Criteria for Best Performance of Pre-Optimized Solid Dampers

Abstract

This paper furthers recent research by these authors. The starting point is the pre-optimization of solid dampers, which ensures that all dampers bound to “misbehave” are excluded since the early design stage. The authors now enlarge the scope of their investigations to explore those damper configurations selected inside the admissible design area. The purpose of the paper is to present a set of criteria apt to select a damper configuration which not only avoids unwanted situations, but in addition guarantees high performance under different design conditions. The analysis starts with the definition of a set of requirements a high performance damper should meet. In detail, the present investigation seeks to answer the following questions: in the low excitation regime, what is the frequency shift and the stiffening effect each damper can provide? for increasing excitation levels, which damper will start slipping sooner? in the high excitation regime, which damper provides the maximum dissipation? Like pre-optimization, it does not involve nonlinear finite element calculations, and unlike existing optimization procedures, is not linked to a specific set of blades the damper may be coupled to. The numerical prediction of the blade-damper coupled dynamics is here used only for validation purposes. The approach on which this paper rests is fully numerical; however, real contact parameters are taken from extensive experimental investigations made possible by those purposely developed test rigs which are the distinctive mark of the AERMEC Lab of Politecnico di Torino.