A hybrid magnetostrictive-piezoelectric barrel-stave projector

A hybrid magnetostrictive-piezoelectric barrel-stave projector is designed and developed, the new type transducer is consists of rare-earth giant magnetostrictive material Terfenol-D and PZT piezoelectric ceramic as union driving elements. Combining the advantage of low frequency performance with a compact size, it proves that the hybrid projector has a much broader band and higher sound power than thta of single magnetostrictive or piezoelectric driver by the simulated and measured results. The prototype of the hybrid projector has a size of 88 mm in outside diameter and 316 mm in length, with an underwater resonant frequency of 1.30 kHz, Q factor of 1.43 for -3 dB bandwidth, and transmitting voltage response level of 135.1 dB at the resonant frequency.