Sound Wall Enclosure Engineered to Reduce Shredder Sound Near Residential Community

Sturgis Iron and Metal retained Acoustical Solutions to assist in a continuous effort to “coexist” with the surrounding residential community in Elkhart, Indiana. After the installation of the Mega-Shredder at the Sturgis facility, Acoustical Solutions was brought in to perform additional sound mitigation, including the design of a sound wall enclosure.

Since the installation of the Mega-Shredder, the Sturgis facility continues to attempt to improve environmental conditions for its residential neighbors. Because sound has been one of the primary concerns with the Mega-Shredder, Acoustical Solutions has been retained to provide additional noise mitigation at the Elkhart facility. Acoustical Solutions has performed a site survey of the shredder to obtain the information necessary to engineer a Sound Barrier Enclosure that will effectively block and absorb noise created by the machinery.

Acoustical Solutions assembled a team of Acoustical, Civil and Structural Engineers capable of taking on the project requirements and demands necessary to mitigate the noise created by the shredder and occasional unexpected releases of energy from “LP-Tanks” (propane). The shredder is capable of reducing cars to small shrapnel in a matter of seconds. The LP tanks are sometimes overlooked in the trunk of cars sold to Sturgis for recycling. When sent through the shredder unknowingly, the tanks cause dangerous unexpected releases of energy. The type of release that occurs is commonly called a Bleve (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion). The Bleve is a dangerous release of energy and if not controlled properly, the noise and vibrations caused by these releases irritate the neighboring residents.

Acoustical Solutions is designing a Sound Barrier Wall that will block and absorb the noise produced by the daily operation of the shredder. The engineering team will also design a Blast Shield and Fragment Retention System to handle the accidental LP tank releases of energy. The daily operation of the shredder cannot be obstructed by the design and addition of the Sound Barrier Enclosure, Blast Shield or Fragment Retention System. Acoustical Solutions will be on the project site May 23rd to begin designs that will incorporate seamlessly into the Mega-shredder structure.

The Mega-Shredder is the world’s largest automobile shredder. It is driven by an 8,000 HP AC Motor and is capable of processing as much as 400 tons of steel per hour. The History Channel as part of its “Modern Marvel” series will feature the 130 Heavy Shredder. The televised premier is May 23, 2007.

For more information on this project or Sound Barrier Walls please contact Tim White at (800) 782-5742, ext. 32.