A novel laminated material for improving the sound insulation properties particularly in submarine vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a laminated material for improving the sound insulation properties of vehicles that is used especially in submarine vehicles, but is also suitable for use in technical fields which are not limited to this field of use.

Description

[0001] A NOVEL LAMINATED MATERIAL FOR IMPROVING THE SOUND INSULATION PROPERTIES PARTICULARLY IN SUBMARINE VEHICLES

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The invention relates to a laminated material for improving the sound insulation properties of vehicles that is used especially in submarine vehicles, but is also suitable for use in different technical fields which are not limited to this field of use.

[0004] In another aspect, the invention relates to including further embodiments for improving the sound insulation properties of glass reinforced plastic composite materials, which are used as raw materials in laminated materials used in the construction of submarine vehicles.

[0005] PRIOR ART

[0006] Glass reinforced plastic (hereinafter abbreviated as GRP) composite materials are a special type of GRP used in submarine and underwater systems. These materials are designed to optimize the acoustic performance of submarines and underwater platforms. Underwater acoustic GRP composite materials can be used for submarine hulls, underwater cables, hydrophone housings and other underwater systems. By controlling the propagation and reflection of sound waves, these materials increase the acoustic performance of the vehicle and help submarines to be hidden from enemies or less perceptible to environmental influences.

[0007] GRP composite materials consist of glass fiber reinforced plastic. Glass fiber is a material known for its high strength and light weight properties. The plastic matrix ensures the distribution and arrangement of the glass fiber, increases the durability of the material and optimizes its acoustic properties. These materials are often designed and manufactured in a specific way, using special reinforcement and matrix materials to maximize acoustic performance.

[0008] To date, composite materials in different designs and arrangements for improving sound insulation and acoustic properties for submarines and many similar vehicles have been the subject of study. The invention with patent number US3640836 relates to a system comprising ethylene vinyl acetate and methacrylic acid between layers to increase the damping effect in a broad temperature band, along with vibration damped sandwich systems containing vibration dampers and hard plates between the layers. In this invention, only the damping effect of sandwich systems was examined.

[0009] The invention with patent number US4828932 relates to a system in which the porous metallic material is formed by combining metal and fibrous metallic fibers under pressure in the form of layers. This porous metallic material has flexural strength and the ability to be processed.

[0010] In the invention with patent number US7854993, the layers are polymer materials inbetween, the polymer materials between the multiple layer glass panels, and especially the polymer materials between the layers made of multiple layer thermoplastic sheets. Poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) is often used in the production of polymer plates. These plates are used as safe glass or polymeric laminates between layers in the light transmission of laminates. Safety glass can also be used for other beneficial effects, such as; reduction of acoustic noise, reduction of UV and IR light transmission and enhancement of appearance, and aesthetic appearance of the glass aperture. In this invention, sound transmission loss (STL(dB)) was examined in order to examine the acoustic noise reduction of the material. However, it has been observed that the sound absorption coefficient and sound transmission loss are examined depending on the change in certain frequency ranges.

[0011] In the relevant technical field, the necessity of obtaining cost-effective, easy-to-produce composite materials with improved sound insulation performances, especially for submarine vehicles, continues. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] All technological developments against the hostile sonar devices of submarines are of importance. For this reason, a number of materials are used to ensure the construction of submarines and to prevent the transmission of noise to outside from the sound waves of hostile sonar devices and from the submarines themselves. In order to achieve this in the art, GRP composite materials are generally used as raw materials in the construction of submarine vehicles and other functions.

[0013] According to all the technical problems and needs mentioned here, the primary object of the present invention is to introduce a new laminated material with improved sound insulation properties, particularly used in the construction of submarine vehicles. In this way, it is possible to obtain a laminate material that improves the sound insulation properties of GRP composites, which are currently used as an element in submarine vehicles in the present art, and offers additional technical solutions and advantages for the relevant technical field.

[0014] The secondary object for the relevant technical field is the production of underwater acoustic materials for submarine vehicles, which, as is known, are easy to manufacture and cost-effective.

[0015] A further object of the present invention for the relevant technical field is to introduce a low-cost and easily manufacturable GRP composite material-containing laminate.

[0016] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] In this detailed description, the subject of the invention relates to a laminated material with improved underwater acoustic insulation properties particularly for submarine vehicles, and is described by way of non-limiting examples only for a better understanding of the subject matter.

[0018] In this invention, laminated material refers to a final product that is formed by combining a plurality of materials layer by layer and in which they remain together in a stable manner. In this invention, laminated material can be used as a raw material in submarine hulls, underwater cables, hydrophone housings and other underwater systems in the construction of submarine vehicles. However, the laminated material subject to this invention can find application in different technical fields other than submarine vehicles to provide similar functions.

[0019] As mentioned before, the laminated material subject to the invention is assembled with more than one layer. The laminated material subject to the invention contains GRP composite materials as a layer to provide the mechanical, physical, and chemical properties required for submarine vehicles. Accordingly, it can be said that the main component of the laminated material is GRP composite material. GRP composite material is a common choice in submarine construction due to its light weight and durability. GRP composite materials are resistant to seawater and various marine environment conditions. Further, GRP materials are relatively easy to form and customize, providing flexibility to submarine designers and construction equipment.

[0020] In this invention, the laminated material preferably comprises more than one layer containing GRP composite material. In this invention, the laminated material may contain as a layer at least one or both of the matte glass reinforced plastics and / or roving glass reinforced plastics as GRP.

[0021] As is known in the art, the surface of matte glass reinforced plastic is rougher. For this reason, in cases where GRP has to be adhered to other components, it is more appropriate to include matte GRP with rough surface as a layer. Roving glass reinforced fiber, on the other hand, is suitable to be included as a layer in cases where strength and durability are desired to be in the final product laminated material.

[0022] As is known in the art, GRP composite materials are light and durable materials. Submarine vehicles may contain at least one or both of the matte glass reinforced plastics and / or roving glass reinforced plastics with a surface density at a value in the range of 225 g / m2to 970 g / m2as GRP composite material.

[0023] In the most preferred embodiment, the laminated material contains at least one layer comprising matte glass reinforced plastic and at least one layer comprising roving glass reinforced plastic with a surface density at a value in the range of 225 g / m2to 970 g / m2. The laminated material subject to the invention contains multiple layers containing matte glass reinforced plastic and multiple layers containing roving reinforced plastic, preferably with a surface density at a value in the range of 225 g / m2to 970 g / m2. In this way, the laminated material can have low weight and high strength values, particularly suitable for use as a layer in submarine vehicles.

[0024] As is known in the art, GRP composite materials are also materials that provide underwater acoustic insulation for submarine vehicles. However, as technology advances, it is expected that the underwater acoustic properties of submarine vehicles will be improved.

[0025] The innovative aspect of this invention is to improve the sound insulation properties of laminated materials containing GRP composite materials as layers. In order to achieve this, the laminated material subject to the present invention comprises at least one layer containing ethyl vinyl acetate (abbreviated as EVA).

[0026] In this invention, the laminated material can comprise EVA polymer as more than one layer.

[0027] EVA polymer material can absorb energy by absorbing sound waves, and with this feature, it prevents the propagation of sounds around it and eliminates echo formation.

[0028] EVA polymer is a material with good formability since it is a flexible material.

[0029] EVA polymer is a material which is cheap to produce and easily obtainable. The EVA polymer is shared as Formula 1 .

[0030] Formula 1 . Due to all these technical solutions and advantages, the laminated material to be used as a raw material with improved sound insulation properties, especially in submarine vehicles, contains at least one EVA-containing layer for the targeted properties.

[0031] The inventors have implemented research and development activities to ensure that EVA polymer can be present in a stable manner in the laminated material as a layer. Accordingly, in this invention, the solution process technique is used to obtain the EVA polymer as a layer. Solutions are formed by dissolving EVA having determined vinyl acetate ratios by weight in toluene solvent, and then the drying process is carried out in order to obtain a layer suitable for use for the laminated material.

[0032] In this invention, the laminated material also contains at least one gel coat material. Here, said gel coat material is an adhesive substance or putty that is widely used in many industries, used in bonding, filling, adhering or assembly processes. In this invention, a pre-accelerated gel coat with a brushable consistency based on unsaturated ISO / NPG polyester resin dissolved in styrene is used as a gel coat.

[0033] In this invention, the laminated material contains at least one or a combination of the gel coat and / or paraffin solution group as the topcoat.

[0034] In this invention, the laminated material comprises epoxy composite material, which ensures that the layers it contains adhere and remain stable together. Said epoxy composite materials are applied on both sides of the layers to ensure adhesion between the layers. Subsequently, the laminated material obtained will consist of a system comprising more than one layer in which adhesion is provided with epoxy resins by curing. Epoxy resin also contains cobalt-based metal carboxylate. Said material acts as a catalyst in the curing of epoxy resin. Furthermore, epoxy resin may contain hardeners and reaction accelerators.

[0035] Accordingly, the laminated material contains at least one gel coat layer, at least one mat GRP-containing layer, at least one roving GRP, at least one mat GRP-containing layer and at least one topcoat, respectively. In this invention, EVA polymers with vinyl acetate ratios of 12%, 28% and 40% by weight are tested. The layer arrangement of the laminated materials to be tested is as follows; the laminated material not comprising EVA polymer as a layer is given as Table 1 , and the laminated material comprising EVA polymers containing vinyl acetate in different weight ratios as a layer is given as Table 2.

[0036] Table 1 .

[0037] Table 2. The results obtained are shared as Table 3. Table 3.

[0038] Comparison of sound absorption coefficient of GRP composite material using as a layer EVA copolymer with 12% vinyl acetate weight percentage prepared in 60 ml solution, EVA copolymer with 28% vinyl acetate weight percentage prepared in 100 ml solution, and EVA copolymer with 40% vinyl acetate weight percentage prepared in 100 ml solution within itself and EVA-free GRP composite material Table 4.

[0039] Comparison of sound transmission losses of GRP composite material using as a layer EVA copolymer with 12% vinyl acetate weight percentage prepared in 60 ml solution, EVA copolymer with 28% vinyl acetate weight percentage prepared in 100 ml solution, and EVA copolymer with 40% vinyl acetate weight percentage prepared in 100 ml solution within itself and EVA-free GRP composite material For testing, EVA materials each with different ratio of vinyl acetate by weight were used as a layer in the 3rd and 12th layers within the laminated materials having the arrangements in the representative Table 2. To be more clear, EVA with a vinyl acetate ratio of 40% by weight is used as a layer in one of the tests. As mentioned before, for example, 10 g of EVA with a vinyl acetate ratio of 40% by weight is taken and dissolved in 100 ml of toluene to prepare a solution, then subjected to the drying process. Afterwards, the obtained EVA with a vinyl acetate ratio of 40% by weight is placed in the laminated material as a layer. EVA materials with other vinyl acetate ratios by weight are prepared in the same way and used as layers to be tested. However, EVA with a vinyl acetate ratio of 12% by weight is dissolved in 60 ml of toluene in order to be at the targeted concentration.

[0040] The inventors have proved by tests that all sound insulation values are higher than the others when the EVA polymer with a vinyl acetate ratio of 28% by weight is included as a layer in the laminate material as a teaching in the relevant technical field. The results of said tests are given as Table 3 and Table 4. Accordingly, the subject of the invention in an aspect is related to the determination of the improvement of the sound insulation properties of the laminated material comprising EVA layer with 28% vinyl acetate ratio by weight. As stated in the studies conducted, in this invention, a laminated material comprising as a layer the polymer containing EVA with a vinyl acetate ratio of 28% by weight is introduced.

[0041] The scope of protection of the invention is specified in the appended claims and cannot be limited to what is described for illustrative purposes in this detailed description. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can produce similar embodiments in the light of what is explained above, without deviating from the main theme of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A laminated material suitable for use as a raw material particularly in the construction of submarine vehicles and / or the housing of other elements in the vehicles, characterized in that said laminated material consists of more than one layer and comprises the following, at least one layer comprising GRP composite material to ensure the basic mechanical, physical, and chemical properties of vehicles, at least one layer comprising EVA polymer allowing improvement of the sound insulation, anti-corrosive and water resistance properties of vehicles.

2. A laminated material according to Claim 1 , characterized in that GRP composite material is at least one of the group of matte GRP and / or roving GRP.

3. A laminated material according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises at least one layer containing at least one matte GRP composite material and at least one layer containing the roving GRP composite material.

4. A laminated material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that GRP composites within it have a surface density at a value between 225 g / m2to 970g / m2.

5. A laminated material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that EVA in said layer comprising EVA has a vinyl acetate ratio of 28% by weight.

6. A laminated material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the number of layers comprising EVA is more than one.

7. A laminated material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the layer comprising EVA is placed between the layers comprising at least two matte GRP composite materials.

8. A laminated material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains at least one gel coat layer, at least one layer comprising matteGRP, at least one layer comprising roving GRP, at least one matte layer comprising GRP, and at least one topcoat, respectively.

9. A laminated material according to Claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a pre-accelerated material with a brushable consistency resistant to unsaturatedISO / NPG Resin polyester resin dissolved in styrene as a gel coat layer.

10. A laminated material according to Claim 8-9, characterized in that it comprises epoxy resin, which ensures the layers remain stable and adhere together.

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