CHARACTERIZATION OF HYDRAULIC FLOW NOISE INDUCED BY SPOOL VALVES

The purpose of the hydraulic flow noise research was to investigate the relationship between operational valve parameters and flow noise generation. The primary consideration was correlating the flow noise generated by the valve with the distinct valve open positions. This data would allow future valve designs to account for features that cause increased flow noise and move those features away from high flow valve displacements. By implementing this, companies would be able to design quieter hydraulic systems that will not expose operators to the current levels of sound found on machines. The experiments were conducted using two valves with different internal geometry and comparing the flow noise’s excitation and acoustic energy. Using a controlled closed circuit valve system, the fluid-born noise could be isolated from the pump harmonics and background noise to develop accurate flow noise profiles for the valves under various operating conditions. In the future, more valves could be tested to create a more robust profile library using the test methods developed