Generalized flow-generated noise prediction method for multiple elements in air ducts

Unavoidable discontinuities due to in-duct elements in a ventilation ductwork system result in the generation of localized turbulence. Some of the turbulence energy is converted into noise. The flow-generated noise problem caused by in-duct elements is due to the complicated acoustic and turbulent interactions of multiple in-duct flow noise sources. Prediction of the flow-generated noise at the design stage is important in engineering, since it is almost impossible to solve the problem after the installation of a ventilation ductwork system. The measurement and computational fluid dynamics simulation can provide an accurate prediction but are expensive in terms of resources. There is an urgent need for developing a practical prediction method for the flow-generated noise in air ducts. Current design guides only provide a prediction method for aerodynamic sound produced by a single in-duct element in the ventilation system, which is usually not in accord with actual systems. An interaction factor βm is therefore proposed to take account of the interaction effects of multiple in-duct elements. Experimental measurements were conducted to verify the proposed prediction results. The predicted results show an acceptable agreement with the measurements. The proposed method provides engineers a practical generalized technique for predicting noise produced by multiple in-duct elements.