Simulating Combustion-Induced Noise from a Gas-Fired Water Heater

Abstract

Residential and commercial gas water heaters are designed for optimal performance for different operating conditions. These differences could arise from regional changes in fuel, local regulations for emissions, and the temperature preferences of the customer. From an engineering perspective apart from performance, other issues such as fire safety, longevity (thermo-mechanical durability) and though rarely, noise and vibration (N & V) need to be addressed. Unlike other appliances, there are almost no moving mechanical parts in an atmospheric gas water heater. This makes the N & V problem an interesting engineering challenge to diagnose and fix. In this paper, the authors consider different hypotheses for understanding the origins of combustion-induced noise. They propose a hybrid simulation methodology to predict noise and finally present the sound pressure level comparison with the physical test.