Perforated Air Distributor for Low-Frequency Duct Noise

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ventilation systems in aircraft generate low frequency noise due to airflow redirection at joints between air ducts, which conventional mufflers are unable to effectively reduce, impairing passenger comfort.

Innovation Solution

A perforated air distributor with a Y- or L-shaped body is inserted at the joint of air ducts, redirecting airflow through perforations to minimize turbulence and generate small vortices, reducing low frequency noise by distributing airflow in both directions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional mufflers are used to reduce noise, then noise reduction is attempted, but low frequency noise generated by airflow redirection cannot be effectively reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelow frequency noiseVSAvoidnoise reduction effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A perforated air distributor body is introduced as an intermediary component between the first air duct and second air duct. This mediator redirects airflow through its perforated structure, breaking up large-scale turbulence into smaller vortices that can be effectively dampened by conventional mufflers, thereby resolving the inability of conventional mufflers to reduce low frequency noise generated at duct joints

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The air distributor body is made porous through the incorporation of numerous perforations across its surface. This porous structure allows airflow to pass through multiple small openings rather than creating large-scale turbulence, transforming the noise-generating flow pattern into smaller vortices that are easier to dampen, thus enabling effective noise reduction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Ease of operation

If airflow is redirected at joints between air ducts, then ventilation function is achieved, but low frequency noise is generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveairflow redirectionVSAvoidlow frequency noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The air distributor body incorporates numerous perforations across its surface, creating a porous structure that redirects airflow through many small openings. This approach maintains the ventilation function by allowing air to pass from the first duct to the second duct while preventing the generation of large-scale turbulence and low frequency noise that would occur with conventional direct redirection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The airflow redirection process is segmented into multiple small flow paths through the numerous perforations in the air distributor body. Instead of a single large-scale redirection that generates noise, the airflow is divided into many small streams that pass through individual perforations, collectively achieving the ventilation function while minimizing noise generation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution effectively reduces low frequency noise by creating small vortices that can be easily dampened by conventional mufflers, improving passenger comfort and integrating seamlessly into existing ventilation systems.

Implementation Method 1

The turbulences generated at the joint of the air ducts are a significant source of low frequency noise

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Implementation Method 2

creating small vortices that can be easily dampened by conventional mufflers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVortex: Vortex Ring

Data Source

PatentEP2008033B1Noise optimized air distributor
Publication Date: 2018.06.06 AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
  • EP2008033B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2008033B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2008033B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An air distributor according to the invention has a perforated body, insertable at a joint between a first air duct, which extends in one direction, and a second air duct, that extends in a second different direction, to redirect air flowing in the first air duct into the second air duct and to reduce low frequency high volume noise.