The French Oceanographic Fleet has at its disposal acoustic measuring equipment for characterizing transducers and hydrophones, and for carrying out operations for calibrating echo sounders. It undertakes measurements on its own behalf, and places its measuring equipment at the disposal of the scientific community and industry. Depending on the frequency range, tests can be carried out at sea, in the test tank or in the Fleet’s acoustic tank.

The acoustic tank enables users to measure three parameters: sensitivity at emission and at reception, directivity using a stepping motor (resolution 0.3 °), and electrical impedance in the frequency range 8 kHz–1 MHz for loads up to 50 kg.

The associated laboratory equipment includes standard transducers, signal synthesizer, power amplifiers, weak noise voltage preamplifiers, digital oscilloscopes, and impedance bridges.

This device can be transported to the large test tank for measuring lower frequencies, starting at 1.5 kHz, and for loads up to 500 kg.

 

Characteristics 

Acoustic tank

• Length: 4 m
• Breadth: 2.5 m
• Depth: 2 m

Test tank

• Length: 50 m
• Breadth: 13 m
• Depth: 10/20 m