Developing a Sound Reducing Heat Pump Cover

Master thesis (2023)

Authors

M. Swen Industrial Design Engineering

Contributors

E. Tempelman Emerging Materials - IDE (mentor)
M.C. Haans Human Information Communication Design - IDE (graduation committee member)
Faculty
Industrial Design Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering
Copyright: © 2023 Micha Swen
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Published Date

06-06-2023

Language

English

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Faculty

Industrial Design Engineering

Abstract

The heat pump market is growing rapidly and new noise legislation creates issues for many people living in terraced housing and apartments. The assignment was to develop a sound reducing heat pump cover for Qventi. It should reduce the sound sufficiently, while being aesthetically pleasing and easy to assemble. It should also be smaller, lighter and sold for a lower price than the main competitors.

Through market analysis, it was found that 10-15dB reduction was needed to stay within legal limits and data was gathered about the types of heat pumps and sound reducing covers. Through interviews, installers were found to value ease of delivery, ease of installation and ease of quoting. There are researching users, who research and install by themselves, and there are outsourcing users, who leave everything to the installer.

An anechoic chamber was used to test an aesthetic cover of Qventi with varying configurations of foam. This had no noticeable effect on the sound level of the heat pump. However, the key heat pump frequencies were found, which led to the optimal foam thickness and sheet metal thickness for the final design.

Through nine iterations, the final design was reached. It consists of five sheet metal panels, with clamped-in foam. A recirculation plate splits the inner area into two compartments, preventing the recirculation of air. Anti-vibration foam is placed underneath the heat pump to prevent contact sound.

The model was optimised for assembly by reducing the part count and pre-assembling the panels. Two doors were created on the side panels for easy maintenance access. The roof panel slots into place using a hidden locking mechanism.
Magnelis was chosen as a metal for its high corrosion resistance, long lifespan, recyclability and low CO2 footprint. For the foam, stratocell whisper was chosen for its sound reduction capabilities, low weight, moisture resistance and long lifespan.

Qventi will sell a range of sizes, with the option of custom sizing using a configure to order workflow, where models, technical drawings and quotes are automatically generated based on the specific case of the user. The first model Qventi will bring to the market will be priced at €2065,- for consumers. It is lighter, lower cost, more compact and easier to install than its competitors.

Through an evaluation with users and installers, the hush was found to be more aesthetically pleasing than the rest of the market. Mainly because of the hidden screw holes and the sleek, clean and robust design.