Lab Device Absorbs Sound in Pipes Without Pipe Modification

Researchers created a 15cm sound-absorbing device that fits into existing pipes, reducing echoes in lab tests.

Scientists built a sonic black hole device using 29 rings mounted on a central rod. It measures 15 centimeters and is designed to retrofit into existing pipe systems without altering pipes during manufacturing. Lab tests with a 3D-printed prototype in an impedance tube showed reduced echo reflections by dissipating sound energy through friction and heat exchange with air. However, the device does not eliminate echoes entirely and operates across a wider frequency range than conventional designs—though its effective frequency range remains limited. Published in *Applied Acoustics* in 2026, the research by La Salle University’s Jie Deng and Oriol Guasch demonstrates a potential pathway for noise management in pipe networks. The source describes only lab-scale testing with a prototype; real-world performance and scalability beyond this context are unverified. The device’s retrofit design may help address noise issues in specific pipe systems, but it does not yet enable widespread noise control solutions or health risk mitigation.

Source: ScienceAlert