Baffle silencer, power generation module, method and control device for manufacturing a baffle silencer, and method and control device for operating a baffle silencer

Abstract

A baffle silencer (100) for damping the supply air to a power generating unit comprises a housing element (105) and a plurality of damping elements (110). The housing element (105) has a lateral air inlet (115), a frontal air inlet (120), and an air outlet (125) opposite the frontal air inlet (120). The plurality of damping elements (110) are arranged in the housing element (105) and are designed to dampen the sound of the supply air conveyed from the air inlets (115, 120) to the air outlet (125), the damping elements (110) being arranged parallel to one another.

Description

State of the art

[0001] The invention relates to a baffle silencer, a power generating unit, a method and a control device for manufacturing a baffle silencer and a method and a control device for operating a baffle silencer.

[0002] Baffle silencers often feature sound baffles to dampen sound. revelation

[0003] Against this background, the approach presented here introduces an improved baffle silencer, an improved power generation unit, an improved method and control device for manufacturing a baffle silencer, and an improved method and control device for operating a baffle silencer according to the main claims. The measures listed in the dependent claims enable advantageous further developments and improvements of the device specified in the independent claim.

[0004] The approach presented here makes it possible, in particular, to create a baffle silencer that reliably dampens incoming air.

[0005] A baffle silencer for dampening the intake air of a power generating unit is presented. The baffle silencer comprises a housing element and a plurality of damping elements. The housing element has a lateral air inlet, a frontal air inlet, and an air outlet opposite the frontal air inlet. The plurality of damping elements are arranged within the housing element and are designed to dampen the sound of the intake air conveyed from the air inlets to the air outlet, with the damping elements being arranged parallel to one another.

[0006] The damping elements can be sound-absorbing baffles, also called sound baffles. In its simplest form, the baffle silencer can consist of sound baffles and an upper and lower cover plate. The housing element can form the cover plates. The air inlets can have different inlet directions. The inlet directions of the air inlets cannot deviate by more than 90°. The housing element refers to the air inlet into the housing of the power generation unit. The baffle silencer is not exposed to the environment but can be located within the housing element, where the air from the inlets collects. In the approach presented here, there is a frontal air inlet and additionally an air inlet from both lateral directions (at 90° angles). Alternatively, the air inlet can be only frontal and at one lateral direction at a 90° angle to it.

[0007] Generator sets can be used in various military scenarios, such as field camps, and must meet stringent noise reduction requirements. This is necessary to comply with the minimum noise level requirements of <80 decibels stipulated by occupational safety regulations. More precisely, a minimum sound pressure level of 80 decibels (A) directly at the generator set is required. Further reduction of noise emissions contributes to tactical advantages. The baffle silencer presented here is suitable for generator sets that must meet strict noise emission requirements due to its size and weight. The baffle silencer can meet the noise emission requirements while simultaneously adhering to the overall weight and size requirements of the generator set.Due to the continued high temperature requirements of the generator sets, combined with Stage 5 engine operation, large air volume flows are necessary to achieve sufficient cooling. This, in turn, necessitates highly effective noise reduction measures to minimize noise emissions through the large air inlets and outlets. The baffle silencer presented here, due to its compact size and weight, is suitable for generator sets with stringent noise emission requirements and strict limits on permissible noise levels. Additionally, the airflow in front of the baffle silencer can be linear from the front to ensure noise reduction across all sound conditions. The airflow pattern of this baffle silencer can also deviate from a linear inlet.

[0008] At least one damping element can be arranged between the front air inlet and the air outlet. At least one further damping element can be arranged in the area of ​​the side air inlet, and this damping element can be longer than the other. The approach presented here can therefore be understood as a stepped baffle silencer. At least one damping element of varying length can be present at each perpendicular air inlet. The arrangement of the damping elements can enable low back pressure with maximum noise reduction. The varying lengths of the damping elements can result in a smaller footprint within the power generation unit.

[0009] An additional damping element can be arranged between the damping element and the other damping element. This additional damping element can be longer or shorter than the other damping element. The different lengths of the damping elements can result in a smaller footprint within the power generation unit. The additional damping element may be necessary if the baffle silencer has an additional lateral air inlet.

[0010] The baffle silencer can have an additional lateral air inlet, in particular where the additional lateral air inlet can be arranged opposite the lateral air inlet. The housing element can form the additional lateral air inlet. This embodiment allows for the creation of a baffle silencer with a three-sided air inlet, which can have a beneficial effect on flow characteristics and back pressure.

[0011] The baffle silencer can have at least one additional damping element. The damping element can be arranged between the additional damping element and the further damping element, in particular wherein the additional damping element can be shorter than the damping element.

[0012] The damping elements can be designed as metal frame elements filled with a filling material. The filling material can absorb the sound and thus reliably reduce its emission into the environment. Alternatively, the filling material can be air.

[0013] The damping elements can be filled with mineral wool. The damping elements themselves can be filled with this mineral wool material. In this way, sound can be reliably absorbed.

[0014] The housing element can form a first cover plate for covering the top of the damping elements and, additionally or alternatively, a second cover plate for covering the underside of the damping elements. The first and second cover plates can be designed to guide the supply air from at least one air inlet to the air outlet. The cover plates can connect the damping elements to one another and prevent air from escaping upwards and downwards. The housing element can thus be a sheet metal enclosure to cover the damping elements and / or sound baffle gaps. The power generation unit and the baffle silencer can be surrounded by a power generation module, which can be designed as a housing.

[0015] The baffle silencer may have at least one fastening element for attaching the baffle silencer to the power generation unit and / or the power generation module. The fastening element may, for example, be a U-profile.

[0016] The baffle silencer may have at least one mounting rail which may be mounted or attached to the fastening element in order to mount the baffle silencer to the power generating unit and / or the power generating module.

[0017] A power generation module comprises an embodiment of a baffle silencer as described herein, as well as a power generation unit. The power generation unit and the baffle silencer can be enclosed within the power generation module. The power generation module can thus function as a housing. The baffle silencer, in turn, can have a housing element with air inlets, wherein damping elements, i.e., sound baffles, are arranged within the housing element. The power generation unit can have an air inlet and an air outlet opposite the air inlet. Due to the space-saving design of the baffle silencer, a shorter installation space in front of the power generation unit is possible.More precisely, a shorter installation space in front of the baffle silencer can be enabled, thus allowing for a shorter length in front of the power generation unit and therefore a shorter design for the entire power generation module (e.g., container) as such.

[0018] A method for manufacturing an embodiment of a baffle silencer described herein comprises a provisioning step and an arranging step. In the provisioning step, the housing element with the lateral air inlet, the front air inlet, and the air outlet opposite the front air inlet, and the plurality of damping elements are provided. In the arranging step, the damping elements are arranged in the housing element to manufacture the baffle silencer. The damping elements are arranged parallel to one another in the housing element.

[0019] A method for operating an embodiment of a baffle silencer mentioned herein comprises a step of introducing an air supply into at least one of the air inlets and a step of damping the air supply as the air supply flows past the damping elements.

[0020] The approach presented here further creates a control device designed to execute, control, or implement steps of a variant of one of the methods presented here in a corresponding apparatus. This embodiment of the invention in the form of a control device also allows the problem underlying the invention to be solved quickly and efficiently.

[0021] For this purpose, the control device can have at least one processing unit for processing signals or data, at least one storage unit for storing signals or data, at least one interface to a sensor or actuator for reading sensor signals from the sensor or for outputting data or control signals to the actuator, and / or at least one communication interface for reading or outputting data embedded in a communication protocol. The processing unit can be, for example, a signal processor, a microcontroller, or the like, and the storage unit can be flash memory or a magnetic storage device.The communication interface can be configured to read or output data wirelessly and / or via wired connections, whereby a communication interface that can read or output wired data can, for example, read this data electrically or optically from or output it into a corresponding data transmission line.

[0022] In this context, a control device can be understood as an electrical device that processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals accordingly. The control device can have an interface, which may be implemented in hardware and / or software. In the case of a hardware-based interface, the interfaces can, for example, be part of a so-called system ASIC, which incorporates various functions of the control device. However, it is also possible that the interfaces are separate integrated circuits or at least partially comprised of discrete components. In the case of a software-based interface, the interfaces can be software modules, which, for example, are located on a microcontroller alongside other software modules.

[0023] Also advantageous is a computer program product or computer program with program code that can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory and is used to carry out, implement and / or control the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described above, in particular if the program product or program is executed on a computer, a control device, a control unit, an operating unit and / or a control device.

[0024] Examples of the approach presented here are shown in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic top view of an embodiment of a baffle silencer; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a baffle silencer; Fig. 3 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a baffle silencer; Fig. 4 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a baffle silencer; Fig. 5 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a baffle silencer; Fig. 6 a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a power generating unit; Fig. 7 a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a baffle silencer; Fig. 8 a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for operating a baffle silencer; Fig. 9 a block diagram of an embodiment of a control device for manufacturing a cam silencer; and Fig. 10 a block diagram of an embodiment of a control device for operating a cam silencer.

[0025] In the following description of favorable embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the various figures and acting similarly, without repeating these elements.

[0026] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of an embodiment of a baffle silencer 100. The baffle silencer 100 is designed to dampen the intake air for a power generating unit. For this purpose, the baffle silencer 100 has a housing element 105 and a plurality of damping elements 110.

[0027] The housing element 105 has a side air inlet 115, a front air inlet 120 and an air outlet 125 opposite the front air inlet 120.

[0028] For illustrative purposes only, an arrow 130 shows the direction of the supply air into the side air inlet 115, and an arrow 135 shows the direction of the supply air into the front air inlet 120. The air inlets 115 and 120 have different inlet directions.

[0029] The damping elements 110 are arranged and designed within the housing element 105 to dampen the sound of the supply air conveyed from the air inlets 115, 120 to the air outlet 125. The damping elements 110 are arranged parallel to each other within the housing element 105.

[0030] According to one embodiment, a damping element 140 is arranged between the frontal air inlet 120 and the air outlet 125, and a further damping element 145 is arranged in the area of ​​the side air inlet 115. According to another embodiment, an additional damping element 150 is arranged between the damping element 140 and the further damping element 145. The damping element 140 is longer than the further damping element 145, and the additional damping element 150 is longer than the further damping element 145 and shorter than the damping element 140.

[0031] The housing element 105 has, by way of example, a further lateral air inlet 155, the direction of the inlet air into the further lateral air inlet 155 being indicated by an arrow 160. The further lateral air inlet 155 is arranged opposite the lateral air inlet 115. In the embodiment shown here, the baffle silencer 100 thus has three air inlets 115, 120, 155.

[0032] In the housing element 105, more precisely in the area of ​​the further lateral air inlet 155, an additional damping element 165 is arranged, for example. The additional damping element 165 is arranged adjacent to the damping element 140 only by way of example and is shorter than the damping element 140.

[0033] According to the embodiment shown here, the baffle silencer 100 has a total of seven damping elements 110, including the additional damping element 165. The damping elements 110 are designed in three different lengths. Three damping elements 140, 170, 175, which are arranged adjacent to each other parallel to one another in the area between the front air inlet 120 and a section of the air outlet 125, have a first length. The additional damping element 150 and the additional damping element 165 have a second length and are arranged in the area between the side air inlets 115, 155 and a section of the air outlet 125. The additional damping element 145 and another additional damping element 180 are arranged in an edge area between the lateral air inlets 115, 155 and a part of the air outlet 125 and have a third length.The first length is longer than the second length and the third length, with the second length being longer than the third length.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the damping elements 110 are designed as metal frame elements and filled with a filling material. The filling material is, for example, a mineral wool material.

[0035] To meet the thermal requirements of a power generation unit, which may be a modern Stage 5 diesel generator (also referred to as a modern Stage 5 generator set), while simultaneously achieving minimal pressure loss in the airflow, the largest possible air volume flow must be directed into the generator set compartment. To reduce the associated high noise emissions, the baffle silencer 100 is used, which efficiently attenuates the incoming air from three directions. For this purpose, a special baffle structure is designed and aerodynamically optimized using individual damping elements 110, which can also be referred to as sound baffles, of varying lengths. The arrangement of the damping elements 110 enables low back pressure with maximum noise reduction. This is achieved by reducing the lengths of the damping elements 110, which can also be referred to as baffles, towards the sides.The reduction is carried out in at least two stages to ensure that all gaps in the baffle are traversed by a comparable air volume. Long damping elements 140, 170, 175 are inserted in the center, through which the airflow is primarily directed only from the front. To connect the damping elements 110 to each other and to prevent air from escaping upwards and downwards, they are screwed to cover plates, see [reference]. Fig. 2. A sufficiently rigid sheet metal enclosure for the damping elements 110 provides inherent stability, thereby reducing the weight of the cover plates. Universal connection to surrounding structural elements is achieved using fasteners, also known as U-profiles, which can be attached to universal mounting rails (see figure). Fig. 3. The individual damping elements 110 consist of a sheet metal frame and are filled with a fleece-laminated mineral wool material. As air flows through the spaces between the individual damping elements 110, this material absorbs the sound and thus reduces its emission to the surroundings.

[0036] The approach presented here enables optimal, space-saving airflow with three-sided air intake in enclosed generator sets. The design reduces the space required in front of the baffle silencer 100, thus ensuring a shorter installation space in front of the generator compartment. This approach significantly reduces the problem of turbulent flow in the area between the baffles during lateral inflow. This counteracts the risk of damage to the baffles. The length of the baffles and the resulting gap between them are designed so that the flow is predominantly laminar between the damping elements 110. This has several advantages. Firstly, it prevents the flow from exhibiting different velocities at the baffle outlet and thus creating a pressure difference. This would increase the back pressure of the flow.Furthermore, the sound-absorbing properties of the mineral wool within the damping elements 110 can be more effective in laminar flow, resulting in a system with increased insertion loss compared to a baffle silencer with the same baffle lengths. The longer damping elements 140, 170, 175 in the center of the baffle silencer 100 achieve increased damping in the front airflow. This provides tactical advantages when using the systems in, for example, field camps. By varying the baffle lengths and gaps through changes in the number of baffles and the spacing of the sheet metal screws, the approach presented here can be applied to other power generator sets of different power classes.

[0037] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a cam silencer 100. The cam silencer 100 is similar to or corresponds to the cam silencer from Fig. 1, except that a frontal view of the air outlet 125 is shown.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the housing element 105 forms a first cover plate 200 and a second cover plate 205. The first cover plate 200 is designed to cover a top surface of the damping elements 140, 145, 150, 165, 170, 175, 180, and the second cover plate 205 is designed to cover a bottom surface of the damping elements 140, 145, 150, 165, 170, 175, 180. More precisely, the cover plates 200, 205 are designed to cover at least one gap between the respective damping elements 140, 145, 150, 165, 170, 175, 180. The housing element 105 is therefore merely an example of a sheet metal enclosure. Additionally or alternatively, the cover plates 200, 205 are designed to direct supply air from at least one of the air inlets to the air outlet 125.

[0039] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a cam silencer 100. The cam silencer 100 is similar to or corresponds to the cam silencer from Fig. 1, except that the baffle silencer 100 is covered, for example, by the first cover plate 200.

[0040] According to one embodiment, a plurality of fastening elements 300, 305, 310, 315 are arranged on the first cover plate 200. The fastening elements 300, 305, 310, 315 are, by way of example, shaped and designed as U-profiles to attach the baffle silencer 100 to an enclosure of the power generating unit. According to the embodiment shown here, the fastening elements 300, 305 are arranged in the area of ​​the side air inlet 115, and the fastening elements 310, 315 are arranged in the area of ​​the further side air inlet 155.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the baffle silencer 100 has two mounting rails 320, 325, which are mounted on the fastening elements 300, 305, 310, 315, in order to mount the baffle silencer 100 to the power generating unit. More precisely, a first mounting rail 320 is arranged, by way of example, with one end on the first fastening element 300 and with one end on the second fastening element 305, such that the mounting rail 320 is positioned above the front air inlet 120. A second mounting rail 325 is arranged, by way of example, with one end on the third fastening element 305 and with one end on the fourth fastening element 315, such that the mounting rail 325 is positioned parallel to the air outlet 125.

[0042] Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a cam silencer 100. The cam silencer 100 is similar to or corresponds to the cam silencer from Fig. 3.

[0043] Fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a cam silencer 100. The cam silencer 100 is similar to or corresponds to the cam silencer from one of the figures described above, except that a partial view of the cam silencer 100 is shown. The additional lateral air inlet 155 is shown only as an example.

[0044] Fig. Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a power generating unit 600. The power generating unit 600 and the baffle silencer 100 are arranged in a power generating module 605. The power generating module 605 is thus, for example, designed as a housing. The baffle silencer 100 is similar to or corresponds to the baffle silencer from one of the figures described above. The power generating unit 600 is, for example, a diesel engine with a generator. The power generating module 605 has an air inlet 610 and an air outlet 615 opposite the air inlet 610.

[0045] Fig. Figure 7 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method 700 for manufacturing a baffle silencer. The baffle silencer is the baffle silencer from one of the figures described above or a similar baffle silencer.

[0046] Method 700 comprises a provisioning step 705 and an arranging step 710. In provisioning step 705, the housing element with the side air inlet, the front air inlet, and the air outlet opposite the front air inlet, and the plurality of damping elements are provided. In arranging step 710, the damping elements are arranged in the housing element to manufacture the baffle silencer. The damping elements are arranged parallel to each other in the housing element.

[0047] Fig. Figure 8 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method 800 for operating a cam silencer. The cam silencer is the cam silencer from one of the figures described above or a similar cam silencer.

[0048] The process 800 comprises a step 805 of introducing a supply air into at least one of the air inlets and a step 810 of damping the supply air as the supply air flows past the damping elements.

[0049] Fig. Figure 9 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a control device 900 for manufacturing a baffle silencer. The control device 900 is designed to carry out the process from Fig. 7 or a similar method. For this purpose, the control device 900 has a provisioning unit 905 and an arrangement unit 910. The provisioning unit 905 is configured to provide the housing element with the lateral air inlet, the front air inlet, and the air outlet opposite the front air inlet, as well as the plurality of damping elements. The arrangement unit 910 is configured to arrange the damping elements in the housing element to produce the baffle silencer. The damping elements are arranged parallel to each other in the housing element.

[0050] Fig. Figure 10 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a control device 1000 for manufacturing a baffle silencer. The control device 1000 is designed to carry out the process from Fig. 8 or a similar procedure.

[0051] The control device 1000 comprises a unit 1005 for introducing air and a unit 1010 for damping. The unit 1005 for introducing air is designed to introduce supply air into at least one of the air inlets. The unit 1010 for damping is designed to dampen the supply air as it flows past the damping elements.

[0052] If an embodiment includes an “and / or” connection between a first feature and a second feature, this is to be read as meaning that the embodiment according to one embodiment has both the first feature and the second feature, and according to another embodiment either only the first feature or only the second feature.

Claims

[1] Baffle silencer (100) for dampening intake air for a power generating unit (600), wherein the baffle silencer (100) has the following features: a housing element (105) with a lateral air inlet (115), a frontal air inlet (120) and an air outlet (125) opposite the frontal air inlet (120); and a plurality of damping elements (110) which are arranged in the housing element (105) and are designed to dampen the sound of an air supply conveyed from the air inlets (115, 120) to the air outlet (125), wherein the damping elements (110) are arranged parallel to each other. [2] Baffle silencer (100) according to claim 1, wherein at least one damping element (140) is arranged between the frontal air inlet (120) and the air outlet (125) and wherein at least one further damping element (145) is arranged in the area of ​​the lateral air inlet (115), wherein the damping element (140) is longer than the further damping element (145). [3] Baffle silencer (100) according to claim 2, wherein an additional damping element (150) is arranged between the damping element (140) and the further damping element (140), wherein the additional damping element (150) is longer than the further damping element (145) and / or wherein the additional damping element (150) is shorter than the damping element (140). [4] Baffle silencer (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with a further lateral air inlet (155), in particular wherein the further lateral air inlet (155) is arranged opposite the lateral air inlet (115). [5] Baffle silencer (100) according to one of claims 2 to 4, with at least one additional damping element (165), wherein the damping element (140) is arranged between the additional damping element (165) and the further damping element (145), in particular wherein the additional damping element (165) is shorter than the damping element (140). [6] Baffle silencer (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the damping elements (110) are designed as metal frame elements filled with a filling material and / or wherein the filling material of the damping elements (110) is designed as mineral wool material. [7] Baffle silencer (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing element forms a first cover plate (200) for covering a top side of the damping elements (110) and / or a second cover plate (205) for covering a bottom side of the damping elements (110), wherein the first cover plate (200) and / or the second cover plate (205) is designed to guide the supply air from at least one air inlet (115, 120, 155) to the air outlet (125). [8] Baffle silencer (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one fastening element (300) for fastening the baffle silencer (100) to the power generating unit (600) and / or to a power generating module (605). [9] Baffle silencer (100) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising at least one mounting rail (320) which can be mounted or is mounted on the fastening element (300) to mount the baffle silencer (100) on the power generating unit (600) and / or on the power generating module (605). [10] Power generation module (605) with a baffle silencer (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9. [11] Method (700) for manufacturing a baffle silencer (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the method (700) comprises the following steps: Providing (705) the housing element (105) with the side air inlet (115), the front air inlet (120) and the air outlet (125) opposite the front air inlet (120) and providing (705) the plurality of damping elements (110); and Arranging (710) the damping elements (110) in the housing element (105) to produce the baffle silencer (100). [12] Method (800) for operating a baffle silencer (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the method (800) comprises the following steps: Introducing (805) a supply air into at least one of the air inlets (115, 120, 155); and Damping (810) of the supply air as the supply air flows past the damping elements (110). [13] Control device (900; 1000) configured to control and / or execute the steps of the method (700) according to claim 11 in corresponding units and / or to control and / or execute the steps of the method (800) according to claim 12 in corresponding units. [14] Computer program configured to perform and / or control the steps of the methods according to claim 11 or 12. [15] Machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program according to claim 14 is stored.

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