by Brianna Crandall — December 16, 2015—Basotect melamine foam, which is widely known as a lightweight acoustic insulation material in automotive and interior construction applications, is expanding its application range into the acoustic treatment of elevators, according to a release from multinational chemical producer BASF.
In a recent project with ThyssenKrupp Elevator and National Elevator Cab and Door, the melamine foam was used to reduce the noise levels in elevator cabins of a high rise building in New York City. Despite the very high speed of the elevators (up to 23 miles/hour), the noise level inside the cabin is lower than 50dB, which the company points out is quieter than a conversation between two people.
Prior to the actual construction of these super-fast high rise elevators, the material was thoroughly tested in a mock-up elevator constructed by National Elevator in cooperation with Soundcoat, a subsidiary of the Recticel Group and a leading supplier of thermo-acoustic solutions, and acoustic consultant Frank Kirschner.
Basotect melamine foam’s fine, open-cell structure gives it high sound-absorption capacity. Not only did Basotect meet the stringent acoustic absorption requirements, it also met other design criteria. The material meets Class A for flame spread and smoke density according to ASTM E84.
In addition, it could not flake off fibers or particles when exposed to the high airflow as the cab was moving. In order to reduce the energy requirements for the total operation from start to stop, it was very important that the cab be as light as possible as well. Basotect’s low density of 0.55 lb/ft3 contributes to the cab meeting the requirement. The foam’s flexibility and durability also helped the installers fit it in very restricted spaces.
“Basotect is commonly used in other modes of transportation, such as trains and aircraft, due to its acoustic abilities, light weight and fire performance. Elevators are simply a means of vertical transportation, so it was a natural choice,” stated Kirschner.
