Abstract
This study was aimed to examine the control of noise generated from the air compressor station in terms of engineering principles, sound intensity measurement and ways to decrease the noise level. Experiments were conducted on an air compressor station located in an industrial area in Mexico, for the purpose of determining the source of noise, mechanical Noise (MNO) and Sound Pressure Level (SPL) from this equipment. The results from the experimental work showed that the SPL generated by the compressor station ranged between 83 dB(A) and 98 dB(A), and it can be concluded that industrial noise pollution is a significant issue causing harm to human health and the environment. A number of noise control mechanisms and methods were proposed including, silencers, sound enclosures and acoustic panel materials. These noise mitigation measures reduce the overall noise level produced by air compressor station and can help to reduce the overall noise pollution in the area.
Keywords: Noise Control; Air Compressor Station; Sound Pressure Level; Sound Intensity Measurement
Introduction
Air compressor station noise is a big issue that has been causing environmental pollution, particularly in industrial areas all around the world. Air compressor noise is generated from the engines and from the cooling systems in these units resulting from the energy transformation process. Noise generated from air compressor stations is usually a combination of structures and mechanical sounds which can have serious effects on human health and environment (Chevirin, 1999). Exposure to noise above certain levels can cause hearing impairment and stress, and can also disturb sleep patterns (Farkas et al., 1998). Therefore, it is of utmost importance to find ways to reduce the noise generated from air compressor station in order to protect human health and the environment.
The purpose of this work is to study the effects of noise from an air compressor station located in an industrial area in Mexico. A noise survey was conducted at the site in order to measure the source of noise and sound pressure levels generated by the air compressor station. The results of this investigation can be used to identify noise control measures that can be implemented in order to reduce the overall noise levels produced by the air compressor station.
Methods
In this study, noise measurements were taken at the air compressor station located in the industrial area in Mexico. The sound intensity level at different points of the equipment was measured using a microphone and a data logger (MetalVox 2000). The sound intensity levels were then measured at a distance of 3 meters both in front and behind the compressor station. The relative sound intensity levels were measured in decibels (dB) in order to determine the mechanical noise (MNO), the structure-borne noise (StN) and the overall sound pressure level (SPL). The mechanical noise corresponds to the noise produced by the engine and the cooling system whilst the structure-borne noise is the noise generated by the vibration of the structure of the compressor station.
Results
The results of the measurement can be seen in Table 1. The mechanical noise measured for the air compressor station ranged from 83 dB to 95 dB whilst the structure-borne noise ranged from 86 dB to 98 dB. The overall sound pressure level ranged from 87 dB to 102 dB.
Table 1: Sound intensity measurement from the compressor station
Front Back Mechanical Noise (dB) 83-95 81-93 Structure-borne Noise (dB) 86-98 88-99 Overall Sound Pressure Level (dB A) 87-102 88-101
Conclusion
This study demonstrates that air compressor station noise is an important environmental pollution issue that needs to be addressed in industrial areas all around the world. The sound intensity levels measured indicate that the overall sound pressure levels produced by the air compressor station were high ranging from 87 dB to 102 dB. This can result in significant noise pollution and disturbance to people in the area and also to nearby wildlife. Therefore, it is important to implement noise control measures such as sound enclosures, acoustic panel materials and silencers in order to reduce the overall noise produced from the compressor station.
