Experimental study on the added mass and damping of a disk submerged in a partially fluid-filled tank with small radial confinement

The dynamic response of submerged and confined disk-like structures is of interest in engineering applications, such as in hydraulic turbine runners. This response is difficult to be estimated with accuracy due to the strong influence of the boundary conditions. Small radial gaps as well as short axial distances to rigid surfaces greatly modify the dynamic response because of the added mass and damping effects.In this paper, the influence of the axial nearby rigid distance on the dynamic response of a submerged disk is evaluated when the radial gap is very small. Moreover, the effects of the fluid depth and fluid viscosity on the natural frequencies and damping ratio of the submerged disk are studied. The study has been performed experimentally and numerically using structural–acoustic simulations.For the experimental investigation a test rig has been developed. It consists of a disk attached to a shaft and confined with a small radial gap inside a cylindrical container full of water. The disk can be moved up and down along the shaft to vary the axial distance to the nearby rigid surface. Piezoelectric patches are used to excite the disk and the response is measured with submersible accelerometers. Several excitation patterns can be used due to the disposition of these piezoelectric patches. For each configuration tested, the dynamic response of the structure is studied analyzing the natural frequencies and damping ratio of the disk attached to the shaft. The numerical results have been compared with the experimental results.