Disturbances due to Building Mechanical Systems

Abstract

Today’s advanced technology buildings require extensive mechanical equipment for building heating, cooling, ventilation, and filtration. The challenge is to design, construct, and maintain an environment that is relatively quiet and relatively free of vibration, both for research personnel, research equipment, and neighboring facilities. Reduced thresholds for both noise and vibration levels from all sources, including systems effects such as flow turbulence in ducts and air inlets have required that every aspect of building mechanical systems be carefully studied and designed to minimize such effects. This chapter addresses the vibration and noise induced by building mechanical systems and presents several cases in which these problems were solved.