Optimal and Adaptive Virtual Unidirectional Sound Source in Active Noise Control

One of the problems concerned with active noise control is the existence of acoustical feedback between the control value (“active” loudspeaker output) and the reference signal. Various experiments show that such feedback can seriously decrease effects of attenuation or even make the whole ANC system unstable. This paper presents a detailed analysis of one of possible approaches allowing to deal with acoustical feedback, namely, virtual unidirectional sound source. With this method, two loudspeakers are used together with control algorithm assuring that the combined behaviour of the pair makes virtual propagation of sound only in one direction. Two different designs are presented for the application of active noise control in an acoustic duct: analytical (leading to fixed controller) and adaptive. The algorithm effectiveness in simulations and real experiments for both solutions is showed, discussed, and compared.