Fundamentals of Vibration and

Noise

Unit-5

Noise

V.MAGESH
Assistant Professor
DOME
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 1
 Sound Level Meter (SLM)
• Shaped to avoid disturbances due to its own reflection of sound on the microphone

• Indicating meter (with a logarithmic scale in db) usually meets the need for subjective
and objective measurement of noise

Major components of the SLM:

• Microphone

• Accelerometer

• Preamplifier

• Weighing networks

• Attenuator

• Amplifier

• Rectifier

• RMS device

• Indicator.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 2
 SLM

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• Very first SLM was used in 1920.
• It is required that the acoustical pressure fluctuations be
measured with a suitable electro-acoustic transducer
which most faithfully converts the sound pressure into
voltage, hence microphone constitutes the front end of
SLM
• The electrical output of microphone is quite small, it is
amplified by a preamplifier before being processed.
• Logarithmic attenuator, as well as peak and impulse
reading capabilities using detector circuit to capture the
properties of the fluctuating sounds (make weak or thin).
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 4
• Very first SLM used has two limitations:

1. Sound levels of different frequencies could not be correctly

related, and the measured values were not in agreement with the
subjective magnitudes (loudness) of the sound

2. The measuring instruments, on the other hand are designed to

measure sound in the entire audible frequency range, objectively
and faithfully

• It is advisable to apply corrections to the measured sound so as to

introduce a human bias in the sound measurements

• Other words, the instrument are made to respond in a way similar

to the human ear.
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 A,B,C,D Weighing networks
• Generally four types of weighing networks

• To adjust the response of the instrument to simulate the response of the

human ear, which is logarithmic in its response to both loudness and
frequency

• These networks fall within the limits specified by ANSI or International

Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

• Phase measurements simulate human binaural perception of sound

quantitatively from a source, for which networks is made

• These impart the characteristics of the human ear to the measuring

instrument

• Some SLMs come with built in 1/1 and 1/3 octave analyzers .
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 6
• One important feature of human response to sound is that the human ear is
less sensitive to sound frequencies below about 500 Hz and above 8000 Hz
compared to the human response between these frequencies

• Since the equal loudness contours rise steeply at low frequencies and less
steeply at high frequencies, it is desirable to subtract some decibels from
the lower and upper frequency bands, leaving them approximately the same
elsewhere

• It is logical to provide built-in weighting networks into the SLM which

incorporates above features into the instrument

• This is precisely the aim of the weighing network.

• A SLM has all the three weighing networks built into its circuitry, which
are designed to reflect the built-in bias of the human ear.

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• A-Weighing network: This network reflects the ear s response to
sounds of lower pressure levels (about 40 db)
• It is to mimic the response of the human ear
• Its characteristics is based on the historical equal –loudness contours
and is matched reasonably well to human hearing sensitivity for a wide
range of sounds
• This weighing is stipulated for virtually all governmental and industrial
regulations, also used for environmental noise measurements
• A-weighing network was meant only for quite sounds with SPLs in the
vicinity of 40 db, but has now been made mandatory for all levels.

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• B-Weighing network: Reflects ear s response to sounds of
moderate pressure level (about 70 db)
• C-Weighing network: Which is essentially linear, reflects
ear s response to relatively higher pressure levels (about
100 db) and is fairly flat
• Describing the loudness of industrial noise
• Used for the measurement of the peak value of a noise in
some legislations
• D-Weighing network: Measurement of aircraft noise. Has a
maximum response in the frequency range of 3-4 k-Hz

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 10
• To calculate a weighted sound level, the sound first
analyzed into octave or one-third octave bands
• To arrive at the weighted SPLs, certain decibel values
are added or subtracted from the two octave band
sound pressure levels
• The weighted SLMs gives only a single number reading
for SPL
• It does not give any information regarding the
frequency content of the signal.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 11
 Microphone
• Microphone: Is a transducer which converts
sound signal into an electrical signal
• Employed for sound amplification systems or
sound measurement system
• In sound amplification systems, electrical
signal of the microphone is amplified before it
is fed to the loudspeaker which converts
electrical energy into acoustical energy.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 12
 Technical specifications of microphone
• Frequency response

• Dimensions

• Equivalent Noise (db) –Based on the network

• Dynamic range

• Sensitivity

• Open circuit sensitivity (pressure field sensitivity)

• Loaded sensitivity

• Phase response

• Type of polarization-externally polarized, pre-polarized

• Directivity

• Stability of transducer

• Calibration chart.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 13
 Environmental considerations
• Robustness
• Temperature
• Atmosphere
• Wind
• Humidity
• Effect of magnetic field
• Effect of vibration.
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 Types of Microphone
1. Carbon granule microphone

2. Condenser microphone

3. Electret Capacitor microphone

4. Electrodynamic /Moving coil microphone

5. Piezoelectric microphone

6. Ribbon microphone.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 15
 Carbon granule microphone
• Carbon button microphone is one of the earliest type microphones, Used extensively in
all early telephones and in recording and broadcasting systems

• The sound field acts upon on electro conductive diaphragm that develops pressure on a
capsule of compressed carbon powder, This capsule or carbon button, as it is called
contains carbon granules between two carbon discs

• The sound wave incident on the diaphragm cause it to vibrate, transmitting the
displacement to the carbon particles and changing their pressure dependent contact
resistance, The front and rear contacts are insulated and brought out to terminals

• The diaphragm motion compresses the carbon granules, the electrical resistance of
which there by changes, This change in electrical resistance is used to get a suitable
electrical signal which is a measure of the sound impinging of the carbon microphone

• When the DC voltage is applied across the capsule, the alternating resistance produces
an AC voltage drop, which is proportional to the displacement of the diaphragm.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 16
 Electro conductive
particles
Diaphragm

Electrode

Acoustic
pressure

Variable
resistance

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Advantages:
• Carbon microphone are cheap and durable
Disadvantages:
1. Carbon hiss
2. If the hermetic seal of the button is damaged, moisture
can cause the granules to pack, decreasing the
resistance of the microphone and making it less
sensitive
3. It does not have a very good frequency response.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 21
 Condenser microphone
• Perfected as a much needed substitute for the carbon microphone which was very
noisy

• It was subsequently used in broadcasting

• Today almost exclusively used for all technical acoustic measurements

• So called because it makes use of the principle of condenser (capacitor) to convert

acoustic signals to an output voltage

• Consists of metal housing with a thin metallic membrane or diaphragm

• A back plate is mounted in parallel behind highly tensioned diaphragm (which is

designed to have high resonant frequency) and form the other plate of the
condenser

• The fixed plate is called the polarization electrode and is maintained at a potential
of about 200 V.

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• A suitable electrical insulator supports this polarization electrode and insulates it from
the housing at ground potential

• The diaphragm and front of the back-plate form the plates of the active capacitor which
generates the output signal of the condenser microphone

• When sound is incident upon the diaphragm, the alternating pressure of the sound
wave causes small displacements of the diaphragm, resulting in a small change in
condenser capacitance

• There is small static pressure equalization vent (nothing but a narrow air channel) in the
housing of the microphone , allowing air leak to the interior, so that the static pressure
inside the microphone assembly is always equal to the ambient atmospheric pressure

• The distance between the microphone diaphragm and back plate must be constructed
to very stringent mechanical tolerances (20 micron meter)

• Sensitivity of the microphone is inversely proportional to the stiffness of the diaphragm

system.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 26
• The higher the tension, the higher is the stiffness and the lower the
microphone sensitivity

• The thickness of the diaphragm may vary from about 1.5 to 8 micron meter.

Advantages:

• Flat frequency response over the entire audio frequency range

• Low self-noise

• High stability

• Reasonably high sensitivity

• Fairly good stability with respect to time, temperature and humidity

• Small dimensions of the microphone making diffraction of sound negligible

• Very low sensitivity to magnetic fields

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 27
Disadvantages
• Water droplets form on the diaphragm and
backplate (electrode) when the microphone is
taken from humid environment to a cool
room. therefore, the capacitance of the
microphone changes
• Polarization voltage of 200 V is required for
the back plate.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 28
 Electret Capacitor Microphone(ECM)
• Also known as pre-polarized microphone is a type of condenser microphone

• Overcome all the inconveniences of the traditional capacitor microphone, like the
need for a polarization power supply

• Almost applications like telephones and consumer electronics and has replaced the
carbon microphone for general purpose applications

• Excellent, easy to use and inexpensive device which can be operated on a 5 V supply
voltage

• Normally require integrated pre-amplifier

• The development of polymer electret film and the field effect transistor has spurred
its growth

• An electret is a stable high temperature polymer material that has been

permanently electrically charged or polarized

• The name comes from the elctrostatic and magnet .

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• The electret contains trapped or froze electrical charges which produce
the necessary electrical field in the air gap

• The frozen charge remains inside the elctret and stays stable for thousand
of years

• Electret are made by first melting a suitable dielectric materials such as a

plastic or wax and then allowing it to re-solidify in a powerful electrostatic
field, causing the static charges to align themselves to the direction of the
elctrostatic field to produce a permanent electric ias

• The sensitivity of the microphone depends on the field strength in the air
gap

• These pre-polarized microphones, which are generally more complex than

ordinary condenser microphones are mainly intended for use in portable
battery operated and hand-held instruments.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 31
• Electret microphones were traditionally
considered low quality transducers.

Advantages:

• This microphone is remarkably small

• Polarization voltage is not required

• It has omni-directional characteristics

• It is very inexpensive.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 32
 Types of Electret microphones
1. Foil-type or diaphragm type- Cheapest type, where a film of electret
material is used as the membrane or diaphragm itself. The quality of this
device is poor, since the elctret material does not make a particularly
good diaphragm.

2. Back electret-The diaphragm is made of an unchanged material and an

electret film is applied to the back plate of the microphone capsule. This
design yields a transducer of better quality.

3. Front electret- Newest type, where the condenser is formed by the

diaphragm and the inside surface of the capsule, the back plate being
totally eliminated. Any conductive film may be used for the diaphragm in
this design and the electret film is applied to the inside front cover.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 33
 Electrodynamic/Moving coil Microphone
• Often found in recording studios, broadcast and motion picture production,
home hi-fi and video recording systems and on stages of live sound
reinforcement

• The principle is known in 1877, when bell developed the telephone, but lack of
electronic amplification made it impossible to use. Dynamic microphones are
similar to conventional loudspeakers in most respects

• Both have a diaphragm (or cone) with a voice coil attached near the apex

• Both have a magnetic system with the coil in its gap, This microphone operates
like a speaker i reverse

• In fact many intercom systems use small transducers from one end of the
amplifier to the other.

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• The diaphragm, carrying a coil of fine wire placed in a strong annular magnetic field,
is exposed to sound waves and is moved by changing sound waves

• This moves the coil, which causes current to flow as lines of flux from the magnet
are cut

• The voltage e induced in the coil is proportional to its amplitude of vibration, which
in turn , depends on the sound pressure and is expressed as : e= BLv

• B=Flux density in tesla (webers/m2 )

• L= πdN is the total length of wire in the coil

• D=Diameter of the coil

• N=Number of turns

• V= Velocity of the diaphragm in m/s.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 37
• The domed diaphragm acts like a rigid piston and
carries the coil of wire, which moves in the
annular gap of the high magnetic field
• The pole pieces of the microphone are of soft
iron, with permanent magnets providing the field
• The diaphragm is acted upon by the acoustic
pressure, so that the microphone is a pressure
microphone, with omni-directional
characteristics.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 38
 Advantages
1. Rugged and reliable

2. Do not need bias voltages or barriers or external power supplies

3. Capable of smooth, extended response, or are available with tailored response

for special applications

4. Have a fairly good sensitivity with an excellent signal-to-noise-ratio

5. Dynamic microphones are of the low-noise type and are relatively rugged

6. Most high-quality microphones are all still dynamic microphones

7. Not susceptible to moisture

8. Operate at fairly high temperatures

9. Need little or no regular maintenance and with reasonable care will maintain
their performance for many years.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 39
 Disadvantages
• Sensitivity is quite low. No more than -90 or-100
db, so amplification is essential. At least 40 DB
can be gained with transformers, bringing the
output upto-50 DB when applied to the amplifier,
which is not too bad
• Susceptible to external magnetic fields
• High-quality microphones are relatively
expensive.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 40
 Piezoelectric microphone
• Employ crystals that can become electrically polarized and produce
voltages proportional to the strain

• Since the piezoelectric is reversible, a piezoelectric microphone will

function as a source when an alternating voltage is applied to its terminals

• Rochelle salt is one of the first materials to be used in acoustic transducers

• Signal crystals of rochelle salt have been employed widely in microphones

• Unfortunately, the crystals deteriorate in the presence of moisture and get

permanently damaged if the internal temperature exceeds 460 c

• Historically quartz crystals have been of great significance as transducers.

They are impervious to water as well as most corrosive materials, can be
subjected to extreme temperatures and easily manufactured.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 41
 Ceramic or
Diaphragm quartz
crystals

Built-in pre-
amplifier

O/P
Acoustic voltage
pressure

Case

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 42
• They can generate longitudinal waves, shear waves or combinations

• Other useful materials are sintered ceramics including barium titanate, lead
zirconate, lead titanate and mixtures of these and associated compounds

• If a microphone is described as rystal , it usually contains ammonium dihydrogen

phosphate (ADP); If it is called era i , barium titanate is the active element

• In piezoelectric microphone the sound waves act on a light diaphragm whose centre
is linked to an end or corner of the piezoelectric element by means of a driving pin

• Although the single element could be used, two elements are usually sandwiched
together to form a bimorph

• Stresses in the crystals, produced by a sound field, generate an output proportional

to the acoustic pressure

• The voltage output of a bimorph element is proportional to its strain

• Many designs incorporate a built-in pre-amplifier next to the crystal, this

arrangement reduces the electrical noise and output impedance.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 43
Advantages:
• Have satisfactory frequency response and are relatively
high in sensitivity, low in cost and small in size.
• Piezoelectric microphones are therefore widely used in
public-address systems, SLM and hearing aids.
Disadvantages:
• Give low output at moderate internal impedance, and
must always be used with amplifiers.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 44
 Ribbon Microphone
• Discussed microphones are called pressure microphones because they are
activated by the acoustic pressure acting on one side of a diaphragm

• These microphones are essentially omni-directional because pressure is a scalar

quantity

• Ribbon microphone is pressure gradient sensitive microphone therefore has

directional sensitivity

• The pressure gradient is a vector quantity parallel to the direction of propagation

and in phase with the displacement

• Most common pressure - gradient microphone is the ribbon microphone

• The pressure gradient sensitive surface of the ribbon is a corrugated aluminium foil
and is suspended in a strong magnetic field

• Moving the ribbon will change the emf generated which is proportional to u.

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Advantages:
1. Very sensitive and accurate
2. Also be oriented so that the noise sources can be put
in a zone of low sensitivity. These features have made
the ribbon microphone the standard for broadcasting,
and the lozenge –shaped shiny microphone a familiar
sight.
Disadvantages:
Very delicate and expensive to make and repair.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 48
 Propagation of Sound
• In air, sound is transmitted by pressure variations from its source to the surroundings.

• The sound level decreases as it gets further and further away from its source. While

absorption by air is one of the factors attributing to the weakening of a sound during

transmission, distance plays a more important role in noise reduction during

transmission.

• The reduction of a sound is called attenuation. The effect of distance attenuation

depends on the type of sound sources. Most sounds or noises we encountered in our

daily life are from sources which can be characterized as point or line sources.

• If a sound source produces spherical spreading of sound in all directions, it is a point

source. For a point source, the noise level decreases by 6 dB per doubling of distance

from it. If the sound source produces cylindrical spreading of sound such as stream of

motor vehicles on a busy road at a distance, it may be considered as a line source.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 49
Point source Line source

Plane source MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM Area source 50

• Sound propogation plane source
• Sound propogation area source

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 51
 Sound measurement analysis
Spectrum Analysers:

Two types:1. Constant percentage bandwidth (octave or one-third octave

band)

2. Constant or fixed bandwidth (hytrodyne)

Constant percent bandwidth analyzer:

• Usually portable and has a bandwidth which has a constant percentage of

center frequency

• At low frequencies the bandwitdth is a few hertz and at high frequencies

thousands of hertz

• These have band pass filters virtually cutting off all frequencies outside
the range of respective bandwidths.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 52
 Octave Band Analysis
• Energy in a narrow frequency band is often isolated from
adjacent bands using electrical filter networks in the sound
measuring instruments
• The filters used for this purpose are three types:
1. Narrow band filters-Used for the construction of fine detail
in the spectrum
2. One-third octave filters-Used for a coarser but quicker
measurements
3. One-octave filters for even coarser but more rapid
measurements.
MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 53
• Most real-life noise problems, the coarser
measurements are considered quite adequate for the
given purposes
• One-third octave band (used for flat frequency spectra)
• An octave band is defined as a range of frequencies in
which the highest frequency within the range is twice
the lowest frequency within the range.
• Fu=2fl.

MAGESH.V/DOME/SRM 54
Fundamentals of Vibration and
Noise

Unit-5

Noise

V.MAGESH
Assistant Professor
DOME
V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 1
 Noise Control
• Noise control methods:

1. Sound absorption

2. Sound Isolation

3. Sound muffling

Sound absorption-

• Sound absorption is defined, as the incident sound that strikes a material that is not
reflected back.

• An open window is an excellent absorber since the sounds passing through the open
window are not reflected back but makes a poor sound barrier. Painted concrete
block is a good sound barrier but will reflect about 97% if the incident sound striking
it.

• When a sound wave falls on a surface its energy is partially absorbed.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 2
• The sound absorption coefficient indicates how much of the sound
is absorbed in the actual material. The absorption coefficient can be
expressed as:
• α = Ia / Ii (1)
where
• Ia = sound intensity absorbed (W/m2)
• Ii = incident sound intensity (W/m2)
• Absorption coefficient - α - for some common materials can be
found in the table below:
• Note! The absorption coefficient varies with the frequency of
sound.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 3
 Sound Isolation

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 4
• Acoustic belt, 12 mm 0.5 - 0.5
• Acoustic tiles 0.4 - 0.8
• Asbestos, sprayed 25 mm 0.6 - 0.7
• Brickwork, painted 0.01 - 0.02
• Brickwork, unpainted 0.02 - 0.05
• Cork sheet, 6 mm 0.1 - 0.2
• Fiberboard on battens, 12 mm 0.3 - 0.4
• Hardwood 0.3
• Mineral wool, 100 mm 0.65
• Persons, each 2.0 - 5.0
• Plaster walls 0.01 - 0.03
• Plywood panel, 3 mm 0.01 - 0.02
• Polystyrene, expanded on 50mm battens 0.35
• Polystyrene, expanded rigid backing 0.15
• Polyurethane foam, flexible 0.95
• Rubber sheet, 6 mm porous 0.1 - 0.2
• Slag wool or glass silk, 50 mm 0.8 - 0.9
• Snow 0.75
• Wood wool cement on battens, 25 mm 0.6 - 0.07

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 5
• Total Room Sound Absorption

The total sound absorption in a room can be expressed as:

A = S1 α1 + S2 α2 + .. + Sn αn = ∑ Si αi (2), where

A = the absorption of the room (m2 Sabine)

Sn = area of the actual surface (m2)

αn = absorption coefficient of the actual surface

Mean Absorption Coefficient : The mean absorption coefficient for the room can be

expressed as:

am = A / S (3), where, am = mean absorption coefficient

A = the absorption of the room (m2 Sabine)

S = total surface in the room (m2), A rooms acoustic characteristics can be calculated with

the formulas above, or estimated for typical rooms.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 6
 Sound Isolation
• Sound isolation can refer to several interrelated concepts used for different
applications. It usually describes any attempt to isolate, or soundproof, an
environment from outside noise.

• Ability of an object or material to inhibit sound from passing through it.

Typically isolating material should be nonporous. Mass increases the
isolation of materials.

• The transmission coefficient is used in physics and electrical engineering

when wave propagation in a medium containing discontinuities is
considered. A transmission coefficient describes the amplitude, intensity, or
total power of a transmitted wave relative to an incident wave.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 7
V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 8
• Transmission coefficient expressed as: Wt / Wi
Wt= Sound pressure transmitted
Wi =Sound pressure incident.
Transmission loss (TL)
• " The accumulated decrease in acoustic intensity as an acoustic
pressure wave propagates outwards from a source." As the acoustic
wave propagates outwards from the source the intensity of the
signal is reduced with increasing range due to: 1)Spreading
2) Attenuation
• Transmission Loss in Db is given by
• TL=10 Log(1/G)
• G=Transmission coefficient
V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 9
 Silencer or Muffler

• Devices designed to attenuate and/or absorb

air-borne sound waves propagated in a
flowing medium.
• Typical applications are: Air handling systems,
Exhaust and intake units, pumps compressors
and air discharge lines.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 10
 Sound Muffling
• A muffler (silencer in British English, or back box in Irish English) is a
device for reducing the amount of noise emitted by the exhaust of
an internal combustion engine.

• A muffler may be described as a section of a duct or a pipe that has been

shaped or treated with the intension of reducing the transmission of
sound, while allowing free flow of gas

• Mufflers accomplish noise reduction both by absorption and reflection

• The performance is characterized by two factors:

1. Insertion loss

2. Transmission loss.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 11
• Insertion loss: Defined as the ratio between two
pressure levels measured at the same point in space
before and after the muffler is inserted into the system
• Noise reduction is the difference in SPL between the
inlet and outlet of the muffler.
Classification of muffler:
1. Absorptive or dissipative
2. Reactive or reflective
3. Dispersive or diffusive

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 12
• An absorptive and reactive muffler includes an annular flow path
for the gas with the center of the annulus having a plurality of
resonators which are in open communication with the downstream
end of the annular flow path and make up the reactive portion of
the muffler.
• The flow path is at least partially lined by an absorptive material
overlaid by a perforate material and makes up the absorptive
portion of the muffler.
• Absorptive mufflers (like glasspacks) making the engine think the
pipe was longer, and reactive (like turbo or Flowmasters) the engine
thinks the pipe stops there and doesn't see much after that.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 13
• Dissipative mufflers based on flow losses, on the other hand, work also at low
frequencies. Converts acoustical energy into heat energy by an absorbing material

• Absorbing material is usually fiber, mineral wool or open cell foam. dissipative
mufflers with fibers are efficient in the mid-to-high frequency range.

• Reflective mufflers are best suited for the low frequency range where only plane
waves can propagate in the system, consists of one or more non-dissipative
elements arranged either parallel or in series, Typical elements include expansion
chambers, side-branch resonators and perforated tubes.

• A typical automotive exhaust system is a hybrid construction consisting of a

combination of reflective and dissipative muffler elements. The reflective parts are
normally tuned to remove dominating low-frequency engine harmonics while the
dissipative parts are designed to take care of higher-frequency noise.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 14
• Primary function of reactive muffler is to reflect sound waves toward the
source

• Dispersive muffler: Pressure reducing devices that fit in the downstream of

an orifice or a constriction in a piping system

• Used to reduce noise from control valves, outlet nozzles and blow off lines.

• Dispersive silencers act to drop gas pressure, hence reducing the velocity
and straighten the flow, reducing the turbulence which is the prime cause
of aerodynamically induced noise

• Jet sound intensity is proportional to the eighth power of the jet velocity, a
small reduction in velocity can reduce the noise levels substantially

• These silencers usually have the form of a slotted or perforated metal cage
or a covering of porous material around the exit of an airline.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 15
Absorptive

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 16
Absorptive/Dissipative

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 17
 Reactive

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 18
Dispersive/Diffusive
Cut section view

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 19
 Absorptive/Dissipative

• Lined ducts

• Rectangular and cylindrical silencers

• Lined bends or elbows

• Louver or splitter silencers

• Plenum chambers

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 20
 Reactive/Reflective

• Expansion chamber

• Reactive/cavity/Helmholtz resonators

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 21
 Dispersive/Diffuser silencer
• Diffuser silencer
• Expansion chamber silencer
• Multiple jet diffusers
• Restrictive flow diffuser
• Absorptive lined shroud
• Air shroud

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 22
 Top 10 Noise Control Techniques
• Used across the whole of industry,

• Substantial noise reductions quickly and cheaply with little or no effect

1. Damping: Applications- Chutes, hoppers, machine guards, panels, conveyors, tanks

• Two techniques: Unconstrained layer damping where a layer of bitumastic (or similar)

high damping material is stuck to the surface, Constrained layer damping where a

laminate is constructed

• Constrained layer is more rugged and generally more effective, Either steel or

aluminium guards

• Unconstrained simply stuck on to existing components (inside or outside) covering

about 80% of the flat surface area to give a 5-25 db reduction in the noise

radiated(use a thickness that is 40% to 100% of the thickness of the panel to be

treated). V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 23
Damping

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 24
• Limitations: The efficiency falls off for thicker sheets. Above about 3 mm
sheet thickness it becomes increasingly difficult to achieve a substantial
reduction

2. Fan Installation: Applications:-Axial flow or centrifugal fans.

Techniques: Maximum fan efficiency coincides precisely with minimum noise

• Any fan installation feature that tends to reduce fan efficiency is therefore
likely to increase noise

• Most common examples are bends close to the fan(intake side in particular)
and dampers (close to the fan intake or exhaust).

• For maximum fan efficiency and minimum noise, make sure there is at least
2 - 3 duct diameters of straight duct between any feature that may disturb
the flow and the fan itself. Noise reductions of 3 - 12 dB are often possible.
V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 25
Fan Installation

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 26
3. DUCTWORK :

Typical applications

• Extraction, ventilation, cooling, openings in walls and enclosures.

Technique

• Instead of fitting silencers, it is often possible to achieve a 10 - 20 dB

reduction in airborne noise from a duct or opening by lining the last bend
in the ductwork with acoustic absorbent (foam or rockwool / fibreglass).

• Alternatively, construct a simple absorbent lined right-angled bend to fit

on the opening. Ideally, either side of the bend should be lined along a
length equivalent to twice the duct diameter.

• Where flow velocities are high (> 3m/s), consider using cloth faced
absorbent. Duct vibration can usually be treated by damping (as above).
V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 27
4. FAN SPEED:
Typical applications
• Axial or centrifugal flow fans.
Technique
• Fan noise is roughly proportional to the 5th power of fan speed.
• So in many cases it is possible to achieve a large noise reduction
from a small drop in fan speed by changing control systems or
pulley sizes and re-setting dampers.
• The above table provides a guide to the trade-off that can be
expected.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 28
5. PNEUMATIC EXHAUSTS:

• Note : a well designed silencer will not increase system back pressure.

• Almost invariably it is possible to reduce pneumatic exhaust noise permanently by

10 - 30 dB by fitting effective silencers. The following are the practical points that
can make the difference between success and failure:-

• back pressure : fit a larger coupling and silencer

• — clogging : fit a straight-through silencer that cannot clog (and has no back
pressure)

• — multiple exhausts : manifold them into a single, larger diameter pipe fitted with
the rear silencer from virtually any make of car (from your local tyre and exhaust
fitter). Typically 25 dB reduction.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 29
6. Pneumatic Nozzles:
Typical applications
• Cooling, drying, blowing . .. . .
Technique
• In most cases, it is possible to replace existing nozzles (usually
simple copper pipe outlets) for quiet, high efficiency units.
• These not only reduce noise levels by up to 10 dB, but also use less
compressed air.
• The types of nozzle to look out for are entraining units (schematic
below) from various manufacturers and in a variety of sizes.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 30
V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 31
7. VIBRATION ISOLATION PADS:

• Typical applications : Machine feet, pumps, mezzanine installations . . . . .

• Mounting motors, pumps, gearboxes and other items of plant on rubber bonded
cork (or similar) pads can be a very effective way of reducing transmission of
vibration and therefore noise radiated by the rest of the structure.

• This is particularly the case where vibrating units are bolted to steel supports or
floors. However, a common error with the use of these pads is for the bolt to
short-circuit the pad, resulting in no isolation.

• Additional pads must be fitted under the bolt heads as shown below.

• There are many types of off-the-shelf anti-vibration mounts available, for instance
rubber/neoprene or spring types. The type of isolator that is most appropriate will
depend on, among other factors, the mass of the plant and the frequency of
vibration to be isolated. Any supplier of anti-vibration mounts will be able to
advise you on this.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 32
V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 33
8. EXISTING MACHINE GUARDS :

Technique : The existing guards on many machines can often be improved to provide a
significant noise reduction. The two principles involved, which must be used in
combination, are:-

(i) Minimise gaps: Reducing by half the gap open area in a set of guards can
reduce the noise by 3 dB. If you can reduce the openings (flexible seals,
additional close fitting panels etc) by 90%, then a 10 dB noise reduction is
possible.

(ii) Acoustic absorbent: Lining a significant proportion of the inside of the guards
with acoustic absorbent (foam, rockwool / fibreglass) will reduce the noise
trapped by the guards. Consequently, less noise will escape through any gaps.
Failure to line the inside of the guards could result in an increase in noise at the
operator’s position if the gaps have been minimised as in (i) above

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 34
9. CHAIN AND TIMING BELT DRIVES :
Technique:
• Noisy chain drives can often be replaced directly with quieter
timing belts.
• Within the range of timing belts available, there are also quiet
designs that use different tooth profiles to minimise noise.
• There is also a very new design of belt for applications where noise
is critical which uses a chevron tooth pattern to provide very quiet
running. Noise reductions in the range of 6
• - 20 dB are often possible using this approach .

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 35
10. Electric Motors:

Technique

• Most companies have large numbers of electric motors used on

anything from fans to pumps to machine tools.

• However, it is not very common knowledge that general duty

motors are available (at little or no cost premium) that are up to 10
dB or more quieter than typical units as direct replacements.

• The best approach is to feed these motors into the system over a
period of time so that all replacement motors are quiet motors

• This techniques was produced by the Engineering Industry Noise

Task Group (UK).

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 36
• White noise is a random signal with a
constant power spectral density. The term is
used, with this or similar meanings, in many
scientific and technical disciplines, including
physics, acoustic engineering,
telecommunications, statistical forecasting,
and many more.

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 37
 Mechanical Noise

• Continuous machinery noise

• High-speed repetitive actions that create

intense tonal sound

• Flow induced noise

• The impact of a working tool on a work-piece

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 38
 Sound enclosures
• Full or partial enclosures
• Large or small type

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 39
Sound transmission through barriers

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 40
 Manufacturing Technology

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

V.MAGESH/SRM/DOME 41