Demystifying the Functionality of Duct Silencers

Working in an industrial environment, there are a very few things that can come across irritating than your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system rattling away and making a vast amount of noise. So much so, that it distracts co-workers and makes it an unsettling environment to work in. This is where duct silencers can help. Considering the noise that HVAC systems can give off, a solution would be required through a silencer. How exactly do duct silencers work though? Before we go through the details, let’s run through the causes of industrial and HVAC noise.

What Causes HVAC and Industrial Noise?

There can be several factors that contribute to ductwork being noisy. The main cause is when the equipment has been installed into a smaller space than what’s actually required. This causes the sounds to echo and become greater than they actually are. In other cases, it’ll be from fixings that have become loose, causing the ductwork to vibrate as it’s unstable. It’s also worth noting that there will be several activities involving heavy duty equipment occurring on the work floor which will contribute to the sounds and noise.

This is why it’s important to understand where the noise is coming from initially, to see if an alternative is required before installing/using duct silencers. There may be another solution required depending on the actual problem. This is where a system survey could be useful. It can help to establish where the noise is coming from and if there are problems being generated from the pipes or fittings when they’re passing through it.

Can Duct Silencers Work On Their Own?

In order for the duct silencers to be effective, they need to be installed in a “whole system” rather than just in isolation. They’re unlikely to work just on their own. The duct silencers can come in a cylindrical form that can suit ducting or it can be in a rectangular form which can be installed around the HVAC equipment and other forms of commercial equipment.

How Do The Duct Silencers Work?

The way duct silencers work is by trapping the sound waves that meet it, allowing the waves to fill the silencer located inside the fitting. As the silencer contains air pockets, this can help to trap the air inside the silencers. The size can differ depending on the frequency of the sound being controlled. A great benefit of silencers is that they can be designed specifically for particular environments such as hospitals where they’re based in a clean environment. This is because the duct silencers don’t necessarily require fillings and shed particles in the air, making them easier to clean and more suitable for hygienic environments. Particularly in environments such as chemical plants where hazardous particles will be present.

Airmatic specialise in designing and creating bespoke ductwork suitable for your needs. For further information contact us here.