Noise insulation from plant installations

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to study the possible ways of noise insulation by reducing the vibration from plant installation. A study of the damage which is caused by noise and vibration to the human being and building structures, and the sources of noise, served as an introduction to the actual analyses for the optimum mode of noise insulation. Machinery generate noise which could be transmitted to other machines and the building structure, which could house occupants, in the vicinity of the plant. Different modes of achieving an improvement in noise reductions are studied. (a) Isolating the disturbing machinery which could become complicated if the machines are numerous; (b) Isolating the whole engine room which could be difficult if the module is large; (c) Isolating the places where vibrations and noise are not desired. This mode is worth considering in the petroleum industry where the offshore oil or gas producing platform is confined and the machinery operates on a 24 hour daily basis; (d) Other modes are studied which are a combination of these three. These modes of isolation were studied by the construction of a floating platform on which an eccentric rotating mass produced the noise and vibrations. This rotating mass was enclosed in a module, representing the engine room, and another module was constructed to represent the rooms where noise and vibration are undesirable. Rubber mountings were used and the modes of insulation were obtained by mounting the rotating mass and modules on these rubber isolation pads. The vibrations transmitted and produced were studied by the use of an accelerometer. Noise and vibration control engineering is a new and rapidly growing technology which included such diversified disciplines as medicine and social psychology to solid-state physics and mathematical statistics [...].