Opportunities to use textile waste for the production of acoustic panels

Abstract

There are many indoor and outdoor areas where one encounters acoustic discomfort. In this study, the design possibilities of a passive acoustic panel with macro-openings are investigated. An acoustic panel which absorbs a defined frequency of sound can be created when a suitable combination of acoustic absorption affecting parameters is found. These optimum parameters for a panel with macro holes were sought by means of experimental research regarding: the type of raw material suitable for the production of the components of the acoustic panel, the optimal hole shapes, their size and positioning on the panel lid, the possibility of using shredded textile from unsorted textile waste. The experiments in which the influence of the hole size and placement on the acoustic absorption was investigated were verified using a theoretical electrical equivalent circuit model created in the MathCad programming environment. The study found that the commonly used perforated panels made of Plexiglas can be fully replaced by panels made of shredded unsorted textile waste. It has also been shown that the shapes of the holes which can act as a design element can have various combinations, i.e. as long as the same percentage of perforation is maintained, the size of the circular holes or the shape of the slotted holes do not matter, as their acoustic absorption is within approximately the same range. The findings published in the study can help in the design of passive panels for both interiors and exterior use.