A study on the separation method of radiation noise contributions from multiple ship equipment based on reverse transfer path analysis

Accurately separating and quantifying the contributions of individual mechanical equipment from coupled noise in ships is critical for further reducing radiated noise from onboard machinery. Transfer Path Analysis (TPA) and Operational Transfer Path Analysis (OTPA) are widely adopted for vibration-noise transfer characterization; however, their efficiency and accuracy in shipboard noise testing scenarios remain limited. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a Reverse Transfer Path Analysis (RTPA) method based on pseudo-force and reciprocity testing principles. This method eliminates the need for machinery disassembly or installation of large-scale exciters, enabling in-situ measurements of equipment excitation forces and frequency response functions, thereby significantly improving testing efficiency. Validation through underwater noise experiments on a scaled ship model demonstrates the effectiveness of RTPA in decoupling machinery noise contributions. Results show excellent agreement with measured data: shaft-related tonal frequencies and amplitudes fully align with ground-truth values, and the broadband noise level error is only 3.1 dB, compared to a 10.3 dB error for the OTPA method. These findings confirm the enhanced accuracy and effectiveness of the RTPA method in resolving coupled noise separation challenges for shipboard machinery, offering robust support for vibration/noise reduction strategies and acoustic optimization in ship design.