Silencer for Centrifugal Compressor Noise Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Centrifugal compressor systems generate excessive noise due to the high flow velocity of fluid through the diffuser, leading to harmful noise levels and potential machine vibration failures.

Innovation Solution

A silencer system is integrated into the compressor, featuring a silencer housing with a sound-absorbing pad and a diffuser structure with vanes, where the pad is in contact with the diffuser structure, and can be fixed or rotatable, to absorb and reduce noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If fluid passes through the diffuser at high flow velocity to convert kinetic energy into pressure energy, then pressure energy is improved, but noise level increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure energyVSAvoidnoise level

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A silencer component is introduced as an intermediary element between the diffuser and the discharge duct. The silencer includes a silencing pad with sound-absorbing material that contacts the diffuser structure, acting as a mediator to reduce noise while allowing fluid to pass through and maintain pressure energy conversion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The silencing pad is formed from a flexible material including sound-absorbing material with porous structure. The porous material absorbs acoustic energy from the high-velocity fluid flow while permitting fluid passage, thus reducing noise levels without significantly affecting the kinetic to pressure energy conversion process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the silencing pad is made from flexible material with sound-absorbing material, then noise reduction effectiveness is improved, but structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise reduction effectivenessVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The silencing pad is constructed from a flexible material that can conform to the diffuser structure. This flexibility allows the pad to maintain effective contact with the diffuser vanes and surfaces, ensuring consistent noise reduction while accommodating manufacturing tolerances and operational vibrations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The silencer is arranged within a circumferential groove formed in the compressor housing, nesting the noise reduction component within the existing compressor structure. The silencing pad is disposed within the silencer housing, creating a nested configuration that minimizes additional structural complexity while achieving noise reduction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP3521635B1Silencer for a centrifugal compressor assembly

Publication Date: 2021.10.13 CARRIER CORP

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AI summary

A compressor includes a diffuser section having a diffuser structure and a silencer (60). The silencer includes a silencer housing (62) defining a cavity and a silencing pad (70) disposed within the cavity, wherein an exposed surface (76) of the silencing pad is arranged in contact with a portion of the diffuser structure.