Noise Management

EnergyLink Completes A Historic Upgrade

EnergyLink International is a proud supplier of full-service engineered solutions addressing industrial performance and acoustic concerns. We conducted work on behalf of our client concerning operations of an on-campus plant at the University of Minnesota, supplying electricity for medical services, research centers, and the campus. This facility, housed in historic buildings with a legacy of supplying power for the city’s street railway system, have continued to adapt in operations and usage as the city has grown.

EnergyLink is excited to share our involvement in providing acoustic upgrades at one of these historic plants. Due to its urban location, limiting noise pollution was crucial to our client because of the proximity to commercial and residential buildings. Growing residential density downtown led to residents filing complaints about audible noise during the plant’s operational periods.

Chosen for our proven track record, we conducted a study to identify the noise source and recommend solutions. Our team, led by Lisa Newman, PMP, Project Manager, pinpointed the issue to a frequency generated by fans in the plant’s circulating fluidized bed boiler. We proposed mitigating this noise pollution by installing custom-fabricated baffles, designed by Chris Giesbrecht, into the existing exhaust stacks. EnergyLink fabricated, delivered, and installed three baffles to address these concerns. As part of our site-wide noise guarantee, a follow-up study conducted by Gustavo Elgueta ensured all acoustic goals were met with an overall 15 dB reduction in noise for the problematic frequency, resulting in the noise being inaudible in the nearby residential dwellings.

Delivering solutions that keep the heart of essential services beating quietly is another example of how EnergyLink is connecting you to a better way.