Experimental investigation on the potential of the Feedback Fx-LMS Active Noise Control technology for use in industrial generator sets

Active Noise Control (ANC) has been considered a promising technology for the abatement of acoustic noise from the mid-20th century. Feedback and Feedforward ANC algorithms, based on the destructive interference principle applied to acoustic waves, have been developed for different applications, depending on the spectrum of the noise source. Feedback ANC algorithms make use of a single control microphone to measure an error signal which is then employed by an adaptive filter to estimate the noise source and generate an opposite-phase control signal. The Fx-LMS (Filtered-X Least Mean Square) algorithm is mostly adopted to update the filter. Feedback ANC systems have proven to be effective for the abatement of low-frequency quasi-steady noises; however, different challenges must be overcome to realize an effective and durable system for high-temperature application. This paper aims at experimentally assessing the feasibility of a Feedback Fx-LMS ANC system with off-line Secondary Path estimation to be used in mid-size diesel gensets for the reduction of the exhaust noise. Several solutions are proposed, including the mechanical design, the development of the Fx-LMS algorithm in the LabVIEW FPGA programming language, and the key features required to prevent parts from thermal damage and fouling. The developed prototype was implemented on a 50-kW diesel genset and tested in a semi-anechoic chamber. The noise abatement inside the exhaust pipe and at different measurement points around the machine was evaluated and discussed, showing good potential for improving the acoustic comfort of genset users.