Noise reduction in centrifugal compressors using Helmholtz resonators

Compressors are at the heart of most petrochemical and industrial power plants. These plants require fluids at high energy (High pressures and velocities), and due to this requirement compressors are used as the primary means of raising the fluid to a higher energy state.;Of the various types of compressors, centrifugal compressors are most commonly used in Saudi Arabia due to their continuous flow operation and moderation head capacity. Despite their common usage, centrifugal compressors are often major noise generators due to their high horsepower and high tip speeds. This noise is undesirable for people living close to installation and also can potentially cause structural failures in the piping. Particular attention is given to the modified solution using the Helmholtz Resonator concept. A comparison of the noise reduction results between the developed solution and the existing solution is made. A thorough numerical simulation of acoustic wave propagation for one and two degrees of freedom Helmholtz resonators is presented and is validated with experimental results from the available literature. The calculated resonant frequencies for different geometries of one and two degrees of freedom resonators agree well with the experimental results. The effect of end-correction factors has also been incorporated in this study. The results from published papers are reproduced and validated using COMSOL, FEM based software. Attention is also given to the effect of geometry shape of the Helmholtz resonator on its resonant frequency and on its noise attenuation capability. The theory of resonant frequency depending on the shape of the vessel of the resonator is verified numerically using COMSOL. The Numerical simulation is supported with an experimental validation too. Some new configurations of the resonator arrays are also simulated and presented with significant improved results in comparison to those already in practice.