This short course provides a practical introduction to the design and development of mufflers and silencers for noise control applications. The course will follow the design process from conceptual design through detailed design, prototyping, and experimental testing. Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding the acoustic behavior of common muffler elements, selecting appropriate design approaches, and using source models to predict system performance. The interaction between acoustic performance and other system requirements will also be discussed, including the integration of catalysts and diesel and gasoline particulate filters.

The course will also address the design and application of large silencers used in industrial and commercial facilities, with particular attention to the rapidly growing need for noise control in data centers. Applications will include silencers for large air-handling and cooling systems as well as engine-generator intake and exhaust systems. Practical examples will illustrate how acoustic performance must be balanced against pressure drop, airflow requirements, size, cost, and other design constraints. Modeling and testing approaches for evaluating silencer performance will also be discussed.

Who Should Attend
This course is intended for engineers, consultants, researchers, and technical professionals involved in the design, analysis, testing, or application of mufflers and silencers. It will be particularly useful for those working in automotive and heavy-duty equipment, power generation, HVAC, data centers, and industrial noise control. The course is appropriate for both those new to muffler and silencer design and experienced practitioners seeking to broaden their knowledge.

Dr. David Herrin, INCE Fellow — Author / Presenter
David Herrin is a professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kentucky. He received both his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Cincinnati and his Ph.D. from University of Kentucky.  He is the author of over 200 journal and conference papers. Dr. Herrin has directed the Vibro-Acoustics Consortium, a group of companies interested in the development and use of noise prediction technology, since 2008.  He has supervised numerous Ph.D. and M.S. students who now work as noise control engineers in industry. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Kentucky. He received the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE-USA) Outstanding Educator Award in 2019. He is a Fellow of both INCE-USA and SAE.