DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, IIT DELHI

Vibration and Noise Engineering (MEL733)

Q.1. An electric machine (EM) having sound power of 4 mW (when measured in a full anechoic
chamber) is kept in a room of size 40m x 20m x 4m at one corner of the room. If the room has all
painted brick walls, what is the room constant? What is the distance from the vacuum cleaner
beyond which the reverberant field is dominant than direct field?

EM
20m 3m
R
Room
40m
R
EM 5m

If the operator of the electric machine (EM) at 0.7m away from the center of the cleaner, what is
the SPL at his position?
What is the SPL for a person R sitting at a distance of 3m from the opposite corner of the room?
Is it possible to reduce this SPL by 10dB through suitable redesign of the room? If yes, specify
the new design. Also find the influence of this modification on the SPL at the operator of the
machine and that at the receiver R. Comment on your results.
for Carpet: (0.37), Concrete (0.02), glass (0.12), bare brick (0.04), painted brick (0.015),
Hardboard (0.15)
TL for brick: (46), glass (30), Plywood (21), concrete (50)

Q. 2. A room that is 4 m x 8 m x 3 m has an average absorption coefficient of 0.1 in the 1kHz

octave band. A machine (1m x 1m x 1m), enclosed by a 2m x 2m x 2m hood, is located in the
room. The machine which radiates isotropically, produces a sound power level of 120 dB in an
anechoic chamber in the 1 kHz band. The hood (enclosure) has an average absorption coefficient
and a transmission coefficient of 0.7 and 0.001 respectively, in this band. With the hood in place,
estimate the sound pressure level in the room.

Q.3. An electric motor for a swimming pool pump has a sound power as shown in the octave
spectra below. The spectrum is as measured in a full anechoic chamber. If the motor is placed as
shown in the figure behind the wall that acts as a barrier, estimate the pressure level expected at
the persons ear standing on the other side of the brick wall as shown.