Carbon nanotube thermoacoustic projectors for undersea vehicles

Renewed interest in the thermophone has developed with the recently demonstrated capability to manufacture carbon nanotube thin films and capacity to emit sound through the thermoacoustic effect. High fidelity broadband sound generation is attributed to the ultra-low heat capacity and low thermal inertia of these films. Motivated by the need for low-frequency, broad-bandwidth, compact sonar projectors to be embedded in the hull of unmanned sea vehicles or in the outer coating of a surface combatant or submarine as a conformal array, a team of researchers from Virginia Tech, The University of Texas at Dallas, and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center are evaluating these novel materials and devices both theoretically and experimentally. Analytical and numerical simulations support mechanical, thermal and acoustic experimentation. Correlated results will be presented. [Work supported by Office of Naval Research, code 321MS.]