Identification of Potential AIrborne Noise Problems at the Design Stage in the Layout of Compartments in a Submarine

Airborne noise is an important factor in setting the environmental conditions under which personnel have to work and test within the confines of a submarine.Control of airborne noise is thus essential if the safe and efficient running of the submarine is to be maintained.The aim of this paper is to show the importance of identifying potential airborne noise problems at the design stage in the layout of compartments in a submarine.To show some of the problems that can be encountered when airborne noise is not given full consideration at the design stage, the paper uses as an example the case of a fan plenum initially sited purely on space considerations next to a bunkspace.Once it was found that the fan emitted excessive airborne noise levels.which would cause severe problems in the bunkspace.only then was a full noise assessment made and a series of noise reduction measures proposed.These are discussed in the paper together with the final solution which involved costly reworking of steelwork in the plenum and the installation of a different type of fan.The paper concludes with steps that should have been taken, with hindsight, to reduce the airborne noise problem before compartment layout plans were finalised. l.