enclosing an electric motor in a concrete or brick building ?

[Bob Weisner]

Hi:

This question concerns noise levels.

1. Would there be much of a noise reduction if electric motors were enclosed in a concrete block or brick enclosure? The motors are 3 electric motors that total 450 horsepower . they are used to fill a cyclone wood dust and wood chip collector.

Thanks,

[Jim Becker]

Any isolation will reduce noise transmission. If you fill the blocks with sand or foam, you may reduce it further.

[Larry Reimer]

Concrete blocks make a very good noise barrier. You may want to think about a roof over that also. By roof I mean some type of barrier to keep sound from going up and over your new concrete block enclosure.

[john whittaker]

Bob, In my business we often have to mount blowers in "sound enclosures". These enclosures are normally fiberglass boxes with thick foam insulation liners. (The kind with closed cell foam and a foil barrier). These work very well but we are limiting the dB level of 5 - 20 HP motorized blowers. Never dealt with 450 HP application. I expect heat dissipation might factor into your project. I have seen "home made" enclosures using marine grade plywood instead of FRP and they worked very well. If you google "sound enclosures" you will find many examples. - Good Luck.

.....450 HP :confused: "MORE POWER"

[Frank Hagan]

Another noise reduction method is to use vibration isolators, especially if you're trying to reduce noise in the same building. A lot of what people describe as noise is transmitted through the floors and walls of a building.

Search Grainer.com for "vibration isolators" and you'll find about 9 pages of different isolation mounts. For smaller motors, we have used an isolation pad, a black high density foam rubber pad that looks like wet suit material. Its amazing how much quieter the motors become when the pad is inserted under them.

[Bob Weisner]

Thanks for the replys!

Another question on the same subject:

Is there any type of insulation that can be used to insulate the big dust and wood chip collector pipes?

[Jim Becker]

Is there any type of insulation that can be used to insulate the big dust and wood chip collector pipes?

I'm not sure why that would be necessary unless it's for heat retention with a system located in a building separate from the shop. Duct noise is pretty much limited to an open blast gate/hood in my experience. There is duct wrap available at any HVAC supplier.

[Lee DeRaud]

Would there be much of a noise reduction if electric motors were enclosed in a concrete block or brick enclosure? The motors are 3 electric motors that total 450 horsepower.Please tell me that's a typo...:eek:

Motors that size deserve their own building.

[Bob Weisner]

No typo! :eek: They are used to blow the sawdust and wood chips into a HUGE!!! cyclone dust collector/wood chip collector. It is a sawmill that has this. The insulation I was referring to in the previous post, would be to insulate the pipes that suck the sawdust and woodchips to the cyclone unit. The cyclone is HUGE!! over 100 feet tall!!!

[Chris Padilla]

Bob,

I've entertained the idea of coating my cyclone with that same spray-on bed liner (Line-X, Rhino, etc.) used in truck beds should it be deemed too noisy. I know that stuff will work...how much, no clue, but it will help.