Grech La Rosa, Andrea; Smith, Tom; Wu, Peng; (2025) The Impact of Electric Propulsion Systems on Underwater Radiated Noise. In: The UACE2025 Proceedings. UACE: Ηalkidiki, Macedonia, Greece. (In press).

Text The impact of electric propulsion systems on underwater radiated noise_1.pdf - Accepted Version Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 20 January 2026. Download (331kB)

Abstract

Electric propulsion systems are becoming more widespread on marine vessels. There is considerable interest in understanding the acoustical impact of such systems, particularly if it can be shown that they can lead to meaningful reductions in URN. It is sometimes assumed that electric propulsion systems will be quieter than their combustion counterparts. However, there is only limited data on their overall impact on URN available at present and this paints a complex picture. On smaller vessels, research has shown that engine noise due to combustion processes can dominate over a larger speed range. Combustion outboard engines also typically expel their exhaust gases through the propeller hub, which is a significant source of low-frequency broadband noise. However, depending on the power electronics and propulsion architecture, electric motors can produce high amplitude high-frequency tonal noise which can be very detrimental to many marine mammals. In this work, the impact of marine electrification on underwater radiated noise is discussed for small craft. Trials data are presented for two vessels: one powered by a conventional outboard engine and the other by an electric motor. The electric vessel is found to be significantly quieter, with a broadband reduction of 29 dB re 1

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