Computational Fluid Dynamics Strategies for Detailed Transmission Loss Prediction in Silencers to Achieve Enhanced Performance

Abstract

Silencers are important noise control elements found in industries such as automotive, industrial machinery, HVAC, and aerospace for reducing unwanted noise and achieving operational efficiency. Transmission Loss (TL) describes one of the oldest parameters in the design considerations of a silencer and signifies the effectiveness of a silencer in sound attenuation. Predicting TL in complicated geometries using conventional methods is difficult, challenging, and time-consuming. Thus, the review examines the advanced computational techniques, particularly Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), as a potent simulation tool for modelling gas flow and acoustics in silencers. CFD allows designers to predict how sound propagates, absorbs, reflects, and how flow dynamic interacts with the silencer, followed by optimized designs without physical prototyping. It then also helps to cut down the number of design iterations required and minimize costs associated with physical testing to comply with noise regulations. The review further considers factors such as the influence of material properties, geometry, and flow dynamics in TL, while discussing also the challenges and opportunities for deploying CFD in enhancing the performance of silencers.