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Abstract
This work deals with noise pollution inside and outside a factory. Measurement of noise power level emitted by two sources
located inside an industrial plant was carried out according to EN ISO 3746 and the transmission of noise coming from inside to
outside was investigated by measurements and calculations according to EN 12354-4.
SPL measurements were performed around the machines in a factory and the sound power level calculated after the influence of
background noise and reverberation was excluded. The problems encountered in the application of the EN ISO 3746 measurement
protocol and the calculation of the correction coefficient for undesired reflections was described.
Noise was emitted from a source located inside the main building and SPL measurements were carried out near the noise source
and outside the building at 3 m, 6 m, 12 m and 24 m. The measurement results were compared with the ones calculated, according
to the EN 12354-4 Standard, showing a good correspondence. The maximum difference between measured and calculated data is
1.8 dB, at 3 m from the factory wall.
Key words: industrial noise, noise level measurement, noise propagation, sound insulation, sound power level
Received: December, 2010; Revised final: February, 2012; Accepted: March, 2012
Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed: e-mail: claudia.tomozei@ub.ro
Tomozei et al./Environmental Engineering and Management Journal 11 (2012), 3, 701-708
deviation of reproducibility of the A-weighted sound If the difference between and the A-weighted
power level R4 dB. Not many studies have dealt sound pressure level averaged over the measurement
with the application of the measurement protocol surface and the A-weighted sound pressure level of
described in the Standard and the problems the background noise is higher than 10 dB no
encountered in the calculation of the correction correction for the background noise is made. The
coefficients for background noise and undesired environmental correction term, K2A, shall be
reflections. The first part of the present study numerically less than or equal to 7 dB. If the
concerns the application of the Standard to two case requirement cannot be satisfied the particular
studies, a numerical control drilling machine and a environment cannot be used for measurements on the
riveting machine, which were different with respect to surface under test in accordance with the Standard.
the dimensions and the test environments.
Industrial activities are mainly conducted in 2.1. Case study
noisy zones, where the level of external noise is due
to the propagation of sound energy of long-term The sound power level of two typical
operation equipment, machines and installations mechanical units was measured according to the
through the buildings’ structure towards the Standard EN ISO 3746 in a medium-size factory
surrounding areas (Bies and Hansen, 2009; Gafitanu located in Asti, in the Piedmont region, Italy. The
et al., 1980; Lan and Chiu, 2008). The noise level in factory, manufacturing car parts (clutch plates), has a
the free field outside the factory depends on the rectangular plant with dimensions of 80 per 85 meters
distance between the source and the receiver and is and a mean height of 8.5 meters. The building is
influenced by the sound spectrum and by the made of bricks with a shed roof and is full of
geometrical characteristics of the source (Barron, machines and goods uniformly distributed over the
2003, Beranek and Ver, 1992; Gafitanu et al., 1980). whole floor area.
The second part of the study deals with the Among the main sources of noise in the
application of the model of radiated sound power factory, a numerically controlled drilling machine and
level of airborne noise from a building envelope due a riveting machine were chosen for the
to the noise inside the building described in the measurements. Numerical Control Drilling Machine
Standard ISO 12354-4 (2003). For simple conditions adopts advanced intelligent PLC control platform.
of propagation a simplified method for the prevision The process can be programmed by inputting data
of the sound pressure level outside the building is into PLC system, positioning the drill bits and drilling
described in Annex F of the Standard. Calculations automatically. The riveting machine is used to
have been compared with the measurement results in automatically set (squeeze) rivets in order to join
order to validate the method. materials together.
Most of the machines in the factory were
2. Determination of the sound power level of a located inside the cabins, whose doors were closed
noise source in a factory during the operation. In areas with high noise levels,
the workers were equipped with individual ear
Standard ISO 3746 (2009) describes a method protection devices. The drilling machine was located
for the calculation of the sound power level produced in a lateral part of the factory surrounded by a cabin
by a noise source inside a factory starting from the 4.65 m wide, 7.77 m long and 3.40 m high, built of
sound pressure levels measured over an area that metal, glass and plexiglass. The riveting machine was
surrounds the source. The standard explains the located in the lateral part of the factory, an area with
conditions for the measurements, the equipment and less human traffic.
the procedures in order to obtain the sound pressure Fig. 1 shows the equipment dislocation in the
levels around the source starting from source factory where the drilling machine and the vertical
dimensions and location. turning robot are identified with the numbers 1 and 7,
The calculation of the A-weighted sound respectively. During the measurements, the factory
power level, LWA, in decibel, is performed using Eq. stopped their activity in order to measure each source
(1): individually. The measurements in the factory were
carried out with a sound-level meter Brüel & Kjaer
S type 2250 which allows data storage on memory
LWA L pfA 10 lg [dB] (1)
S0 cards, a 1st class instrument. In order to obtain the
sound power level of the numerical control drilling
machine, showed in Fig. 2a, 7 points were chosen
where: around the source, as schematized in Fig. 3.
L pfA is A-weighted surface sound pressure level Since the distance from two of the adjacent
averaged over the measurement surface with the walls was about 1 m, the measurement surface around
background noise correction, K1A, and the the machine was a parallelepiped with the
environmental correction, K2A, in decibel; S is the area microphone positions set for floor-standing
of the measurement surface in square meters; S0 is the appliances placed against two walls. The
reference area of 1 m2. measurement distance from the machine was 0.5 m.
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Noise sources characterization inside and outside a factory
In order to choose the correct measurement source were 5 with a measurement distance of 1 m, as
surface around the source the topic of the correct shown in Fig. 4.
distance from the microphone positions relative to
reflecting surface was investigated. 2.2. Results
According to the Standard ISO 1996-2 (2007)
the distance from the microphone to any sound- For the seven points around the first source,
reflecting surface apart from the ground shall be at the five points of the second source and the
least twice the distance from the microphone to the background noise levels measured in correspondence
dominating part of the sound source. In the case of the of the two machines, data were processed by the
drilling machine the distance from the two adjacent Bruel & Kjaer software which handles data transfer,
walls was about 1 m and the measurement distance data archiving and data export.
was 0.5 m, hence the condition indicated by the For each measurement point the recording
Standard wasn’t satisfied. The microphone array on time was 2 minutes while the SPL sample time was
the parallelepiped measurement surface consisted in 7 one second (Leq1s). Fig. 5 shows the time history of
positions, instead of 18 positions that could have been the A-weighted sound pressure level and the C-
if the source had been placed in the center of the weighted peak sound pressure level during the
room. measurement time in the reception point no.1 of the
As far as the riveting machine is concerned, it numerical control drilling machine. The numerical
was a smaller machine positioned in the middle of the control drilling machine shows a periodicity of about
factory. The measurement points all around the 10 seconds.
Fig. 1. The equipment dislocation in the factory (1 – Drilling Machine, 2 – Vertical turning robot, 3 – Machine tool Benelli TB
100, 4 – Maintenance place, 5 – Broaching machine, 6 – CNC Machine, Trumatic 2020R, 7 – Riveting machines, 8 – Assembly
line, 9 – Packaging Line, 10 – Store, 11 – Shop, 12 – Offices) and location of the loudspeaker (S) inside the factory for inside-
outside sound propagation analysis and outdoor measurement points at 3, 6, 12 and 24 m from the external wall
a b
Fig. 2. The image of the numerical control drilling machine (a) and the riveting machine (b)
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Tomozei et al./Environmental Engineering and Management Journal 11 (2012), 3, 701-708
a b
Fig. 3. Location of the measurement points for the numerical control drilling machine: top view (a), front view (b)
a b
Fig. 4. Location of the measurement points for the riveting machine: top view (a), front view (b)
Table 1. LAeq and LC,peak for the numerical control drilling machine and the riveting machine
The LCpeak value is important for the safety of typical of that machine typology. The lowest recorded
the workers, as stated by the Italian Legislative level was 85.9 dB, the highest was 89.0 dB. The
Decree n. 81, of April 9th, 2008. According to the recorded levels for the riveting machine were lower
Decree, the daily noise exposure limit value of the than the drilling machine. The recorded levels were
daily noise exposure, LEX,8h, standardized to an 8h quite similar on the different sides, with the lowest
working period is 87 dB(A) and the peak level is and highest level of 73.8 dB and 76.7 dB,
140 dB(C). respectively. The A-weighted equivalent noise level
The measurement results for each point are of the background noise was 64.3 dB and 63.7 dB for
given in Table 1. The A-weighted equivalent noise the two sources, respectively.
levels recorded for the numerical control drilling With the aim of comparison the noise levels of
machine were over 85 dB and for the riveting the two investigated sources with others in the
machine of approximately 75 dB. factory, Table 2 shows the LAeq and the LCpeak values
As far as the drilling machine is concerned, the related to other noisy machines inside the factory.
LAeq values have a maximum difference of 3.1 dB, The measurements were carried out during a previous
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Noise sources characterization inside and outside a factory
survey with the receiver point placed only at the 3382 Standard (1997). The average reverberation
worker position. time value on the octave bands with center frequency
The octave band reverberation time inside the of 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz was 2.19 s and 0.77 s,
factory hall was obtained with an impulsive source respectively.
(blank pistol), while the interrupted noise method was From the sound pressure levels and the
used for measuring the reverberation time in the cabin reverberation time, the A-weighted sound power level
which contains the numerical control drilling of the numerical control drilling and the riveting
machine, using the 4205 B&K sound power source. machine was calculated following the method
The measurement methods are described in the ISO reported in the Standard EN ISO 3746.
Table 2. LAeq and LC,peak for the other machines inside the factory
dB
140
130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
10.27.00 10.27.10 10.27.20 10.27.30 10.27.40 10.27.50 10.28.00 10.28.10 10.28.20 10.28.30 10.28.40 10.28.50
LAIeq peak
LCpicco
Legend peak
Cursore: 15/04/2010 10.28.03 - 10.28.04 LAIeq=100,2 dB LCpicco=113,2 dB
Fig. 5. Sound pressure level LA (lower values) and LCpeak (higher values) relative to the measurement point no. 1 of the numerical
control drilling machine
Table 3. A-weighted sound power level of the numerical control drilling machine and the riveting machines and values of the
acoustical parameters calculated according to the method reported in the Standard ISO 3746 (2009)
Calculated values
Parameter
Numerical control drilling machine Riveting machine
LWA 94.3 dB 90.3 dB
S 24.5 m2 29.5 m2
LpfA 80.4 dB 75.6 dB
K2A 7.0 dB 0.1 dB
The values of the acoustical parameters The obtained sound power levels of the
indicated in the Standard are reported in Table 3. The sources are typical for these types of machines
calculations reveal that the correction terms due to (Fernandez et al., 2008).
background noise are negligible since the background
noise levels were more than 10 dB lower than the A- 2.3. Considerations and recommendations
weighted sound pressure level averaged over the
measurement surface. K2A value is at the limit value From the comparison of the SPL values among
admitted by the Standard in the case of the numerical the sources the noisiest machine resulted the numeric
control drilling machine, which was placed in a cabin, control drilling machine since it works with sheet
while it is negligible in the case of riveting machine. metal of different thickness. Drilling action implies
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Tomozei et al./Environmental Engineering and Management Journal 11 (2012), 3, 701-708
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Noise sources characterization inside and outside a factory
where: Lw,e is the sound power level for assembly Fig. 1 shows the location of the loudspeaker
building side, in decibel; Lw,o is the sound power level inside the factory and the outdoor measurement
for the apertures on the side of the building, in points.
decibel; A’tot is the total attenuation of the simplified
propagation from the side of the building, due to 3.2. Results
geometric divergence, directivity and changes
resulting from soil, in decibel. Data processing was carried out with the
The sound power level for the considered software modules of the Brüel & Kjær 2250 sound
whole side of the factory building envelope and for level meter, the instruments used for the
the considered total group of openings is determined measurements. Table 4 reports the overall A-
according to the Eq. (2). The total attenuation that weighted SPL values for a comparison and the A-
occurs during sound propagation from the equivalent weighted SPL of the outdoor background noise.
point source to the reception point is obtained through Background noise was based on a five minutes
a simplified formula (formula E.2 in Annex E) and is measurement.
called “estimate total attenuation”. The measured sound pressure level outside the
In the case of a reception point at a very short building decreases from by 3.0 dB, 3.4 dB and 3.9 dB
distance from the factory side, the Standard reports a per distance doubling from 3 m to 24 m. The ideal
relationship that can be used for estimating the point source decrease is 6 dB per distance doubling
apparent sound reduction index of that part of the (Barron, 2003).
building from the in-field measurements, using the The simplified method described in the
Eq. (6): Standard EN 12354-4 was used for the calculation of
the SPL outside the factory, at 3, 6, 12 and 24 m from
R ' L p ,in L p ,d 1m Cd 4 [dB] (6) the main side, applying Eq. (5).
Octave band values of the sound power level,
where Lp,d≈1m is the sound pressure level at a reception LW, radiated from the main side of the factory, in
point outside the building, at a very short distance front of the loudspeaker used as a noise source, were
from wall, for example 1 m, in decibel. calculated according to Eq. (2), assuming a diffusivity
term equal to –5 dB. The octave band values of the
3.1. Case study apparent sound reduction index, R’, of the building
side were obtained from the octave band SPL values
In order to determine the sound pressure level measured 1 m from the door, outside the building
transmitted from indoor the factory to outdoor, a pink according to Eq. (6). The estimate total attenuation
noise was emitted by a loudspeaker used as noise was calculated according to the formula E.2 reported
source, located inside the industrial building. The in the Annex E of the Standard. Table 5 shows the
loudspeaker was placed indoor, near the main exit, on octave band calculated data; the estimate total
the loading and unloading ramp, at 3.5 m from the attenuation is a single value for each distance, equal
main door. Measurements were made inside the to 23.5 dB, 25.6 dB, 28.8 dB ad 33.4 dB, for 3, 6, 12
building, at 1.5 m from the main door, and outside the and 24 m respectively. Table 6 reports a comparison
building, on the same axis, at 1m, 3 m, 6 m, 12 m and between measured and calculated outdoor A-
24 m. weighted SPL values at the different distances from
the factory side.
Table 4. Overall A-weighted SPL for the measurement points inside and outside the factory and for outdoor background noise
Table 5. Octave band apparent sound reduction index and sound power level of the considered factory side and outdoor SPL at
the different distances
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Tomozei et al./Environmental Engineering and Management Journal 11 (2012), 3, 701-708
Table 6. Measured and calculated outdoor A-weighted SPL values at different distance from the factory side
708