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Normal gas flow through pipelines can cause significant noise. Where the noise breaches planning limits or becomes a nuisance to site or neighbours then historically hard cladding and soft lagging have been used to try and reduce noise emissions to within acceptable limits. However the use of lagging and cladding causes a number of corrosion, integrity and inspection issues and significant asset management costs over the whole life of the pipework. Previous research has identified a number of alternative technologies that may be more effective at mitigating noise pollution but did not go as far as making any kind of quantitative assessment. Currently there also does not exist such a standardised method of quantitative assessment (Best Available Techniques) of noise mitigation solutions for designers designing new assets, leading to inconsistency and use of costly solutions with limited effectiveness.

National Grid has experience of developing effective BAT assessment toolkits for certain aspects of Compressor Balance Of Plant but this did not include noise mitigation which is a specialist field. This project will therefore refresh and expand on that earlier noise research and develop a toolkit including a series of cost benefit analyses and BAT assessments for a range of real-world noise mitigation scenarios for pipework systems. This will provide National Grid with a repeatable methodology for assessing the relative costs and benefits of different noise abatement techniques and their effectiveness in corrosion prevention so as minimise whole life costs of noise mitigation. Policies and procedures will also be developed to allow the future use of any already sufficient proven alternative techniques to cladding and lagging. If the outcome of the assessments for real world scenarios concludes that alternative unproven technologies would provide lowest whole life costs then a successor or follow up project may be initiated to progress these technologies to a proven status. The project will assess the feasibility of new and existing methods of noise abatement; it will look at work already done in this area and build a toolkit including a series of cost benefit analyses and BAT assessments for a range of real-world scenarios for pipework systems. This will provide National Grid with a repeatable methodology for assessing the relative costs and benefits of different noise abatement techniques and their effectiveness in corrosion prevention. The findings will explore methods of noise abatement for pipework systems and compressor machinery trains which are either, cost-effective, easily maintainable, replaceable, or allow non-invasive inspection techniques depending on the specific requirements of the section of the plant or pipework system where noise abatement is required.

Scope elements:

• Confirm assumptions and detailed study objectives, including establishing a range of real world network scenarios
• Survey to identify extent of claddingacross all major above ground installations
• Standards / Specification review around noise and cladding. 
• Technology review, desktop evaluation and market research of noise abatement techniques in order to identify candidate solutions, including workshops, research, internal stakeholder and market engagement (consultants, technology providers and equipment suppliers)
• Gas turbine cab noise study and identification of viable improvements / solutions
• Cost benefit analyses and development of BAT selection toolkits
• Identify key learnings - impact on specifications, state of the market and need for technology demonstration / validation reaction of National Grid Specifications to support implementation of BAT Toolkit
• Update as required of other National Grid policy/specifications to allow use of already proven alternatives, including review and implementation of latest industry standards on noise mitigation. 
• Dissemination of learning, training in use of toolkit and awareness of proven alternatives.

Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above