low frequency and infrasound noise immission from wind farms and the potential for vibro acoustic...

8/17/2019 Low Frequency and Infrasound Noise Immission From Wind Farms and the Potential for Vibro Acoustic Disease - Malcolm Hayes

1/17

Low Frequency and InfrasoundNoise Immission from Wind

Farms and the potential for Vibro-Acoustic disease

Malcolm Hayes

Hayes McKenzie Partnership LtdMachynlleth & Salisbury

www.hayesmckenzie.co.uk

Low Frequency Noise: Bristol 2006


2/17

Wind Farm LFN and VAD

• Introduction• The Issue

• VAD

• Measurements of infrasound and low frequencynoise from wind farms

• Comparison of Levels between Wind Farm and

VAD Levels• Why might this link occur?

• Conclusions



3/17

The Issuehttp://kirbymtn.blogspot.com/2006/04/vibroacoustic-disease-and-wind.htmlSaturday, April 01, 2006

Vibroacoustic disease and wind turbines #From Calvin Luther Martin, Malone, N.Y.:

Mariana Alves-Pereira, Dept. of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, New University of Lisbon,

Caparica, Portugal, has for many years been part of a team of physicians and scientists studying the

pathophysiology of low-frequency noise and infrasound on humans. She is Assistant Coordinator of

the Vibroacoustic Disease Project.

Alves-Pereira and colleagues have been doing epidemiologic studies of airline pilots and techniciansand other people who are chronically exposed to low-frequency noise and infrasound. The effects are

grim: cardiovascular, respiratory, neurologic, and renal pathology and symptoms, which they call

vibroacoustic disease.

Alves-Pereira, in discussion with physicians Amanda Harry in the U.K. and Nina Pierpont in the

U.S., is now looking into the low-frequency noise and infrasound produced by industrial wind

turbines, to determine whether they, too, can cause such vibroacoustic disease (VAD). Alves-Pereira's initial assessment, based on noise measurements taken inside and outside the homes of wind

turbine neighbors, is that turbines are indeed a likely cause of VAD.



4/17

UK References• UKNA Report: Location, Location,

Location



5/17

VAD Symptoms



6/17

VAD Exposure Noise Levels


VAD Exposure Noise Levels

4045

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

1 . 6 0

2 . 0 0

2 . 5 0

3 . 1 5

4 . 0 0

5 . 0 0

6 . 3 0

8 . 0 0

1 0 . 0 0

1 2 . 5 0

1 6 . 0 0

2 0 . 0 0

2 5 . 0 0

3 1 . 5 0

4 0 . 0 0

5 0 . 0 0

6 3 . 0 0

8 0 . 0 0

1 0 0 . 0 0

1 2 5 . 0 0

1 6 0 . 0 0

2 0 0 . 0 0

2 5 0 . 0 0

3 1 5 . 0 0

4 0 0 . 0 0

5 0 0 . 0 0

Third Octave Band Centre Frequency (Hz)

S o u n d

P r e s s u r e L

e v e l : d B r

e

2 . 1

0 - 5

P a

Cockpit: 63 dB(A)Automobile: 70.8 dB(A)

Commuter Train: 63 dB(A)

Dance Club: 109 db(A)

Subway: 69 dB(A)

Bar: 93 dB(A)

Vibroasouctic disease: N.A.A. Castelo Branco and M. Alves-Pereira: : Noise & Health 2004, 6:23, 3-20


7/17

The measurement of low frequency noise atthree UK wind farms

• Selection of measurement sites based upon reportsin national press as giving rise to infrasound andlow frequency noise

• Measurements performed at external and internallocations

• Measurements performed over extended periods: 2– 4 weeks monitoring

• Analysis of periods when described by occupantsas audible and “unacceptable”.



8/17

Infrasound Measurements



9/17

Infrasound Measurements



10/17

External Noise LevelsLow Frequency Noise Assessment

External ETSU-R-97: Location 1: 03:00 14th May 2005

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

5560

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

8 10 12 16 20 25 31.5 40 50 63 80 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500


S o u n d P r e s s u r e L e v e l :

d B r

e 2 . 1

0 - 5 P a

Threshold of Audibility: ISO 226

DEFRA LFN Criterion Curve: Night

Watanabe & Moller

85 dB(G)

Measured Leq Noise Level

Measured L90 Noise Level




11/17

Internal Noise Level


Low Frequency Noise Assessment

Location 1: 03:05 14th May 2005

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

1 1.25 1.6 2 2.5 3.15 4 5 6.3 8 10 12 16 20 25 31.5 40 50 63 80 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500


S o u n d P r e s s u r e L e v e

l : d B r

e 2 . 1

0

- 5 P a

Threshold of Audibility: ISO 226

DEFRA LFN Criterion Curve: Night

Watanabe & Moller

85 dB(G)

Measured Leq Noise Level





12/17

Comparison of Levels

Comparison of Sound Pressure Levels for Prolonged exposure for VAD

with Measured Internal Wind Farm Noise Levels at Complianants House

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95100

105

1

1 . 2

5

1 . 6 2

2 . 5

3 . 1

5 4 5

6 . 3 8 1

0 1 2

1 6

2 0

2 5

3 1 . 5 4

0 5 0

6 3

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 5

1 6 0

2 0 0

2 5 0

3 1 5

4 0 0

5 0 0


S o u n d

P r e s s u r e

L e v e l : L

e q : d B r

e

2 . 1

0 - 5 P a

Measured Leq Noise Level Cockpit: from ref 3

Comparison of Sound Pressure Le vels for Prolonged exposure for VAD


10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95100

105

1

1 . 2

5 1 . 6 2

2 . 5

3 . 1

5 4 5 6 . 3 8 1

0 1 2

1 6

2 0

2 5

3 1 . 5 4

0 5 0

6 3

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 5

1 6 0

2 0 0

2 5 0

3 1 5

4 0 0

5 0 0


S o u n d

P r e s s u r e

L e v e l : L

e q : d B r

e

2 . 1

0 - 5 P a

Measured Leq Noise Level Automobile: from Ref

Comparison of Sound Pressure Levels for Prolonged exposure for VAD


10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

1

1 . 2

5 1 . 6 2

2 . 5

3 . 1

5 4 5 6 . 3 8 1

0 1 2

1 6

2 0

2 5

3 1 . 5 4

0 5 0

6 3

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 5

1 6 0

2 0 0

2 5 0

3 1 5

4 0 0

5 0 0


S o u n d

P r e s s u r e L

e v e l : L

e q : d B r

e

2 . 1

0 - 5 P a

Measured Leq Noise Level Commuter Train: from ref

Comparison of Sound Pressure Le vels for Prolonged exposure for VAD


10

15

20

25

30

3540

45

50

5560

65

70

75

80

85

90

95100

105

110

115

120

125

1

1 . 2

5 1 . 6 2

2 . 5

3 . 1

5 4 5 6 . 3 8 1

0 1 2

1 6

2 0

2 5

3 1 . 5 4

0 5 0

6 3

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 5

1 6 0

2 0 0

2 5 0

3 1 5

4 0 0

5 0 0


S o u n d

P r e s s u r e L

e v e l : L

e q : d B r

e

2 . 1

0 - 5 P a

Measured Leq Noise Level Dance Club: from ref



13/17

Comparison of LevelsComparison of Sound Pressure Levels for Prolonged exposure for VAD


10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

6065

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

1

1 . 2

5

1 . 6 2

2 . 5

3 . 1

5 4 5

6 . 3 8 1

0 1 2

1 6

2 0

2 5

3 1 . 5 4

0 5 0

6 3

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 5

1 6 0

2 0 0

2 5 0

3 1 5

4 0 0

5 0 0


S o u n d P r e s s u r e

L e v e l : L e

q : d B

r e 2 . 1

0 - 5 P a

Measured Leq Noise Level Subway: from ref 3

Comparison of Sound Pressure Le vels for Pr olonged exposure for VAD

with Measured Inter nal Wind Farm Noise Levels at Complianants House

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

6065

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

1

1 . 2

5

1 . 6 2

2 . 5

3 . 1

5 4 5

6 . 3 8 1

0 1 2

1 6

2 0

2 5

3 1 . 5 4

0 5 0

6 3

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 5

1 6 0

2 0 0

2 5 0

3 1 5

4 0 0

5 0 0


S o u n d P r e s s u r e L e v e l : L

e q

: d B r

e 2 . 1

0 - 5 P a

Measured Leq Noise Level Bar: from ref 3

Comparison of Sound Pressure Levels for Prolonged exposure for VADwith Measured Wind Farm Noise Levels at Complianants House

Internal and External

10

15

20

25

30

35

4045

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

6.3 8 10 12 16 20 25 31.5 40 50 63 80 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500


S o u n d

P r e s s u

r e

L e v e l : L e q : d B r

e

2 . 1

0 - 5 P a

Source Levels from Ref 5 External Wind Farm Noise Levels at Receptor Location

Internal Wind Farm Noise Level within Receptor Location



14/17

Why might this link occur?



15/17

Why might this link occur?



16/17

Body Surface Induced Vibrationfrom Low Frequency Noise

• Measurement of Human Body Surface Vibrations Induced by Complex Low-Frequency Noise Composed of Two Pure Tones: Y. Takahashi, S Maeda:Journal of Low Frequency Noise, Vibration and Active Control: Vol. 22 No. 4 2003

• A New Approach to Assess Low Frequency Noise in the Working Environment: Y. Takahashi, Y Yonekawa, K. Kanada: Industrial Health 2001, 39, 281 -286



17/17

Conclusions

• Internal/External Infrasound and LowFrequency Data now available foroperational wind farms in the UK

• Levels are significantly below thoseidentified to give VAD

• Unlikely that symptoms will result through

induced internal body vibration fromincident wind farm noise


low frequency and infrasound noise immission from wind farms and the potential for vibro acoustic...

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