Cooling tower noise had triggered complaints as the noise was highly tonal. This led to a £31k quote from the supplier to replace the whole fan unit on the recommendation of their noise consultant. The local EHO suggested they contact us for a 2nd opinion.
We asked for a video clip by email, analysis of which allowed us to determine that the problem tone was at the tooth meshing frequency of the pinion gear. As a result, the gearbox was replaced at a cost of £3k. The whole process from 1st phone call to the provision of a detailed proposed solution took 6 hours…
This cooling tower noise reduction project is yet another example of the very poor diagnostic and engineering knowledge of many noise consultants. Far too often, decisions about noise control measures are made based on assumptions about noise sources rather than on accurate and precise diagnosis. There is a simple diagnostic process that must be followed when evaluating cooling tower noise control projects. This case study illustrates the power of simple, accurate diagnosis to remove all guesswork in solving noise problems quickly and at very low cost.
Detailed guide to selecting cooling tower noise attenuation techniques >
