Energy Transmission in Piping Systems and Its Relation to Noise Control

The piping in a process plant acts as a distribution and radiation system throughout the plant for many significant sources of noise and vibration such as compressors, pumps, valves and other flow discontinuities, and the like. The acoustical and vibrational energy carried by the piping can result in the establishment of undesirable acoustic fields. This paper looks at those factors which are important to the proper description of the energy interaction and propagation in the fluid-filled piping system and discusses their significance in achieving noise control.