Many industries, facilities, and operations use commercial generators to provide reliable backup power in emergencies, like power outages. While many business owners consider the fuel type and power rating to select a generator but it’s also essential to keep noise levels in mind. Even some regions specify local, state, and OSHA guidelines that must be strictly followed when choosing a commercial backup generator. Installing the sound attenuated generator enclosure is the best way to reduce the audible noise produced by the generator. This article guides a person on how sound-attenuated enclosure work for generators.
How Sound-Attenuated Enclosures Work?
A sound attenuated generator enclosure doesn’t work only by housing the generator and protecting it from the elements but is also constructed to absorb noise generated by generators. Several generator manufacturers provide the facility for designing the enclosures, allowing flexibility and capability to modify the enclosures to reduce noise levels.
Talking about how sound-attenuated enclosures work, the key is in the sound-absorbing materials lining the insides of the enclosures. Most enclosures are made of a soft yet dense material featuring an open-pore surface that effectively directs sound waves deep into the muffing material’s interior. Furthermore, the sound pressure waves’ kinetic energy is transformed into heat, radiating silently and harmlessly.
In this way, different muffing materials will have different levels of effectiveness at absorbing sound. It is referred to as the material’s ‘sound absorption coefficient,’ which ranges between 0 and 1.
On the one hand, the material with a coefficient of 0 transmits sound perfectly. And on the other hand, a material with a coefficient of 1 is perfect for blocking all sound completely. A sound absorption material with a coefficient of around 0.75 is considered ideal for sound-attenuated enclosures to absorb generator-generated noise.
Designing Sound-Attenuating Enclosures
Generator manufacturers utilize the following explained concepts to design sound-attenuating enclosures:
- Acoustic Barrier: Enclosures are constructed using steel panels while sealing electrical, fuel pipes, and other auxiliary entries.
- Acoustic Insulation: Sound absorbing insulation in or on interior panels.
- Isolation Mounts: Isolation mounts connect generators, engines, and auxiliary support components.
- Cooling Air Attenuation: Baffles are installed into air intake louvers.
Levels of Sound Attenuated Enclosure
Each major manufacturer considers designing and manufacturing their sound-attenuated enclosures customized for specific generator models and provides various sound-attenuation and weatherproofing benefits. The sound attenuated generator enclosure can be classified based on the levels of sound attenuation.
How Sound-Attenuated Enclosures Differ from Weatherproof Enclosures?
Even though weatherproof enclosures offer some sound attenuation, they usually provide the bare minimum. On the other hand, sound-attenuated enclosures are specifically designed to minimize the noise generators produce. Moreover, sound-attenuated enclosures are constructed using weatherproof materials to protect commercial generators from the elements.
Conclusion
One vital thing to understand is each generator engine produces a unique sound profile with varying pitch levels. Therefore, ask the generator manufacturer to design the sound-attenuated enclosure to absorb the sound profile of a particular generator model. Moreover, business owners should see that the sound-attenuated enclosures for commercial generators are as far from the property line as possible.