly trained personnel and the commercial software is usually quite expensive. Therefore, plane wave based models such as the transfer matrix method (TMM) can offer fast initial prototype solutions for muffler designers. In this paper, the principles of TMM for predicting the transmission loss (TL) of a muffler are summarized. The method is applied to different muffler configurations and the numerical predictions are compared with the results obtained by means of an experimental set up. Only stationary, non-dissipative mufflers are considered. The limitation of both the experimental method and the plane wave approach are discussed. The predicted results agreed reasonably well with the measured results in the low frequency range where the firing engine frequency and its first few harmonics are the main sources of noise.

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