Noise-Reducing Structure Optimization of Inverted Bucket Steam Valves Based on SVM-NOA

The inverted bucket steam valve is a key piece of equipment in steam systems. Optimizing its noise reduction performance via intelligent algorithms is crucial for enhancing the stability of steam systems. In this study, the nutcracker optimization algorithm (NOA) was investigated and improved. A simulation method coupling computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with acoustic software was employed to characterize the acoustic properties of inverted bucket steam valves equipped with noise-reducing elements of different structures. Subsequently, the structural dimensions of the valve’s noise-reducing element were optimized using a support vector machine (SVM)-based surrogate model and the improved NOA. Concurrently, experimental tests were conducted on the inverted bucket steam valve before and after optimization to validate the simulation accuracy. The experimental results demonstrate that the SVM-NOA increases the maximum transmission loss (TL) of the valve’s noise-reducing element by 44.14 dB, with the error between experimental and simulation results being less than 3%. This verifies the accuracy of the acoustic simulation method and confirms the practicality and versatility of the SVM-NOA for solving real-world engineering problems.