Don’t let aerodynamic noise ruin performance

When many people think about the noise from processing plants, they focus on the health and safety side. However, excessive noises here can also ruin plant performance. It is important to think about this as even a small inefficiency can result in much higher costs. Ventx can help. We can offer products like a bespoke gas vent silencer and look at ways to tackle the issue.

What is it?

Before we look at solutions, it is important to be clear on what aerodynamic noise actually is. It is any sound that comes from systems and vents because of the flows of air or gases through the system. The higher the flow, the louder the noises can be. The presence of anything that disrupts the flow, including valves, can also increase the noise.

How does it hurt performance?

The noise from the systems is generally because of vibrations within them. The vibrating can cause all kinds of problems for performance. Firstly, it can affect how well control valves work. In the worst cases it can even damage them, causing even more noise.

In addition, lots of vibration in the system can hurt instrumentation. It can make them perform inefficiently and even cause damage. Keep in mind that some instruments are very sensitive and need to be carefully calibrated. Even small vibrations can ruin this.

The issue with aerodynamic noise is much worse in high throughput plants. A lot of companies try to increase the gas flows so they can process higher volumes. However, as the throughputs increase, so too do the pressures and flow speeds. That can generate a great deal more noise. This can be excessively high at spots like the valves and any gas vent on the system.

The solutions

The best way to tackle aerodynamic noise is to carefully design the systems to be robust. The pipes, valves, and instruments should all have as much robustness as possible. You also need to ensure that each valve is the correct size to reduce noise here.

A robust system alone is not enough to tackle the problem though. You also need to treat the problem at the source where possible. Then you can look at path dampening. The combination of all three can provide the best results.

Talk to us about a gas vent silencer

Ventx has a great deal of experience in this area. In fact, we have been supporting clients struggling with noise issues in plants for many years. Our focus is on designing silencers that can be an effective part of source and path dampening solutions. We can offer a range of models here to suit almost any need.

So, whether you need a gas vent silencer, an inline model for a pipeline, or any other type, contact us. With our help you can address the noise issue and improve plant performance.