New solutions created for power plant noise

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the technology group Wärtsilä have completed a three-year project funded by Business Finland creating new solutions for power plant noise emissions.

The new solutions can reduce a power plant’s noise level by 10–20 decibels. In practice, this means a 90–99% noise reduction, said an official press release.

Increasing the use of renewable energy sources in energy production requires the availability of energy and reserve power sources close to residential areas.

The noise level of a plant has a decisive influence on the location of the plant, its viability and the usability of the surrounding areas. New solutions in the acoustic design of a power plant increase the potential for decentralised power generation.

This will enable more power plants to be located where electricity is used, i.e. close to residential areas.

Successful acoustic design for a power plant is based on a balanced dimensioning of sound sources and attenuation. The magnitude of noise emissions and the non-disturbance of noise affect both the environment and the competitiveness of a company.

The most significant sources of noise in a power plant are the ventilation of the power aggregate’s engine, i.e. air intake and exhaust, and the cooling of the engine. The sound of the exhaust system is one of the most significant environmental noise components of a power plant.

“Traditionally, the exhaust system has been provided with individual components that reduce noise, especially at a certain frequency. Now, we considered the entire acoustic chain from the sound source to the recipient across the hearing zone. We also used the noise cancellation principle, where components attenuate each other based on the phasing of sound. At the same time, the need for insulating materials was reduced, making the components more durable and environmentally friendly. The same technologies can be utilised anywhere,” said Antti Hynninen, a senior scientist at VTT.