Comparison of Class I Flextensional Transducers with Concave Staves Machined by Different Materials

A Class I concave stave flextensional transducer is developed. Aiming at the electroacoustic performance of low frequency, high power, light weight and small size, the effect of the concave staves machined by the different materials on the flextensional transducer is studied. The finite element simulations illustrate the effect of the aluminium alloy, TC4 titanium alloy and 304 steel concave staves. The prototypes of the Class I concave stave flextensional transducer have been designed and fabricated. They have the size of Φ 96 × 160 mm, the weight of below 3 kg. Moreover, their resonance frequency is below 1.6 kHz and their source level is more than 194 dB. The tests verified the changes caused by the concave staves with different materials.