In HVAC acoustics design and testing, there are two sound chambers: reverberant and Anechoic. Here are the differences between Reverberant and Anechoic Sound Chambers.
Reverberant Sound Chambers:
Purpose: These chambers are designed to create a highly reflective environment where sound waves bounce off all surfaces, leading to significant reverberation or echo.
Design: Constructed with hard, reflective surfaces to ensure minimal sound absorption. The shape and materials are chosen to maximize reflections.
Uses: Commonly used for testing the durability of materials and products in high-noise environments, studying sound power and noise emissions of equipment, and measuring the acoustics of spaces.
Experience: Inside a reverberant chamber, sounds persist and overlap due to continuous reflections.
Anechoic Sound Chambers:
Purpose: These chambers are designed to eliminate reflections and echoes, creating an acoustically “dead” space where sound is absorbed, not reflected.
Design: Constructed with highly absorbent materials like foam wedges or fiberglass to prevent sound reflections. The walls, ceiling, and floor are covered with these materials in a pattern that maximizes absorption.
Uses: It is ideal for precision acoustic measurements, such as testing microphones, speakers, and other audio equipment, and for conducting psychoacoustic experiments.
Experience: Inside an anechoic chamber, the lack of reflections makes sounds seem to come directly from the source without any echo, creating an unusually quiet and often disorienting environment.
In summary, reverberant chambers study sound in echo-rich environments, while anechoic chambers study sound in echo-free environments.
This video was taken at the Norman Asbjornson Innovation Center & Laboratory (NAIC) at AAON, Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Sound Chamber Testing Facility at AAON, Inc.’s Norman Asbjornson Innovation Center (NAIC) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is renowned for its extensive capabilities in measuring HVAC system performances under various environmental conditions.
This facility houses the world's largest psychrometric reverberation sound chamber, which is pivotal for testing the acoustical performance of HVAC systems under actual operating conditions.
Key features of the NAIC include:
Testing Capabilities: The facility can test up to 300-ton air conditioning, 540-ton chiller, and heating systems up to 80 million Btu/hour. This allows for comprehensive performance verification across various equipment sizes and configurations.
Environmental Simulation: The sound chamber can simulate extreme environmental conditions, ranging from -20°F to 140°F, rainfall up to eight inches per hour, snowfall up to two inches per hour, and wind speeds up to 50 mph. This robust testing environment ensures that HVAC systems are tested and verified under realistic and harsh conditions.
Acoustical Testing: The facility is equipped to measure supply, return, and outside sound at actual load conditions, which is crucial for ensuring that the systems meet or exceed the required sound performance standards in real-world applications.
AMCA Accreditation: The NAIC is accredited under AMCA 210 for Airflow Performance and AMCA 300 for Sound Performance, highlighting its compliance with stringent testing and performance validation industry standards.
The NAIC enhances AAON's product development by providing precise data on the performance and reliability of HVAC systems. It also offers factory witness testing, allowing clients to observe their systems being tested in controlled conditions.
This advanced testing capabilities and environmental simulation combination make the NAIC a leading HVAC research and development facility.
Contact Insight Partners today for your next sound-sensitive HVAC project! We have HVAC solutions for any acoustical requirements: Contact | Insight Partners
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