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Apparatuses and methods to attenuate acoustic waves are provided. The method may include shifting the phases of a plurality of portions of the acoustic waves and merging the portions of the acoustic waves after phase shifting. Because, for example, the phases of the acoustic waves may be out-of-sync

Apparatuses and methods to attenuate acoustic waves are provided. The method may include shifting the phases of a plurality of portions of the acoustic waves and merging the portions of the acoustic waves after phase shifting. Because, for example, the phases of the acoustic waves may be out-of-sync when being merged, the acoustic waves may be attenuated. A muffler incorporating the method of attenuating acoustic waves can include a plurality of acoustic paths, each of which may have different acoustic impedance and/or length. The acoustic paths may help the acoustic waves have out-of-sync phases after the acoustic waves passing through the acoustic paths, resulting in acoustic wave attenuation.

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1. A muffler, comprising: a muffler housing having an inlet and an outlet;a first acoustic path internal to the muffler housing; anda second acoustic path exiting from the muffler housing at a location between the inlet and the outlet,wherein the first acoustic path and the second acoustic path are

1. A muffler, comprising: a muffler housing having an inlet and an outlet;a first acoustic path internal to the muffler housing; anda second acoustic path exiting from the muffler housing at a location between the inlet and the outlet,wherein the first acoustic path and the second acoustic path are configured to provide different phase shifts to acoustic waves, the first acoustic path directs a first portion of acoustic waves received from the inlet of the muffler housing toward the outlet of the muffler housing, the second acoustic path receives a second portion of the acoustic waves from the muffler housing and directs the second portion of the acoustic waves externally from the muffler housing, and the first acoustic path and the second acoustic path direct the first and second portions of acoustic waves to merge externally from the muffler housing after the first and second acoustic paths and after the outlet. 2. The muffler according to claim 1, wherein the first acoustic path and the second acoustic path have different lengths. 3. The muffler according to claim 1, wherein the first acoustic path and the second acoustic path have different acoustic impedances. 4. The muffler according to claim 1, further comprising: a third acoustic path, wherein the third acoustic path is configured to provide a different phase shift than the first and second acoustic paths. 5. The muffler according to claim 4, wherein the third acoustic path is internal to the muffler housing. 6. The muffler according to claim 4, wherein the third acoustic path is external to the muffler housing. 7. A method of attenuating acoustic waves in a muffler of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the muffler including a muffler housing having an inlet and an outlet, the method comprising: providing a first degree of phase shift to a first portion of the acoustic waves via a first acoustic path, the first acoustic path being internal to the muffler housing and downstream of the inlet of the muffler housing;providing a second degree of phase shift to a second portion of the acoustic waves via a second acoustic path, the second acoustic path exiting from and being external to the muffler housing and downstream of the inlet of the muffler housing; andmerging the first portion of the acoustic waves and the second portion of the acoustic waves externally from the muffler housing at a location downstream of the muffler housing outlet;wherein the first degree of phase shift and the second degree of phase shift are different. 8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: providing a third degree of phase shift to a third portion of the acoustic waves. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the third degree of phase shift is different from the first and second degrees of phase shift. 10. A method of modifying a muffler of a compressor in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the muffler including a first acoustic path disposed within a housing of the muffler, the method comprising: adding a second acoustic path to the muffler, the second acoustic path exiting from and being disposed externally to the housing, wherein an inlet of the second acoustic path is disposed at an inlet end of the muffler such that first acoustic waves traverse the first acoustic path and second acoustic waves traverse the second acoustic path, the second acoustic path being configured to merge with the first acoustic path at an outlet end of the muffler external from the housing and downstream of an outlet from the housing. 11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: adding a third acoustic path to the muffler, wherein an inlet of the third acoustic path is disposed at the inlet end of the muffler such that third acoustic waves traverse the third acoustic path, the third acoustic path being configured to merge with the first and second acoustic paths at the outlet end of the muffler. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the third acoustic path is disposed internally of the housing. 13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the third acoustic path is disposed externally to the housing.