Details About Industrial Noise Control In Florida

By Nora Jennings


Industrial noise in an aspect that is almost inevitable when heavy machinery is being used. It however may become a serious issue because of the potential for permanent damage to hearing of employees when they are exposed to high noise levels. Therefore, it is important for industries to have reduction strategies. These should be implemented on a constant basis. There are many strategies for industrial noise control in Florida.

The use of damping is among the very widely used methods of control. It is applied in panels, machine guards, conveyors, hoppers and chutes among others. This method involves two main techniques of control. The first is achieved through unconstrained layer damping that involves use of a layer of bitumastic materials. These materials have damping and are stuck to the surface. The other option is whereby there is construction of laminates. Constrained layer damping is rugged and more effective.

With constrained layer damping, there is either re-manufacture of steel guards or the purchase of self adhesive steel sheets. The second option makes it possible for existing components to be stuck and to cover 80 percent of flat surface areas. This results in between 5-25 dB reduction in noise. This however comes with a limitation; there will be reduced efficiency for thicker sheets. Implementation in sheets that have thickness over 3mm is not easy.

There are also instances when fan installations are the preferred option. The more efficient fans are, the less the noise that will be experienced. Thus, if there are any features of the fans that minimize its efficiency, sonic pollution will increase. Dampers and bends adjacent to fans are the most affected components. To achieve maximum efficiency, there ought to be minimum 2-3 diameters between any features which may interfere with flow.

The use of ductwork offers 10-20 dB reduction in air-bone noises. Rather than fitting silencers, such reduction can be achieved by lining the last bend in the ductwork using acoustic absorbent which can be foam or fiberglass. The other alternative is to construct simple absorbent lined right-angled bends that can fit on the opening. Duct vibrations can be treated through damping.

There is the application of fan speed reduction in centrifugal flow fans and axial fans. Noise from fans is roughly proportional to the 5th power of fan speed. Therefore, small drops in speed of fans will massively reduce noises. This can be achieved by changing size of pulleys or control systems. Dampers may also be reset.

The use of electric motors can be employed in such a way that noises are greatly controlled in the industry. The majority of companies have many electric motors used on a large range of devices. Most people are however not aware of the availability of general duty motors that are up to 10 dB or more quieter than the available typical units. It is best to feed motors into the system gradually such that all replacements are quiet.

Companies should ensure that employees are protected from excessive noises. This can be achieved through the use of earplugs and a range of other protective gears. Regular medical examination helps to ensure hearing is not affected.




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