Exhaust Noise Reduction by Application of Expanded Collecting System in Pneumatic Tools and Machines

• Main Authors: Dominik Gryboś, Jacek S. Leszczyński, Dorota Czopek, Jerzy Wiciak
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: pneumatics; hybrid systems; fluid power; air expansion; noise reduction; SPL measurement
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/6/1592

In this paper, we demonstrate how to reduce the noise level of expanded air from pneumatic tools. Instead of a muffler, we propose the expanded collecting system, where the air expands through the pneumatic tube and expansion collector. We have elaborated a mathematical model which illustrates the dynamics of the air flow, as well as the acoustic pressure at the end of the tube. The computational results were compared with experimental data to check the air dynamics and sound pressure. Moreover, the study presents the methodology of noise measurement generated in a pneumatic screwdriver in a quiet back room and on a window-fitting stand in a production hall. In addition, we have performed noise measurements for the pneumatic screwdriver and the pneumatic screwdriver on an industrial scale. These measurements prove the noise reduction of the pneumatic tools when the expanded collecting system is used. When the expanded collecting system was applied to the screwdriver, the measured Sound Pressure Level (SPL) decreased from 87 to 80 dB(A).