BS EN 60500:2017

What is BS EN 60500- Properties of hydrophones about? 

BS EN 60500 is a safety standard on hydrophones. 

BS EN 60500 specifies the relevant characteristics and properties of hydrophones in the frequency range 1 Hz to 500 kHz, and specifies how to report these characteristics. BS EN 60500 provides guidance on the choice of a hydrophone with appropriate performance for a specific application, which is given in an informative annex. 

BS EN 60500 is applicable to: 

• Hydrophones employing piezoelectric sensor elements, designed to respond to sound pressure in water and measure underwater acoustical signals 
• Hydrophones with or without an integral pre-amplifier 

Note: BS EN 60500 does not cover performance requirements for specific hydrophone types, or for specific hydrophone applications. 

Who is BS EN 60500- Properties of hydrophones for?  

BS EN 60500 on properties of hydrophones is relevant to: 

• Manufacturers of hydrophones  
• Hydrologists 

Why should you use BS EN 60500- Properties of hydrophones? 

A hydrophone is an electroacoustic transducer that produces electrical signals in response to waterborne pressure signals. 

The hydrophones used in underwater acoustics are of the piezoelectric type, with or without an integral pre-amplifier. EN 60500 assists the user with the angular coordinate system which is used to designate the directional response pattern of the hydrophone. BS EN 60500 also assists with the complex-valued quantity, the modulus of which is the free-field open-circuit sensitivity and the argument of which is the sensitivity phase angle, for specified frequency and specified direction of sound incidence at the position of the reference centre of the hydrophone if the hydrophone was removed from the sound field. 

Overall, BS EN 60500 is useful as it describes the sensitivity or sensitivity level of the hydrophone as a function of frequency which is stated either graphically or as a list of values and over a frequency range containing at least the frequency bands. 

What’s changed since the last update? 

BS EN 60500:2017 supersedes BS 5653:1978, which is withdrawn. 

BS EN 60500:2017 replaces the first edition published in 1974. BS EN 60500:2017 constitutes a technical revision. 

BS EN 60500:2017 includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition. 

• The format and scope of IEC 60500 have been changed to be compatible with IEC 62127-3:2007 in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, and has good conformity with IEC 60565:2006, making the suite of available standards for underwater sound a more coordinated and coherent system 
• The upper limit of the frequency range of hydrophones has been expanded from 100 kHz to 500 kHz 
• Technical requirements of hydrophone selection are provided in Annex A and the depth 
• Range of the static pressure range of hydrophones has been expanded from 10 m to 100 m