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Description
Electric vehicle powertrains exhibit prominent tonal and structure borne noise components originating from power electronic modules and electromagnetic excitations. Although particle dampers have been widely investigated for vibration attenuation, their application in electric vehicle powertrains with respect to structure-borne acoustic radiation remains limited. To the authors’ knowledge, psychoacoustic investigations of particle dampers in electric vehicle powertrains have not yet been reported. This study investigates the integration of a particle damper within the lid of a power electronic module to mitigate acoustic and psychoacoustic parameters. A cavity integrated into the module lid was partially filled with rubber granulate and experimentally evaluated on an electric drive test bench. Acoustic measurements were conducted under representative operating conditions, and psychoacoustic metrics were calculated according to ECMA 418-2, including loudness, tonality, and fluctuation strength. Results demonstrate a broadband reduction in sound pressure level. More importantly, the particle damper significantly reduces time varying loudness and tonal prominence. Since both sensations adversely affect the sound quality, it is likely that the integration of a particle damper leads to measurable improvements in perceived acoustic quality. The findings highlight the potential of particle dampers as an effective passive solution for noise vibration and harshness optimization in electric powertrains.