Compact air plenum silencer

Abstract

An apparatus for reducing sound levels in an HVAC system, the apparatus including a housing configured to be positioned within an air inlet vent for an HVAC system. The housing includes a first opening configured to intake air and a second opening configured to out put air and a plurality of baffles positioned within said housing, each baffle including a body defining a volume and has a plurality of perforations, wherein each baffle is affixed to the housing and wherein the plurality of perforations are configured to allow airflow through the volume of the body and redirecting sound waves.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sound reducing system for an HVAC system, the sound reducing system comprising:
 an air inlet;   a housing in fluid communication with the air inlet, wherein the housing comprises a first opening configured to intake air and a second opening configured to output air, and wherein the first opening is orthogonal to the second opening; and   a plurality of baffles positioned within the housing, wherein each of the plurality of baffles are configured to allow airflow through the baffle while attenuating sound waves within a range of 100 Hz to 5,000 Hz, wherein the airflow is within a range of 200 cubic feet per minute (cfm) to 2,000 cfm.   
     
     
         2 . The sound reducing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of baffles comprises a body defining a volume and having a plurality of perforations on a surface thereof that faces the first opening; and   a sound-attenuating media within the volume of each of the plurality of baffles.   
     
     
         3 . The sound reducing system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the plurality of perforations of each of the plurality of baffles comprises an open area between 10% and 60% of a surface area of a side of the respective baffle having the plurality of perforations.   
     
     
         4 . The sound reducing system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the sound-attenuating media comprises fiberglass.   
     
     
         5 . The sound reducing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of baffles are affixed to the housing.   
     
     
         6 . The sound reducing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing has a transverse axis and at least two baffles of the plurality of baffles are located on a first side of the transverse axis and at least two baffles of the plurality of baffles are located on a second side of the transverse axis.   
     
     
         7 . The sound reducing system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the at least two baffles located on the first side of the transverse axis are arranged symmetrically to the at least two baffles located on the second side of the transverse axis with respect to the transverse axis of the housing.   
     
     
         8 . The sound reducing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing further comprises at least a first cover which covers a first surface orthogonal to a rear surface, a first side, and a second side of the housing.   
     
     
         9 . The sound reducing system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an insulation layer positioned at the first surface and the rear surface.   
     
     
         10 . The sound reducing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing has a transverse axis and two baffles are located on a first side of the transverse axis and two baffles are located on a second side of the transverse axis; and   the two baffles located on the first side of the transverse axis are arranged symmetrically to the two baffles located on the second side of the transverse axis with respect to the transverse axis of the housing.   
     
     
         11 . The sound reducing system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of additional perforated elements positioned within the housing;   wherein at least one of the plurality of additional perforated elements comprises at least one triangular element;   wherein the triangular element comprises a vertex formed by two sides and the vertex is proximal a transverse axis of the housing and is located between two of the baffles; and   wherein the triangular element further defines a volume, wherein the volume comprises a sound-attenuating media.   
     
     
         12 . The sound reducing system of  claim 1 , wherein a body of each of the plurality of baffles comprises a rectangular prism shape. 
     
     
         13 . A sound reducing system for an HVAC system, the sound reducing system comprising:
 an air inlet;   a housing in fluid communication with the air inlet, wherein the housing comprises a first opening configured to intake air and a second opening configured to output air, and wherein the first opening is orthogonal to the second opening;   a plurality of baffles positioned within the housing, wherein each of the plurality of baffles are configured to allow airflow therethrough;   each of the plurality of baffles comprises a body having a plurality of perforations on a surface thereof that faces the first opening; and   the plurality of perforations of each of the plurality of baffles comprises between 10% and 60% of a surface area of a side of the respective baffle having the plurality of perforations.   
     
     
         14 . The sound reducing system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the body of each of the plurality of baffles defines a volume having a sound-attenuating media positioned therein.   
     
     
         15 . The sound reducing system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the housing has a transverse axis; and   the plurality of baffles are arranged symmetrically with respect to the transverse axis of the housing.   
     
     
         16 . The sound reducing system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the sound reducing system is configured to provide at least 2 decibels (dB) of noise reduction.   
     
     
         17 . The sound reducing system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the noise reduction is achieved for sound waves within a range of 100 Hz to 5,000 Hz.   
     
     
         18 . The sound reducing system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the noise reduction is achieved when the airflow is within a range of 200 cubic feet per minute (cfm) to 2,000 cfm.   
     
     
         19 . The sound reducing system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the sound reducing system is configured to provide between about 1 to about 12 decibles (dB) of noise reduction for sound waves within a range of 100 Hz to 5,000 Hz when the airflow is within a range of 200 cubic feet per minute (cfm) to 2,000 cfm.   
     
     
         20 . The sound reducing system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the noise reduction increases with increasing airflow for sound waves within a range of 200 Hz to 5,000 Hz.