Intake Silencer with Sequential Expansion Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Engine intake systems generate noise that is transmitted to the vehicle cabin, decreasing customer satisfaction due to the inefficiencies of existing multi-chamber resonator boxes, which also increase losses and negatively impact engine performance.
Innovation Solution
An intake silencer device with a cylindrical outer housing and sequentially arranged expansion chambers, each containing an inner tube with openings that increase in size downstream, providing fluidic communication and acting as resonators to attenuate a wide range of frequencies, thereby reducing noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH).
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a multi-chamber resonator box is used to reduce noise, then noise attenuation is improved, but the resonator generates audible frequencies and increases losses
Solution Approach 1:
The resonator is divided into multiple expansion chambers (first, second, and third expansion chambers) with different sizes and positions. Each chamber is designed to attenuate specific frequency ranges, allowing the system to cover a broader spectrum of noise frequencies while minimizing generation of audible frequencies. The segmentation enables targeted noise reduction without the drawbacks of single-chamber designs.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the resonator are designed with distinct characteristics: the first expansion chamber has a specific volume and position for attenuating lower frequencies, while the second and third chambers have different volumes and positions for higher frequencies. The inlet and outlet ports are strategically positioned to optimize flow characteristics and minimize losses in each local region, addressing the overall system performance through localized optimization.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If expansion chambers are positioned to attenuate noise, then noise reduction is improved, but losses in the intake system increase
Solution Approach 1:
The resonator is designed with pre-calculated chamber volumes, positions, and port dimensions that are optimized to attenuate noise frequencies while minimizing interference with the intake air flow. The expansion chambers are positioned and sized to create acoustic resistance at noise frequencies without creating significant pressure drops that would increase losses in the intake system. This preliminary optimization ensures that noise reduction and loss minimization are achieved simultaneously.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If resonator box geometry is optimized for noise attenuation, then noise reduction is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple expansion chambers are combined within a single resonator housing structure, sharing common walls and ports. The first, second, and third expansion chambers are integrated into one unified component that can be manufactured as a single piece or in modular sections, reducing the number of separate parts and assembly steps. This merging approach maintains the multi-chamber noise attenuation capability while simplifying manufacturing compared to multiple separate resonators.
Solution Approach 2:
The resonator housing serves multiple functions: it contains the expansion chambers, provides structural support, offers acoustic isolation, and facilitates mounting to the intake system. The inlet and outlet ports serve both acoustic functions for noise attenuation and fluidic functions for air flow. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components and simplifies the overall design, making the resonator more cost-effective to manufacture while maintaining performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The silencer device effectively reduces noise generation, increases the compactness of the intake system, decreases manufacturing costs, and enhances customer satisfaction by attenuating a broad range of frequencies, thus improving engine performance.
Implementation Method 1
The sequential arrangement of openings increasing in size in a downstream direction enables a range of frequencies to be attenuated by the silencer device
Implementation Method 2
The expansion chambers act as resonators to attenuate desired frequencies
Data Source
AI summary
An intake silencer device is described herein. The intake silencer device includes an outer housing and a plurality of sequential arranged expansion chambers separated by walls. The intake silencer device further includes an inner tube positioned in each of the sequential chambers, each of the inner tubes including an opening providing fluidic communication between an interior of the tube and the corresponding expansion chamber, a size of the openings increasing in size sequentially in a downstream direction.