Heat Exchanger Acoustic Standing Wave Resonance Calculator

Determine transverse acoustic natural frequencies (fa), gas speed of sound, and Chen acoustic damping parameters to prevent deafening 140+ dB screeching.

Gas Properties & Shell Dimensions

Shell Inside Diameter D_shell (mm):

Gas Temperature T (°C):

Gas Molecular Weight M (g/mol): Air ~ 28.96 | Natural Gas ~ 18 | H2 ~ 2.0

Specific Heat Ratio γ (Cp/Cv):

Vortex Shedding Freq f_v (Hz):

Acoustic Mode Number n:

Acoustic Wave & Resonance Margin

Acoustic Standing Freq (f_a):

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Speed of Sound in Gas (c_s):

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Frequency Match Ratio (f_v / f_a):

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Acoustic Wavelength (λ):

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Acoustic Resonance Risk:

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Frequently Asked Questions

What causes deafening acoustic resonance in gas heat exchangers?

When vortex shedding frequency matches an acoustic standing wave mode of the shell cavity, a powerful acoustic feedback loop establishes. It emits a deafening pure-tone screech exceeding 130–150 dBA, causing severe shell nozzle fatigue cracking.

Can acoustic resonance occur in liquid-filled heat exchangers?

No. Liquid acoustic damping is enormous, and acoustic frequencies in liquid are vastly higher than vortex shedding frequencies. Acoustic resonance is exclusively an issue in gas and vapor shell-side service.

How do anti-vibration de-resonating baffles fix the problem?

Inserting longitudinal de-resonating baffle plates parallel to the flow cuts the acoustic cavity width W in half, doubling the acoustic natural frequency fa and permanently decoupling it from vortex shedding.