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The flow physics and acoustics in automotive silencers via computational fluid dynamics
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The flow physics and acoustics in automotive silencers via computational fluid dynamics

Bakhtier Farouk and Michael V. Lucidi
AIP conference proceedings, v 3451(1), 020003
27 May 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0328655

Abstract

Among the devices that are considered ubiquitous to internal combustion engine systems beyond the engine itself, the muffler is perhaps the most critical component for the treatment of the exhaust flow and associated engine noise. The muffler has been developed as a passive device to address this exhaust noise, which utilizes a variety of internal components, including porous liners, perforated piping, and specific wall geometries, to reduce the sound levels that are produced as a result of the engine’s combustion cycling. This science of silencing is not exclusive to engines, as many industries seek to improve the effects of sound reduction on other flow devices such as air conditioners and liquid pumps. In this work, typical automotive silencer geometry and flow physics are modeled and studied for its thermodynamic properties using time-dependent compressible computational fluid dynamics. The silencer is simultaneously studied for its capabilities to transfer heat to thermoelectric devices surrounding the silencer, as well as its ability to reduce noise. Several silencer geometries are considered. Simulations have been conducted to recapture the heat from the exhaust for reuse within the automotive system. One such effort involved the ‘modified silencing heat exchanger’ recently proposed to replace the muffler of automobiles with a passive device that simultaneously silences the outgoing exhaust while collecting heat.

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