Method for forming a sound attenuation structure provided with s-shaped cells
A method for forming an acoustic resonator panel for an aircraft propulsion assembly nacelle, the acoustic panel including cells with transverse internal obstacles in order to lengthen the path traveled by the sound waves. The method includes forming a perforated metal sheet, stacking a plurality of thermoplastic cellular cores and at least one perforated sheet, two successive cellular cores being separated by a perforated sheet, compacting the stack, and thermoplastic welding.
1 . A method for manufacturing an acoustic resonator panel for an aircraft propulsion assembly nacelle, the acoustic panel including adjoining acoustic cells which form a cellular center, each cell extending along an axis of acoustic propagation of sound waves and including inside the cell, at least one partial obstacle which extends transversely with respect to the acoustic propagation axis and which forms an internal passage off-center with respect to a center of the cell to increase a length of a path traveled by the sound waves through the cell,
the method for manufacturing the acoustic panel comprising:
a step of forming at least one perforated metal sheet according to a regular pattern to form said internal passages, a center of each internal passage being separated from a center of the adjacent internal passages by a distance corresponding to the width of the acoustic cells, and each internal passage having a size smaller than the size of each acoustic cell measured in a plane perpendicular to a main direction, the main direction being parallel to the acoustic propagation axis,
a step of stacking, in the main direction, a plurality of cellular cores made of thermoplastic resin and at least one of said at least one perforated metal sheet, two successive cellular cores being separated by one of said at least one perforated metal sheet, each cellular core including a plurality of honeycomb cells joined in a plane orthogonal to the main direction and forming, in combination with adjoining cellular cores on either side of said at least one perforated metal sheet, corresponding portions of said adjoining acoustic cells of said cellular center in the main direction, and each honeycomb cell of a cellular core facing one of said internal passages of said perforated metal sheet, said one internal passage and a central axis of the honeycomb cell not being aligned in the main direction,
a compaction step during which a compaction pressure is applied in the main direction on either side of the stack obtained following the stacking step,
and a thermoplastic welding step carried out while maintaining the compacting pressure.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic welding step comprises pulling said at least one perforated metal sheet in at least one direction perpendicular to the main direction.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the stacking step, a step of impregnating said at least one perforated metal sheet with a thermoplastic resin or a step of bonding a pure thermoplastic film to the at least one perforated metal sheet.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the stacking step, a step of impregnating the cellular center with a thermoplastic resin or a step of bonding a pure thermoplastic film to the cellular center.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic welding is carried out at a temperature between the glass transition temperature and the melting temperature of the thermoplastic cellular cores for amorphous thermoplastics, and at a temperature close to the melting temperature of the cellular cores for semi-crystalline thermoplastics.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic welding is an induction welding or a resistive welding.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein when the acoustic panel comprises at least two perforated metal sheets, the passages of two successive perforated metal sheets in the main direction are non-aligned in the main direction.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the stacking step, a step of forming the cellular cores with honeycomb cells having a width comprised between 0.95 and 2.5 cm and a height comprised between 5 and 100 mm, the honeycomb cells of the same cellular core all having the same width and all the same height.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of stacking the cellular cores and said at least one perforated metal sheet comprises the formation of a stack comprised between 15 and 200 mm in height in the main direction.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the passages produced during the step of forming at least one perforated metal sheet all have the same shape with a first dimension in a first direction longer than a second dimension in a second direction, the first direction being orthogonal to the second direction, and the first and second directions being orthogonal to said main direction.
11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of stacking the cellular cores and said at least one perforated metal sheet comprises the formation of a stack having, in the main direction, a first face and a second face, the method further comprising closing the first face of said stack by an acoustically reflective skin, and closing the second face of said stack by an acoustically transparent skin.
12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of forming at least one perforated metal sheet comprises using a sheet having an acoustic resistance at 105 cm/s of at least 1000 Pa·s/m.
13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic resin is accompanied by fillers or short fibers.
14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compacting pressure is comprised between 10 and 200 bars.
15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each passage is formed by a plurality of adjacent orifices.
16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic panel comprises at least two of said perforated metal sheets, and wherein, for each acoustic cell, successive internal passages of successive perforated metal sheets in the main direction are located on opposite sides of the peripheral enclosure of the acoustic cell, and successive perforated metal sheets partially overlap in projection along the main direction such that their combined projected area covers the entire cross-sectional area of the acoustic cell, thereby constraining sound waves to travel a sinuous path through the cell.