Muffler with metallic meshed rings

A system comprising:

• a chiller comprising a muffler, the muffler comprising:
• an upstream case having a fluid inlet;
• a downstream case connected to the upstream case at a downstream end of the upstream case, the downstream case having a fluid outlet;
• and
• the upstream case having a plurality of axially adjacent outer muffler rings and a plurality of axially adjacent inner muffler rings, the outer muffler rings being axially coextensive and a radially exterior to the inner muffler rings and defining a fluid inlet passage therebetween, wherein the outer muffler rings and inner muffler rings are a metal mesh material,
• wherein the upstream case comprises N sets of muffler rings including the outer muffler rings and the inner muffler rings, the N sets of muffler rings being axially aligned and radially spaced to provide N−1 fluid passages therein, wherein N is greater than or equal to 3 to define at least a first intermediate set of muffler rings which are radially between the outer muffler rings and inner muffler rings, to thereby provide a center chamber and at least two flow passages axially aligned and radially spaced between the sets of muffler rings, wherein a first flow passage of the at least two flow passages is between the inner muffler rings and the first intermediate set of muffler rings and a second flow passage of the at least two flow passages is between the outer muffler rings and the first intermediate set of muffler rings.

A method of operating a chiller system,

• the chiller system comprising a muffler, the muffler further comprising:
• an upstream case having a fluid inlet;
• a downstream case connected to the upstream case at a downstream end of the upstream case, the downstream case having a fluid outlet;
• the upstream case having a plurality of axially adjacent outer muffler rings and a plurality of axially adjacent inner muffler rings, the outer muffler rings being axially coextensive and a radially exterior to the inner muffler rings and defining a fluid inlet passage therebetween, and wherein the outer muffler rings and inner muffler rings are a metal mesh material,
• wherein the upstream case comprises N sets of muffler rings including the outer muffler rings and the inner muffler rings, the N sets of muffler rings being axially aligned and radially spaced to provide N−1 fluid passages therein, wherein N is greater than or equal to 3 to define at least a first intermediate set of muffler rings which are radially between the outer muffler rings and inner muffler rings, to thereby provide a center chamber and at least two flow passages axially aligned and radially spaced between the sets of muffler rings, wherein a first flow passage of the at least two flow passages is between the inner muffler rings and the first intermediate set of muffler rings and a second flow passage of the at least two flow passages is between the outer muffler rings and the first intermediate set of muffler rings,
• the method comprising:
• muffling noise so that over an octave band of 80 Hz to 130 Hz, a sound pressure level is between approximately 78 dBA-Wtg and approximately 80 dBA-Wtg.