Exhaust Systems
Installing a high quality marine exhaust system is a key components of your boat’s noise control program and its operational performance. It’s also one of the more complex treatments you can undertake – small details can have a big impact. We approach the exhaust not as a single part, but as a system. This approach becomes more relevant for larger vessels, where engines are larger and systems more complex.
Wet Exhaust Systems
The secret to quiet wet exhaust systems lies in the silencer selected. A good silencer is tuned to the specific frequency of the engine or generator, not chosen simply by the inlet size. Soundown’s patented WaterDrop technology can provide reactive silencing for the lowest levels of exhaust noise.
In one of the most common example scenarios, a classic WaterDrop silencer will take the water out of the cooled exhaust gas and release it below the water
line to reduce both splashing and back pressure that results from pushing the water through the rest of the system. Using an active silencer with a tuned resonation chamber will cancel out the firing frequency of the engine. This results in reduction or elimination of the low frequency rumble of exhaust and leaves the splashing of the wake as the dominant on-deck noise.
While Soundown’s goal is to provide the quietest possible exhaust systems, we also understand that the engine has certain operating parameters that must be taken into account during the design. Chief among these is the engine’s back pressure allowance. Soundown silencers are designed to work within the back pressure allowance of the system, and calculation can be provided as needed.
While our expertise in acoustics drives the design of the internal components of the silencer, our experience with vessels of all types influences our construction and materials choices. All Soundown exhaust components are manufactured using fire retardant vinyl ester resin with heavy wall construction for a durable and long-lasting installation. Soundown’s Fiberglass Exhaust Tube has a wall thickness that is nearly twice that of other exhaust tube products, reducing the risk of pipe failure from impact, over tightened clamps, and even short periods of excess heat (due to loss of cooling water).
In many yacht applications, the appearance of the engine room is as important as any other aspect of the system. Soundown silencers can be supplied with a yacht-quality faired white finish in our standard RAL 9010 or custom colors from the paint manufacturer of your choice. In conjunction with our hard coat lagged risers, polished stainless mixers, and stainless hose clamps, Soundown exhaust systems can look as good as they sound.
Soundown’s exhaust products are not limited to silencers, but also include all products and support services for complete systems. These items include Lloyds’ approved FRP exhaust tube, water injected elbows, risers, hangers, exhaust hose, and bellows.
We’re proud to produce some of the world’s quietest exhaust systems for marine diesel engines and generators.
