Estimation of input power to track energy propagation through a small air handling unit

Statistical energy analysis (SEA) is dependent on having accurate inputs. The inputs to an SEA model are structural and acoustic input powers. In this work, blocked force analysis is utilized to determine the structural and acoustic input powers to a small air handling unit (AHU). An electromagnetic shaker connected to a small stiff plate bolted to a panel of the AHU is used as an input force to the unit. The acoustic input consists of a calibrated volume velocity source placed inside the air handler. The inversely determined input powers are then used as inputs to the SEA model to track the structure-borne and airborne energy propagation through the small air handler. The results demonstrate that the inversely determined input powers can be used to reliably estimate inputs for the SEA model.