CHAPTER V: BALANCING (continuation)
Fan and blower housing,
NOISE CONTROL TECHNIQUES
A. Controlling noise at the source
B. Controlling noise in its path
C. Controlling noise at the receiver
CONTROLLING NOISE AT THE SOURCE
- Correcting mechanical problems is one
obvious way of reducing noise at the
source.
- There are additional steps which can be
taken. Some of these are outlined below:
1. Substitute of machine or components.
a) Substitute nylon, plastic or
sintered gears for steel gears.
b) Use V-belt drives in place of gear
drives.
c) Use larger, lower RPM machines
in place of smaller highspeed
machines.
d) Use hydraulic presses in place of
stamping presses.
e) Substitute rotating shears for
square shears.
f) Use step dies in place of single
operation dies.
2. Substitution of processes.
a) Substitute compression riveting
in place of impact riveting.
b) Use welding instead of riveting.
c) Substitute hot working for cold
working.
3. In cases where excessive noise is the
result of air or fluid flow turbulence in
duct work or piping, install silencers,
mufflers, baffels, etc. Avoid sharp changes
in flow direction.
4. Vibration Damping: many machinery
noise problems are the result of noise
radiated from vibration of the skin surface
of the machine.
fan duct work or other large surface areas
of machine tend to create a “loud
speaker” affect with very little applied
energy. If this is the case, the noise may
be reduced by stiffening these areas or by
applying damping materials.
Forms of Damping Materials:
- These are usually asphalt, latex or epoxy
materials.
o Brush-on
o Spray-on
o Trowl-on
Damping can be achieved by cementing:
o Flexible sheets of rubber
o Glass fiber
o Leaded vinyl
o Other materials directly to the vibrating
surface
Factors in selecting the most appropriate damping
materials:
o Water and chemical resistance
o Fire resistance
o Cost
CONTROLLING NOISE IN ITS PATH
- if reducing the noise level at the source is
not practical or feasible, the next possible
solution is to stop the noise in its path to
prevent it from reaching the listener.
Three ways of Controlling Noise in its Path:
a) sound absorption materials
b) acoustic barriers and enclosures
c) vibration insulation
SOUND ABSORBTION MATERIALS
- sound absorption materials are usually
lightweight, porous materials that do not
block the sound but offer flow resistance,
thus converting sound energy into heat.
Common sound absorption materials used:
o glass fiber
o mineral wool
o fiber board
o open-cell plastic foams
o carpet and draperies
- to control noise radiated directly from a
source requires a barrier or acoustic
enclosure.
ACOUSTIC BARRIERS AND ENCLOSURE
- Materials used for acoustic enclosures
and sound barriers are usually heavy and
dense to block the passage of sound
energy.
- The basic type of enclosure relies on the
mass or weight of the materials used in its
construction for its effectiveness.
- The more massive the barrier, the better
it will resist the passage of sound.
Materials widely used for sound barriers and
enclosure:
o Masonry block
o Brick
o Sheet lead
o Ordinary gypsum board
Factors must be considered in installation of an
acoustic enclosure or barrier:
a) How mush noise reduction is required
and what are the major noise
frequencies? These facts must be known
in order to select the proper enclosure
material.
b) Is a complete enclosure necessary or will
a partial enclosure or barrier serve the
purpose?
c) Are provisions needed for ventilating
enclosed machinery?
d) Will the barrier or enclosure restrict the
movement of material to and from the
machine?
e) Once enclosed, will the machines be
readily accessible for service and repair?
Can the machine be removed from
enclosure if replacement becomes
necessary?
Application of partial enclosure and barriers:
a) A partial enclosure or barrier may be all
that’s needed to protect workers near the
machine.
b) A sound barrier may not be effective in a
small enclosed area because of the
presence of reflected sound.
VIBRATION ISOLATION
- Structure-borne vibration and noise is
controlled by vibration isolation.
Structure-borne vibration – often result in
excessive noise at location far from the machine
responsible.
- Vibration isolation involves the use of
resilient materials such as rubber, cork,
felt or fiberglass pads; coil springs; flexible
joints in piping or conduit; which prevent
the vibration from being transmitted into
the structure.
CONTROLLING NOISE AT THE RECEIVER
- If the two techniques are not possible,
the only remaining solution is to control
the noise at the receiver or listener.
- This involves the use of personal hearing
protection devices such as ear muffs or
ear plugs.