Study of thermal radiation of the elastic-damping elements of the air suspension of the seat on the hydropulsator test bench

Abstract

Air suspension of seat is one of the most important components of the system of vibration protection of the human operator of the vehicle. All vibrational energy transmitted through the suspension of the seat from the cab floor to the driver is stored, absorbed and later dissipated by means of elastic damping elements, turning into heat. An assessment of the intensity of thermal radiation from the air spring and the shock absorber during operation may further improve the design of existing seat suspension systems. As an example, we can mention the possibility of vibrational energy recovery, which in regular passive suspensions turns into heat when extinguished. The article presents the results of tests of the air suspension of the seat of the company Sibeco on a single-support test bench with a hydraulic drive manufactured by the Indian company BiSS. The purpose of the test is to study the thermograms of the surfaces of the elasticdamping elements during operation. An experimental setup, which includes the metal elements of the connection of the actuator of the hydropulsator test bench with a shock absorber and the suspension of the seat as a whole, as well as a force sensor built into the design of the stand, is described. The working diagrams of the shock absorber and air suspension of the seat at each fixed point in time of one minute are obtained. To measure the values of temperature and read surface thermograms the Testo thermal imager was used. The study was conducted on the harmonic mode of exposure. During processing and analyzing the obtained data, the nature of the heating of the outer surface of the shock absorber and the air spring, as well as the fact of reaching stabilization temperatures, were revealed. In conclusion, the reasons for the discrepancy between the intensity of thermal radiation of the air spring and the shock absorber of the seat suspension are given.