Baffle Sound Insulation Box For Compressor

[Pollys13]

I have a Wolf 90 litre compressor like this one, Ebay item number Bay item number: 372225303961. Even though is belt driven is still quite noisy I'd like to reduce this. I've had a look around but can't really find anything I thought was suitable. I was thinking of say MDF box lined with sound insulating tiles, with PC fan to prevent heat build up no base as could lift up and place over compressor, compressor would be rested on some rubber carpet tiles. This morning I was thinking of an actual enclosed box, on castors, contrive some type of flap so could move compressor into box.
I also have a Cyclone upright DC-1500 Dust Collector, see https://www.cycloneblasters.com/product/blast-cabinet-dust-collector/
This is also quite noisy and I would like to make some type of enclousure for it

 

[Mark 2]

The same hole required to allow cooling air in is the one where the sound escapes from.
Tis compressor law.

 

[Hopefuldave]

Most important thing with soundproofing is mass, scour freecycle / facebook ads for a concrete coal bunker going free... (blue outline) Seal all the joins with mastic, they're leaky!

Airflow is going to be important, and the "ducts" will need sound absorbent material on 'em, Rockwool do high-density batts made for the purpose (good for one's home studio in a 2x1 frame covered with hessian!). (red thick lines)
If it's a belt drive compressor you might need to make a baffle to separate suction from exhaust to be sure air flows to cool it (grey) or put ventilation fans in the inlet / outlet if that's too compicated?
Rubber / dense foam to sit it on and prevent vibration escaping through the base is good (green)

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Morrisman]

There’s a thread on here about building a silencing box for a similar bolide. Can’t remember who did it though. A search for ‘compressor’ might bring it up.

Found it.

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/new-compressor-and-sound-reduction-box.103799/

 

[slim_boy_fat]

What about these?

https://images.app.goo.gl/ZNyfwNLKoWvP5JAS7

 

[Hopefuldave]

What about these?

https://images.app.goo.gl/ZNyfwNLKoWvP5JAS7

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[colnerov]

Hi, As Dave H. says for soundproofing you need mass or density. The eggbox stuff or the similarly shaped foam is for acoustics. If the air intake for the compressor is trunked through a car type air filter that will kill some of the noise whilst letting fresh air in.

Colin

 

[tom2207]

even a board stood infront will help , wont be ideal but it will help

 

[Jbo2231]

Hey,
The above is correct, you need a dense material, not foam or egg cartons. I went with double layered 18mm MDF with a layer of silicone sealant between them to prevent vibration between the panels. You also want it air tight as much as possible, try to incorporate that idea in to your design as much as possible (treat your design like it should be watertight).
Then have a small layer of foam to prevent reverberations within the box, this should help to stop the sound bouncing around and finding exits.

You'll also need a far higher flow rate of air than a PC fan can provide. You're putting a device that is incredibly inefficient at what it does in to an almost air tight box with no air flow, compressors need air flow over them.

I would recommend insulated air ducting and a bathroom extractor fan instead of the PC fan. Line your air intake and exhaust directly in line with the compressors fan and make sure you get the air flowing with the fan. The continuous air movement over the compressor is more efficient than the compressors design as the compressor would normally only have air flow while the motor is running.

On the air ducting exhaust and intake make a few turns, sound doesnt like to travel around corners. Make sure this is all sealed up nice and tight. I used silicone sealant and aluminium tape to get airtight seals, makes the air flow more efficient if the air flow is over the compressor rather than leaking everywhere.

 

[8ob]

I boxed in the compressor where it was previously sited with ply and eggbox foam inside, made a big difference until you get used to it and it slowly becomes just as annoying. Site the thing as far away from the workshop/neighbours as possible.

Bob

 

[Burdekin]

I think you need to absorb the sound rather than trying to just block it. So a box with a layer of mass loaded vinyl and then filled with loads of loft insulation.

 

[awemawson]

Box needs to be dense to prevent sound transmission but lined with something open weave like cavity batts to absorb sound. The passages for inlet air and outlet cooling air need to be quite long and again lined with sound absorbing materials.

I'm going through this process with my 110 kVA generator set, and have got as far as surrounding it with a suitable wall of 70 mm partition board with a foam core, but now need an affordable source of rather a lot of the rockwool cavity batt as absorbers.

I'm measuring 107 dBA adjacent to generator, now reduced to 65 dBA on the other side of the stable but still too noisy for my liking - thread on it here:

https://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,13198.0.html

 

[Pollys13]

Most important thing with soundproofing is mass, scour freecycle / facebook ads for a concrete coal bunker going free... (blue outline) Seal all the joins with mastic, they're leaky!

Airflow is going to be important, and the "ducts" will need sound absorbent material on 'em, Rockwool do high-density batts made for the purpose (good for one's home studio in a 2x1 frame covered with hessian!). (red thick lines)
If it's a belt drive compressor you might need to make a baffle to separate suction from exhaust to be sure air flows to cool it (grey) or put ventilation fans in the inlet / outlet if that's too compicated?
Rubber / dense foam to sit it on and prevent vibration escaping through the base is good (green)

Dave H. (the other one)
View attachment 252630

Your idea another way I could approach it, concrete blocks, concrete lintels on top.

 

[Pollys13]

Box needs to be dense to prevent sound transmission but lined with something open weave like cavity batts to absorb sound. The passages for inlet air and outlet cooling air need to be quite long and again lined with sound absorbing materials.

I'm going through this process with my 110 kVA generator set, and have got as far as surrounding it with a suitable wall of 70 mm partition board with a foam core, but now need an affordable source of rather a lot of the rockwool cavity batt as absorbers.

I'm measuring 107 dBA adjacent to generator, now reduced to 65 dBA on the other side of the stable but still too noisy for my liking - thread on it here:

https://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,13198.0.html

Had a quick look, why have you got that monster of a 110KVA generator? Looks sweet, thanks.

 

[Pollys13]

Thanks everybody for their input. I found this onYouTube,

Air compressor muffler (silencer) comparison, using Solberg FS 231P-200 Compact Filter Silencer and Solberg SCLR-200. Was a 2014 YouTube and those models don't seem to be available anymore. Think only reduces Wolf from 99 down to 80/88 which is still quite loud.

 

[hermetic]

If you can get an old car or tractor oil bath air filter, they make a huge difference!

 

[awemawson]

Had a quick look, why have you got that monster of a 110KVA generator? Looks sweet, thanks.

$


It drives my 100 kW induction furnace :

https://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,13100.0.html

 

[fizzy]

On old Rolls Royces they used to use lead for sound deadening

 

[garethp]

Whatever you use make sure you check the temperature in the enclosure, I dont think you mention the size of compressor but if its 3hp and your blasting you've got around 2kw of heat to continually get rid of.

Mine get very hot and they're under a bench and open to the room on 3 sides.

 

[fizzy]

Whatever you use make sure you check the temperature in the enclosure, I dont think you mention the size of compressor but if its 3hp and your blasting you've got around 2kw of heat to continually get rid of.

Mine get very hot and they're under a bench and open to the room on 3 sides.

I know 2 people who cooked their compressors because they were in enclosures.
The chap who runs a bodyshop next to me has his big compressor in an old insulated refrigerated container unit. Just leaves the door wide open when using it. Cuts out most of the noise.