The Challenge:
The dry mill fuel-grade ethanol required a Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) Acoustic Assessment Report before the client could start operating. Aercoustics worked with the client group to ensure the plant would meet noise limits as low as 40 dBA as there were residential properties and farms within a kilometre of the facility.
The Innovation:
Aercoustics visited other ethanol plants to quantify the noise emissions of similar operations and developed a database of the noise sources. Once these were quantified, we developed a preliminary acoustic computer model to determine the necessary layout of equipment and the proposed construction. This meant providing wall construction, silencer recommendations and other mitigation solutions. After the construction, Aercoustics conducted follow-up testing to confirm that the noise limits were met. There were 13 noise receptors within 1 kilometer of the site. During the initial design, the goal was to ensure that noise levels at all the receptors started out below the MECP noise limits before the plant went up. Follow-up testing conducted after construction showed that every receptor was below the MECP limit. We then provided a report for the MECP documenting the noise levels and showing that the plant followed all noise regulations.
