Multiobjective muffler shape optimization with hybrid acoustics modelling

Abstract

Shape optimization of a duct system with respect to sound transmission loss is considered. The objective of optimization is to maximize the sound transmission loss at multiple frequency ranges simultaneously by adjusting the shape of a reactive muffler component. The noise reduction problem is formulated as a multiobjective optimization problem. The sound attenuation for each considered frequency is determined by a hybrid method, which requires solving Helmholtz equation numerically by finite element method. The optimization is performed using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm, NSGA-II, which is a multi-objective genetic algorithm. The hybrid numerical method is flexible with respect to geometric shapes, material parameters and boundary conditions. Its combination with multiobjective optimization provides an efficient method to design muffler components.