40+ years of aeroacoustics solutions · Plymouth, Minnesota
SH Consulting, Inc.Aeroacoustics Engineering
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Simulation-led aeroacoustics · Plymouth, Minnesota

Aeroacoustics Engineering Consulting in Plymouth, Minnesota

Acoustic modeling and CFD for engine exhaust and intake silencers, generator-set enclosures, and machinery and equipment that moves air.

Solve aeroacoustics challenges early — before they become costly redesigns.

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  • 40+ yearsof aeroacoustics solutions
  • Acoustic · CFDsilencer, enclosure & airflow simulation
  • Plymouth, MNwest Twin Cities
Engine exhaust noise, decomposedIllustrative
Illustrative engine exhaust noise spectrumSound level against frequency on a logarithmic scale: broadband flow noise, with tonal peaks at the engine’s firing frequency and its harmonics low in the spectrum. Illustrative only — not measured data.Firing frequencyHarmonicsBroadband — flow noiseFrequency (log scale) →Sound level →

Firing-frequency tones sit low in the spectrum, where reactive silencer elements do most of the work; lined elements handle the broadband noise above them.

01Specialty

Engine and generator noise, from the silencer to the site limit

Engine & generator noise simulation

Engine and generator-set work is SH Consulting’s specialty. The same geometry is modeled for attenuation and for pressure drop, so a quieter silencer or enclosure still stays within the engine maker’s limits.

  • Exhaust mufflers & silencers

    Transmission loss across the firing frequency and its harmonics, and the back pressure each design adds.

  • Intake systems

    Air intakes, filters and intake silencers: attenuation, and restriction against the engine’s limit.

  • Generator enclosures

    Enclosure levels against a site sound limit, louvers and splitter silencers, and ventilation and radiator airflow.

  • Exhaust & outlet flow

    CFD of exhaust piping, rain caps and discharges: pressure drop and flow distribution.

02Why simulate early

Find the noise problem while it is still a design decision.

Noise from engines and from equipment that moves air is set by geometry and operating point: silencer and enclosure layout, exhaust and duct routing, inlet conditions, openings and clearances. By the time it shows up on a prototype or in the field, most of those decisions are fixed — and the remaining options tend to be add-on treatment, extra cost and compromises in airflow.

Simulation brings the question forward. Predicting how flow and sound behave while the design can still change makes it possible to find the dominant sources, compare options on equal terms, and focus physical testing where it matters.

Design freedom and cost of change across product developmentA qualitative diagram. From concept through design, prototype, production and in-service, design freedom falls while the cost of making a change rises. The concept and design stages are highlighted as the window for simulation-led aeroacoustics.Simulation-led design windowConceptDesignPrototypeProductionIn serviceDesign freedomCost of a change
Qualitative illustration. The later a noise problem is found, the fewer options remain — and the more each one costs.

  • Predict

    Estimate noise and airflow behavior before hardware exists.

  • Diagnose

    Identify the mechanism behind the noise, not just the symptom.

  • Compare

    Rank design options before committing to tooling or a prototype.

03Services

Aeroacoustics, acoustic and airflow simulation services

How the services fit together
  • Core specialty

    Aeroacoustics Engineering Consulting

    A specialist engineer on noise generated by moving air — from the first design question to a stubborn late-stage problem.

  • Sound propagation & radiation

    Acoustic Modeling & Simulation

    Predict how sound travels, resonates and radiates through a product or system — before it is built.

  • Back pressure & restriction

    CFD Flow & Pressure Drop

    Predict back pressure, restriction and flow distribution through engine intakes, exhausts and silencers.

  • Airflow & pressure

    Aerodynamic Modeling & Simulation

    Understand the airflow through and around a design — pressure losses, velocities, separation and unsteadiness.

  • Source → path → fix

    Noise Control & Mitigation

    Identify the dominant source and path, understand the mechanism, and evaluate fixes before committing to them.

Illustrative image: diesel standby generator set in a sound-attenuated enclosure, access doors open to show the engine and alternator, with an exhaust silencer and rain cap on the roof

04Primary focus

Generator sets and engines

Generator sound mitigation and engine noise suppression are SH Consulting’s specialty. Exhaust and intake silencers, enclosures and ventilation paths are modeled for attenuation and for back pressure together, so the quieter design is one the engine can still run with.

Engine-driven generator sets pull large volumes of cooling and combustion air through sound-attenuated enclosures. The ventilation path has to pass that air with little restriction while keeping radiator-fan and engine noise inside.

Generator and engine noise simulation Generator sets in detail

05Industries

More equipment that moves air

Industry problems in detail

Also: Fans & blowers · HVAC & data-center cooling · Engine & generator noise simulation

06Process

How a simulation engagement works

Every project starts with the engineering question — not with a software run. The level of analysis is matched to the decision, and results come back as specific recommendations.

What a simulation study needs

  1. Understand the problem

    The product, the noise or flow behavior, the target, and the decision the work must support.

  2. Build or review the model

    Prepare the geometry and operating conditions — or review an existing in-house model.

  3. Simulate flow and sound

    Run the acoustic, CFD or aerodynamic analysis the question actually requires.

  4. Identify what dominates

    Find which sources, paths and losses control the noise and the pressure drop.

  5. Compare design options

    Evaluate candidate changes on equal terms, for noise and for airflow.

  6. Recommend next actions

    Prioritized design changes, and where further simulation or testing is worth it.

07Experience

40+ years focused on aeroacoustics

SH Consulting, Inc. brings 40+ years of aeroacoustics solutions to engineering teams. The firm is built around one specialty — how airflow generates noise, and how to engineer it out — applied through 3-D modeling and simulation.

  • Specialist focus. Aeroacoustics and engine and generator noise, not general building acoustics.
  • Simulation-led. Acoustic modeling, CFD and aerodynamic simulation chosen to fit the question.
  • Practical output. Results translated into design decisions an engineering team can act on.
About SH Consulting
Skeletal 3-D computer model of an equipment assembly with ducting and panels, prepared for simulation
Skeletal view of a 3-D computer model used in SH Consulting simulation work.
Map of the Twin Cities centred on Plymouth, MinnesotaA 50-mile radius around Plymouth takes in Minneapolis, about 9 miles east, St. Paul, about 18 miles east, and towns including Monticello, Cambridge, Stillwater, Hastings, Northfield, New Prague, Hutchinson.50 miMississippiMonticelloCambridgeStillwaterHastingsNorthfieldNew PragueHutchinsonMinneapolisSt. PaulPlymouthN50-mile radius from Plymouth

Location

Based in Plymouth, Minnesota

SH Consulting is based in Plymouth in the west Twin Cities metro and works with engineering teams across Minneapolis–Saint Paul and Minnesota.

Service area Contact details

Discuss your simulation or aeroacoustics challenge

Describe the product, the noise or flow behavior, and the decision you need to make. The first conversation is a technical one.

Discuss a Simulation