Fluid pipelines with large flow changes often result in noise due to multi-physical interactions (fluid–structure and acoustic–vibration interactions) between the pulsating fluid and the pipe wall, especially at the elbows. Therefore, the acoustic–vibration characteristics and noise reduction methods of elbows are studied in this paper. Firstly, a two-way fluid–structure interaction (FSI) model is established to analyze the vibration characteristics of the elbow under water excitation. Maximum stress occurs at the elbow inlet, with maximum deformation in the elbow. Experimental validation confirms the model’s accuracy. Secondly, the effects of water and structural parameters on elbow vibration are studied, revealing that increased water pressure, pulsating frequency, and flow rate intensify pipe vibration. Finally, an acoustic–vibration coupled model is built; the simulations suggest that increasing wall thickness and elbow radius and reducing elbow angle effectively reduce the noise level of the elbow. Using elastic supports and damping materials can reduce elbow noise by at least 26.3%. This study provides guidance for the noise reduction and structural optimization of elbows by coupled multi-physics.
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