Innovation in Noise Mapping in Natural Gas Compressor Stations

Noise is generated at gas turbine-based compressor stations from a number of sources, including turbomachinery (gas turbines and compressors), airflow through inlet ducts and scrubbers, exhaust stacks, aerial coolers, and auxiliary systems. Understanding these noise sources is necessary to ensure that the working conditions on site are safe and that the audible noise at neighbouring properties is acceptable. Each noise source has different frequency content, and the overall sound pressure level (OSPL) at any location in the station yard or inside the compressor building is the result of a superposition of these noise sources. This paper presents results of multiple-point spectral noise measurements at three of TransCanada’s compressor stations on the Alberta System. A method is described to determine the overall noise map of the station yard using Delaunay Triangulation and Natural-Neighbour Interpolation techniques. The results are presented in OSPL maps, as well as animated pictures of the sound pressure level (SPL) in frequency domain which will be shown on a video at the conference. The latter will be useful in future work to determine the culprit sources and the respective dominant frequency range that contributes the most to the OSPL.