Best noise insulation ?

[ronan]

Whats the best material to use as an insulator against noise ? I got a pretty big (3hp) compressor while clearing out my uncles place last year, i have no room in my shed for it so decided to put it out side. I had a load of galvanised sheet steel i bought for a job that never happened so i built a hut roughly 6' long by 4' high by 3' wide , i haven't run the compressor yet and but reckon it would get a bit noisy with all the sheet so what to do i use for a noise insulator ?
Second question is there any valve i can buy to automatically drain the tank at regular intervals ? Save me having to do it.

 

[FranV8]

Answer to both questions is yes, I'll try and give you my 2pworth

i) Sound insulation - probably best is a couple or so inches of foam on the inside of the sheet, held in place with perforated or expanded sheet metal. That is normal for industrial acoustic enclosures. You'll need ventilation too, this is normally done with a labrinth so the inlet/outlet paths bend through 90 degrees, typically twice. Only thing that scares me personally about this is fire risk, especially if the foam gets impregnated with oil over time...

ii) Auto drains - yes they do exist, there are mechanical ones, but they seem to constntly go pop-pop-pop - so I think they waste air. Alternative is electronic ones, these I've seen used on industrial receivers, but I think they are quite pricey...


... might be best to extend the drain line (with a fall all along it's length of course...) to somewhere accessible with a ball valve, so a quick few seconds open (90 degrees) blasts out any collected condensate.

 

[Hitch]

Ive made a fair few acoustic enclosures, they tended to be sheet on the outside, then 75mm of rockwool type slab insulation, but had a fibreglass facing material on it, that was then covered with perforated sheet metal. They were insulating agricultural diesel engines, worked very well.

 

[ronan]

Thanks for the replies , i did have a length of plastic hose on the compressor at work with a lever valve at the end and i'd snap it open when the tank was full and it'd always blow out a good bit of water, but i just thought if automatic drain valves were cheap i'd get one.
I'll look and see what insulation i can get in the builders providers next weekend.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I once helped insulate a shed with the sheets of 4" thick polystyrene, I was amazed the amount of noice it cut out, easy to cut and stick on the walls too...just a few dabs of poly adhesive.
Think you can now get it with a foil face too.

 

[NTwoO]

The best sound insulation is that expensive foam with the pyramids on them. The best insulation that can be obtained for free is carpet cutt-offs or a carpet removed during a renovation. Carpet is highly effective and uses little space.

 

[jugs]

Solid foam insulation is good for heat NOT for sound

Stiffen the galv sheets with 2x2 wood battens (glue & screws not nails),
stuff rock-wool batts between,
cover with carpet tacked onto 2x2s,
carpet/mats on floor.
Also-

FranV8
You'll need ventilation too, this is normally done with a labyrinth so the inlet/outlet paths bend through 90 degrees, typically twice.

the labyrinth needs to be sound absorbing as well.

 

[NTwoO]

I was referring to this foam.

It is hellishly expensive, but works well. My personal experience is that polystyrene is not very effective.