Performance test and finite element modeling of variable damping viscous damper
Mingmei Shi, Weiqing Fu, Mao Li, Haozhe Wang
Abstract
The application of traditional fluid viscous dampers was constrained by their typically constant damping coefficient , which produced a narrow range of damping force . To address this, this paper develops a novel variable damping viscous damper (VDVD) with the feature of variable damping coefficient and force in the passive control domain. The performance tests of VDVD under various loading velocities were carried out to investigate the variable damping characteristic. Simultaneously, tests were conducted to investigate the variable damping characteristics of two critical design parameters: the pre-pressure force of the spring and the shape of the damping orifice. Furthermore, the finite element (FE) model of the device was built using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, and verification and parameter analysis were conducted. Through experimental study and finite element simulations , the design philosophy of VDVD was verified. Both experimental and FE analysis show that the shape of damping orifice and pre-pressure of spring will significantly affect the process and critical velocity of variable damping respectively. The residual area and shape of the damping orifice impact the magnitude of the damping force directly. This study offers a thorough comprehension for the design of VDVD which will promote the development of variable damping devices.