GUIDELINES FOR REDUCING THE NOISE LEVEL OF A CENTRIFUGAL AIR COMPRESSOR INSTALLATION

摘要

This paper will review the best practices for installation ofa centrifugal air compressor without a sound enclosure toobtain the best acoustic environment for reduced operatingnoise levels. An overview of the noise sources associated witha centrifugal air compressor will be discussed along with thenoise attenuation techniques. Moreover, proper selection andinstallation of accessory hardware associated with thecompressor installation will be addressed, since the accessoryhardware can often generate higher noise levels than thecompressor if not selected and installed correctly. Guidelines for valve sizing, proper lagging of piping and valves for noisereduction, drain line noise attenuation, inlet silencer selection,discharge silencer selection and silencer installation will also beexplored.The refining, petrochemical, oil and gas, automotive, steel,electronic and industrial applications utilize centrifugal aircompressors to provide utility air to support manufacturingtheir processes. They are often purchased to meet a specifiednoise level based on customer site requirements. Compressorsthat meet the noise requirement without using a complete soundenclosure are preferred. This is due to both the high costassociated with sound enclosures and because sound enclosuresmake access to the compressor difficult for maintenance.Figure 1 shows a typical centrifugal air compressor package fora refinery application.