Auto-tuning of a two-degree-of-freedom rotational pendulum absorber

A dynamic vibration absorber is effective in suppressing harmonic excitation by tuning its natural frequency to match the excitation frequency. The rotational pendulum absorber (RPA) has a wide-range of natural frequencies that are continuously tunable by setting a suitable rotational speed. In this paper it is shown how to automatically tune the rotational speed of a two-degree-of-freedom RPA by detecting the phase between the vibration of the primary structure and that of the RPA. For this purpose the speed response of the RPA is introduced in addition to the frequency response. It is seen that if the excitation frequency is above a critical value dependent on the parameters of the RPA, the second vibration mode of the RPA is effective, allowing a relatively low rotational speed for the pendulums. The speed tuning algorithm is tested on a flexible plate that is subject to excitations of around 80 Hz, which do not generate visible oscillations but emit audible noise instead. Experimental results confirm the noise-level reduction effect of the RPA.