A New Method for the Acoustic Analysis of Complex Mechanical Services SystemsRequiring Low Noise Levels

摘要

The new 2,000 seat Concert Hall and 1,800 seat Lyric Theatre at Theatres on the Bay inSingapore were designed to achieve very low noise levels to meet the requirements of the project acousticconsultant, Artec Consultants, who specified an extremely stringent mechanical services noise criteria of N-1for each auditorium. N-1 is about 12dB below NR15.Apart from external noise intrusion, the other major noise design consideration was the mechanical servicessystem. A complex system involving 54 air handling units (AHU) supplied each space via numerous supplyand return air apertures to achieve satisfactory conditions in a particularly hot and humid climate.A major source of potential noise was regenerated noise at fittings, branches, dampers, elbows and outlets.Each AHU system had to be analysed to evaluate the individual noise contribution. As each system was verycomplex, a new method of ductwork acoustic analysis was developed. This paper presents details of a newprocedure that provides a rapid and sophisticated analysis of complicated mechanical services systems forlow-noise environments.