Selection of a Potting Material and Method for Broadband Underwater Cymbal Arrays

Cymbal transducers are often used in arrays for underwater communication and detection systems. The working environment of a cymbal array is underwater; therefore, waterproofing, salt-corrosion prevention, and impact resistance are necessary for stable operation of the array. Hence, we simulated potting a cymbal array with 15 different rubber and epoxy materials available in the market, using the finite element method, and analyzed their effect on the transmitting voltage response spectrum of the array. From the analysis results, we selected the material that would achieve the widest frequency bandwidth, while preserving the structural stability of the array. A potting method corresponding to the selected material was suggested as well. This study provides guidelines for the selection of a potting material for use in underwater transducer arrays.