We’ve probably all been in one building or another with visible ductwork. You can find it in various commercial spaces, from retail to offices. It is also present in a huge number of public buildings, such as airports and art galleries. The ducts are a vital part of the HVAC system. However, you can have issues with noise because of them. What you can do here is install attenuators to address this.
Often referred to as duct silencers, these products have a very interesting design. In a basic sense they are a unit with a lining of material that can absorb noise and turn it into heat. Rockwool is a popular option here. Generally you have a choice of cylindrical or rectangular models. The first can fit into the ductwork whereas the latter requires installation over it.
Splitters
One feature of the rectangular models you need to think about is the splitters. In a basic sense what you have here is a rectangle box. However, inside will be one or a series of louvres. These are the splitters. What they do is create air passages and direct the flow towards the acoustic material. As a result, they are pretty essential.
Unfortunately, there is an issue with these attenuators. In situations where there is extremely high pressure, the splitters can actually create more noise. It happens because they disrupt the airflow and create turbulence in the system. The result can be very loud noises.
What you need to do here is think about the air pressure and specific attenuator design. It if is particularly high, you may be best off choosing a duct silencer without splitters. This can leave a large airway so there is no interruption to the flow. You can still reduce the sound here, but maybe not to the same extent.
Why choose rectangular duct silencers?
At this point you may be wondering why you should choose a rectangular attenuator. While they can be trickier to install, there are some major advantages. For starters, they are known to be the most efficient shape. That can be very important when it comes to tackling noise.
On top of that, the rectangle models have better attenuating characteristics. This is generally because they aren’t as stiff as cylindrical silencers. What that means is they vibrate more easily and offer greater attenuation.
You also have the ability to create the rectangular silencers in a much broader array of sizes. In fact, there are very few limitations here. You just need to ensure the openings between splitters are wide enough. Plus, you must make sure the air velocity is not too excessive.
Speak to the experts about attenuators
Ventx is one of the UK’s top silencer specialists. We have very high standards, ensuring our products can tackle noise and provide long term solutions. Clients from all kinds of industries can rely on us for different buildings and facilities.
So, if you are thinking about attenuators, speak to us. We understand your needs and do everything we can to deliver exceptional noise reduction.
