Noise Insulation for shop compressor?

[orezok]

It seems that your car/truck engine sucks very cold air into a very hot engine without issue.

 

[Doofy]

It seems that your car/truck engine sucks very cold air into a very hot engine without issue.

You could have a point. A car engine is tempered by hot coolant though. That compressor gets unbelievably hot and that cold air from 1 foot away would make me nervous. May not even be a problem though.

 

[ruffdog]

Cold winter air is more dense than hot/humid air of summer. Your air compressor will love it.

Air compressor intake plumbed outside - The Garage Journal Board

outside air commpressor intake - Google Search

 

[MossRoad]

I realize that but to be honest if I pull it out towards the center of the room it isn't noticeably better. But maybe sound absorption and maybe hanging a heavy blanket of some kind in front?

You could experiment with a Harbor Freight moving quilt hung in front of it just to see. With a 20% off coupon, they are about $7.50. We keep about half a dozen of these around in case we have to move furniture, cover something in storage, protect wood projects, etc.... so it won't go to waste if you try it.
72" x 8" Mover'''s Blanket

 

[Doofy]

Cold winter air is more dense than hot/humid air of summer. Your air compressor will love it.

Air compressor intake plumbed outside - The Garage Journal Board

outside air commpressor intake - Google Search

I'm thinking Super Cold air would really multiply the amount of condensation in the tank. Think I'd rather try to lower the noise by other means first.

 

[YLee Kioti]

I have a 5hp 60gal upright compressor in my shop. Wondering about trying to knock down some of the noise.

One thought is to build a little outhouse attached to the back of the shop but I am concerned it will be louder for the neighbors. Also it would be in unheated space but I suppose I could vent some shop heat if necessary but this build could get a bit. expensive for what it is. If I new it would be just as quiet as now for the neighbors, I might do that as it would be definitely quieter for me and gain some valuable shop real estate!

My other option is to try to build a sound deadening enclosure and keep it inside. But this will take even more real estate and I wonder how effective it would actually be in reducing noise.

Looking for opinions, what others have done, etc.

I would go with the outhouse........AND install rockwool insulation for a sound deadner....
and the vents for cooling and look at installing a modified intake with a long neck, running it outside with a foam filter........:drink:

 

[ovrszd]

It seems that your car/truck engine sucks very cold air into a very hot engine without issue.

And what drips out of the exhaust pipe?

 

[ruffdog]

I'm thinking Super Cold air would really multiply the amount of condensation in the tank. Think I'd rather try to lower the noise by other means first.

Cold winter air can not hold water like warm air can. That is why humidity is higher in the summer than the winter. My compressor is 30 years old and has always been in a unheated environment and has never had a issue. "super cold winter air" is normally super dry air.

 

[ruffdog]

And what drips out of the exhaust pipe?

Warm combustion gasses that contain water vapor will condense when it hits the cold exhaust. The more contrast the difference of temperatures between gases and pipe causes more condensation. This is the same reason intercoolers need a condensation drain.

 

[Doofy]

Cold winter air can not hold water like warm air can. That is why humidity is higher in the summer than the winter. My compressor is 30 years old and has always been in a unheated environment and has never had a issue. "super cold winter air" is normally super dry air.

True. Our relative humidity is 20% or so during the super cold months. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If the mufflers don't help much then running the intake outside will be a consideration.