What is an acoustic enclosure?

An acoustic enclosure – sometimes called sound or noise enclosures, or soundproof enclosures – are soundproof chambers designed to keep noise in or out. They can be small and portable or building-sized. Acoustic enclosures are often made out of heavy-duty materials like sheet metal, timber, loaded vinyl, plasterboard or glass.

The use of these materials to encompass the noise source helps to stop noise from radiating out. Acoustic enclosures can be used to isolate and block noise from leaving the area and reaching outside the enclosure, or they can be used to stop outside noise from getting into interior spaces.

Acoustic enclosures may also be used to block or reduce the force of noise that lies at frequencies that could interfere with precise manufacturing processes or measurements, or certain noise frequencies that hit the most sensitive part of human hearing.

How do acoustic enclosures work?

In order to understand how acoustic enclosures work, it’s necessary to first understand soundproofing. It sounds simple, but it can get complex quickly. The process of soundproofing is simply to block noise from either entering or leaving a room, and it works by using materials that either block the sound or absorb it. Often very substantial noise can’t be blocked or absorbed completely, but noise reduction is possible.

Sound is energy produced by vibration. For instance, when you hit a drum, the skin of the drum vibrates quickly enough that it forces the air to vibrate. The air then moves and carries the energy everywhere around the drum. The physical process of sound is what produces and sends it through the air. The psychological process is what happens in our brain and ears. It converts the energy into what we then call noise, music, speech, etc.

Every physical object causes vibrations when it moves in the air. This leads to the creation of waves in the air that then continue to travel as a form of sound. The sound, much like light, comes from its source. The difference is that sound can’t travel through a vacuum. It has to move through something like glass, air, water, metal, etc. In order to effectively soundproof, you have to block the sound on its way from the source, and stop its movement through the air.

To block this sound, a number of materials can be used, but not every material is soundproof. Soundproof materials must be able to isolate and absorb sound and vibration in order to properly block or reduce the sound escaping/entering the soundproof enclosure. Acoustic enclosures prevent this radiation of noise outwards from a source or protect against exterior noises from getting in. Generally, any enclosure classified as an acoustic enclosure is designed specifically to minimise, eliminate or at least reduce sound.

In order to do this, generally, the exterior is made of a material that is solid and dense, like galvanised steel. The interior then will be covered with absorbent materials like acoustic wool. Sound absorbing materials usually have a protective face and are made of perforated sheet metal, perforated foil, or perforated vinyl. Advanced or specialized acoustic enclosures often incorporate vibration attenuation technology. Vibration isolation requires components such as springs, rubber mounts, air cushions, pads or mats, and cork or fiberglass inserts.
Any entrances, windows and ventilation openings are kept to a minimum, but air inlets and outlets will be fitted with silencers. When optimum performance is required, doors are usually enclosed by an acoustic tunnel too.

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