Machine Air compressor muffler

[DavidR8]

Has anyone added an intake muffler/filter their compressor to lower the noise?

 

[Darren]

At one shop i worked at, they had a compressor with a regular car muffler on the intake, with the intake piped through the wall. It was very quiet.

I actually aquired that compressor, but later sold it. I fired it up at home without the muffler, and it was a lot louder.

I will be doing the same to mine soon too.

 

[DavidR8]

At one shop i worked at, they had a compressor with a regular car muffler on the intake, with the intake piped through the wall. It was very quiet.

I actually aquired that compressor, but later sold it. I fired it up at home without the muffler, and it was a lot louder.

I will be doing the same to mine soon too.

Hmmm I wonder if a small engine muffler would work?

 

[Darren]

This one was a full sized car muffler. I'm not sure a smaller one would help much

 

[DavidR8]

This one was a full sized car muffler. I'm not sure a smaller one would help much

“In this corner I have my compressor”

“Is that a Flowmaster muffler?!”

“Sure is, I wanted maximum airflow”

 

[Aliva]

My compressor is in the corner of my garage. I piped the intake outside thru the wall with a small engine air filter on it.
Very quiet now. It's a 2 stage Gardner Denver 20 CFM

 

[KeeponDragon]

found a few videos on youtube of some noise suppression solutions...not a car muffler though...
makes sense the baffles would act against the air flow pulses

 

[kstrauss]

I have a 12 CFM single stage. Any suggestions for a suitable muffler?

 

[whydontu]

motorcycle exhaust? cheap and easy to get from a wrecker

 

[kstrauss]

The mufflers on our local motorcycles seem to make things louder rather than quieter!

 

[DavidR8]

 

[Former Member]

One thing that greatly reduces noise is sound isolator pads under the compressor and bolting it down. Basically this damps any vibration running through the machine being amplified through the tank (think nice big bass speaker).

 

[KeeponDragon]

I think the muffler idea would need something that is internally baffled...
Without some reflective surface, the pulses wouldn't interact with each other
Looking at (not actually watching) the thumbnail David posted, that big stainless can is offset an inlet/outlet design. Which is why it would work.

 

[DavidR8]

I think the muffler idea would need something that is internally baffled...
Without some reflective surface, the pulses wouldn't interact with each other
Looking at (not actually watching) the thumbnail David posted, that big stainless can is offset an inlet/outlet design. Which is why it would work.

He does comment that it's a straight through design so likely would be quieter with something that had more baffles.

 

[Susquatch]

I worked in many areas of vehicle R&D but never in the Muffler and catalyst group. However, I did work in engine design which included intake and exhaust manifolds.

About all I can add is that flow restrictions are important. The general idea is to limit air column pulsing at the frequency of engine (compressor) operation but not restrict the overall air flow rate. Small orifices, small tubes, lots of bends, and direction changes all restrict air flow. Because the frequency is sensitive to the length of the tubes, they used to sell variable frequency mufflers. Perhaps something like that could be used to dampen the noise without affecting performance?

Whatever you end up doing, I think it would be interesting to measure the time it takes to reach a given pressure differential with and without the muffler. The more noise suppression you can get without affecting the time, the better.

 

[DavidR8]

I’m thinking something along these lines.

 

[Susquatch]

I’m thinking something along these lines.

Why two?

 

[DavidR8]

Why two?

I’m kidding! Those are duals for a semi truck

 

[DavidR8]

Why two?

I’m kidding! Those are duals for a semi truck

 

[Susquatch]

I’m kidding! Those are duals for a semi truck

You got me!