Experimental determination of far field sound power due to panel and vent radiation of a portable diesel gener

Most portable diesel generators (often referred to as gensets) produce high sound power levels. The sound generated by various internal components of the genset is transmitted to the far field by two radiation mechanisms: sound transmits through the panels of the generator enclosure as well as propagates through any openings in the enclosure. In order to determine which mechanism to control, a study was performed to quantify the contribution of the radiated sound power coming from the panels and openings. A radiation model was created from near-field acoustic intensity scans performed on the surface of the enclosure and from feed-forward active noise control performance on a single air intake vent. The empirical model was used to predict the possible far field sound power attenuation if passive treatments were applied to the enclosure and if active noise control were used on the enclosure openings. The model predicts that the overall sound power level could be reduced by 8.7 dBA with both passive and active treatments. This paper outlines the model development and predictions. a Email address: [email protected] b Email address: [email protected] c Email address: [email protected]