An algorithmic approach to electroacoustical analogies

Abstract

The low-frequency behavior of acoustical transducers can be simulated with the so-called electroacoustical analogies (or lumped parameters). The main idea is that visual inspection of the transducer allows the derivation of an electroacoustic circuit that can be analyzed. The technique is computationally efficient and provides significant physical insight into the transducer. Electroacoustical analogies are taught today in many courses around the world. However, it is difficult to find reading material with an algorithmic approach to derive the electroacoustic circuit from the visual inspection of the transducer. This paper presents algorithms to derive the mechanical and acoustical circuits of transducer systems and how to couple the electrical, mechanical, and acoustical circuits for electrodynamic and capacitive transducers. A number of examples of the derivation are presented in detail. These techniques were conceived from an extensive search of the classical literature in acoustics and adapted to the teaching needs of undergraduate and graduate students of the Acoustical Engineering at the Federal University of Santa Maria in Brazil.