Gas flow silencer

Abstract

A device (a silencer) for silencing a flow of gas, such as an exhaust gas, comprises at least one acoustic chamber (,) through-flowed by gas, at least one inlet pipe (,) for leading gas into the device and at least one pipe or passage (,) interconnecting two chambers or a chamber and an exterior environment or chamber and is designed with such features, including such cross-sectional area transitions between pipes or passages (,) and the chambers (,) that the sound attenuation achieved by the device is high while the pressure drop across the silencer is low and that high attenuation at low characteristic frequencies of flow systems comprising the device are obtained. One or more diffusers (,) for diffusing at least part of the gas flow, e.g., at the inlet to the chambers may be comprised in the device. One or more monolithic bodies or catalyzers may be comprised in the device. Devices with curved or helical passages (FIG.,) allowing a low natural frequency and embodiments having resonance chambers (FIGS.,) attenuating at selected frequencies are disclosed. The device may be used for vehicles, including ships or boats and for stationary installations, such as power plants or stationary engines. A method for designing and/or dimensioning the device for a given desired sound attenuation over a given frequency spectrum at given spatial restrictions is disclosed.