Two-degree-of-freedom rotational-pendulum vibration absorbers

This paper presents experimental as well as analytic results on a rotational-pendulum vibration absorber. The characteristic frequencies of the absorber can be tuned dynamically by adjusting the rotational speed. The device is coupled to the primary structure through a mechanical spring, thus possessing two natural modes of vibrations in the vertical plane. When the primary structure is excited by a harmonic disturbance of which the frequency matches one of the two natural frequencies, the oscillations will be minimized. Whether the pendulum absorber is operating in a resonant mode can be detected by measuring the phase difference between the motions of the primary structure and the absorber, which provides an efficient way to tune the rotational speed for optimal performance. Experimental results confirm the theoretical developments and also demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.     

An investigation into the simultaneous use of a resonator as an energy harvester and a vibration absorber

A mass–spring–damper system is at the core of both a vibration absorber and a harvester of energy from ambient vibrations. If such a device is attached to a structure that has a high impedance, then it will have very little effect on the vibrations of the structure, but it can be used to convert mechanical vibrations into electrical energy (act as an energy harvester). However, if the same device is attached to a structure that has a relatively low impedance, then the device may attenuate the vibrations as it may act as both a vibration absorber and an energy harvester simultaneously. In this paper such a device is discussed. Two situations are considered; the first is when the structure is excited with broadband random excitation and the second is when the structure is excited by a single frequency. The optimum parameters of the device for both energy harvesting and vibration attenuation are discussed for these two cases. For random excitation it is found that if the device is optimized for vibration suppression, then this is also adequate for maximizing the energy absorbed (harvested), and thus a single device can effectively suppress vibration and harvest energy at the same time. For single frequency excitation this is found not to be the case. To maximize the energy harvested, the natural frequency of the system (host structure and absorber) has to coincide with the forcing frequency, but to minimize vibration of the host structure, the natural frequency of the absorber has to coincide with the forcing frequency. In this case, therefore, a single resonator cannot effectively suppress vibration and harvest energy at the same time.     

Nonlinear parametric instability of wind turbine wings

Nonlinear rotor dynamic is characterized by parametric excitation of both linear and nonlinear terms caused by centrifugal and Coriolis forces when formulated in a moving frame of reference. Assuming harmonically varying support point motions from the tower, the nonlinear parametric instability of a wind turbine wing has been analysed based on a two-degrees-of-freedom model with one modal coordinate representing the vibrations in the blade direction and the other vibrations in edgewise direction. The functional basis for the eigenmode expansion has been taken as the linear undamped fixed-base eigenmodes. It turns out that the system becomes unstable at certain excitation amplitudes and frequencies. If the ratio between the support point motion and the rotational frequency of the rotor is rational, the response becomes periodic, and Floquet theory may be used to determine instability. In reality the indicated frequency ratio may be irrational in which case the response is shown to be quasi-periodic, rendering the Floquet theory useless. Moreover, as the excitation frequency exceeds the eigenfrequency in the edgewise direction, the response may become chaotic. For this reason stability of the system has in all cases been evaluated based on a Lyapunov exponent approach. Stability boundaries are determined as a function of the amplitude and frequency of the support point motion, the rotational speed, damping ratios and eigenfrequencies in the blade and edgewise directions.     

Elastic connection disk subjected to periodically fluctuating transmitted torque and rotational speed

Involving the intrinsic power transmission torque/speed coupling characteristics of prime-movers, a rotating elastic connection disk subjected to periodically fluctuating transmitted torque and rotational speed generated by the fluctuation of external loads is investigated. Using Galerkin's method, the rotating elastic connection disk is modeled as a parametrically excited gyroscopic system. The effects of the torque/speed coupling, transmitted torque fluctuation amplitude and frequency, and constant parts of the transmitted torque and the rotational speed on the system dynamic stability are explored for the disk modes possessing different nodal diameters. The rotational speed, transmitted torque and their fluctuations can all result in system instability of the elastic connection disk. The instability can be suppressed or avoided by operating at small amplitude and low frequency of the transmitted torque fluctuation, and by operating in the weakly coupled torque/speed regime of the prime-movers. Low rotational speed avoids the instability in the case of a small transmitted torque, but medium rotational speed operation is valuable to suppress the instability induced by a large transmitted torque and its fluctuation. Instability parameter regions for the positive and negative torque/speed coupling coefficient are roughly similar in shape, but there are some differences in the value of the instability coefficient.     

Bursting oscillations in a hydro-turbine governing system with two time scales

A fast-slow coupled model of the hydro-turbine governing system(HTGS)is established by introducing frequency disturbance in this paper.Based on the proposed model,the performances of two time scales for bursting oscillations in the HTGS are investigated and the effect of periodic excitation of frequency disturbance is analyzed by using the bifurcation diagrams,time waveforms and phase portraits.We find that stability and operational characteristics of the HTGS change with the value of system parameter k_d.Furthermore,the comparative analyses for the effect of the bursting oscillations on the system with different amplitudes of the periodic excitation a are carried out.Meanwhile,we obtain that the relative deviation of the mechanical torque mt rises with the increase of a.These methods and results of the study,combined with the performance of two time scales and the fast-slow coupled engineering model,provide some theoretical bases for investigating interesting physical phenomena of the engineering system.     

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.     

Autoparametric resonances in a structure/fluid interaction system carrying a cylindrical liquid tank

The nonlinear-coupled vibrations of an elastic structure and liquid sloshing in a cylindrical container are investigated. The behavior of the liquid surface is governed by a kind of the Mathieu equation because the structure is subjected to a vertical and sinusoidal excitation. Modal equations for liquid sloshing governing the coupled motions are derived when the natural frequency of the structure is equal to twice the natural frequency of an anti-symmetric mode of sloshing. The theoretical resonance curves are determined by using van der Pol's method. The influences of a liquid level and a detuning parameter on the theoretical resonance curves are investigated when only the excitation frequency is selected as a control parameter. The inclination of a frequency response curve depends on the liquid level. Furthermore, a small deviation of the tuning condition may cause amplitude- and phase-modulated motions and chaotic vibrations. This deviation also leads to separate the occurrence region of the coupled vibration into two regions of the excitation frequency. The theoretical resonance curves are quantitatively in agreement with the experimental data. Lastly, the amplitude- and phase-modulated motions and chaotic vibrations were observed in experiments.     

Equivalent damping and frequency change for linear and nonlinear hybrid vibrational energy harvesting systems

A unified approximation method is derived to illustrate the effect of electro-mechanical coupling on vibration-based energy harvesting systems caused by variations in damping ratio and excitation frequency of the mechanical subsystem. Vibrational energy harvesters are electro-mechanical systems that generate power from the ambient oscillations. Typically vibration-based energy harvesters employ a mechanical subsystem tuned to resonate with ambient oscillations. The piezoelectric or electromagnetic coupling mechanisms utilized in energy harvesters, transfers some energy from the mechanical subsystem and converts it to an electric energy. Recently the focus of energy harvesting community has shifted toward nonlinear energy harvesters that are less sensitive to the frequency of ambient vibrations. We consider the general class of hybrid energy harvesters that use both piezoelectric and electromagnetic energy harvesting mechanisms. Through using perturbation methods for low amplitude oscillations and numerical integration for large amplitude vibrations we establish a unified approximation method for linear, softly nonlinear, and bi-stable nonlinear energy harvesters. The method quantifies equivalent changes in damping and excitation frequency of the mechanical subsystem that resembles the backward coupling from energy harvesting. We investigate a novel nonlinear hybrid energy harvester as a case study of the proposed method. The approximation method is accurate, provides an intuitive explanation for backward coupling effects and in some cases reduces the computational efforts by an order of magnitude.     

Bursting dynamics in parametrically driven memristive Jerk system

Compared with general nonlinear systems, multi-time scale system has complex bursting dynamics and has received widespread attention. A memristor-based Jerk system with parametric excitation is proposed in this study. As the selected excitation frequency is far less than the natural frequency, implying the existence of an order gap between the excitation frequency and the natural one, the system can be considered as a classic fast-slow system with two timescales. In our system, when the slow-varying parameters periodically pass through the critical pitchfork bifurcation point periodically, a distinct time delay behavior can be observed. Complex bursting oscillations induced by the delayed pitchfork are revealed with different excitation amplitudes. By virtue of the fast-slow analysis method, the corresponding generation mechanisms are discussed by the transformed phase portraits, the time series, and the phase portraits. As the delay time interval induced by the pitchfork bifurcation is dependant not only on the excitation amplitude, but also on the excitation frequency, some excitation frequency related bursting patterns are also considered in our study. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to verify the validity of the study.     

Resonance breakdown of a Coulomb blockade due to the mechanical vibrations of a quantum dot

The effect of forced mechanical vibrations of a suspended single-electron transistor on Coulomb-blockade limited electron tunneling through a quantum dot has been studied. The mechanical vibrations of the quantum dot have been shown to result in the Coulomb blockade breakdown, which is manifested by narrow resonance peaks of the transistor conductance as a function of the excitation frequency at the frequencies corresponding to the eigenmodes of the mechanical vibrations. The mechanism of the observed effect presumably associated with the oscillations of the mutual electrical capacitances between the quantum dot and the surrounding electrodes is discussed.     

Coupled horizontal and vertical bending vibrations of a stationary shaft with two cracks

This paper investigates the coupled bending vibrations of a stationary shaft with two cracks. It is known from the literature that, when a crack exists in a shaft, the bending, torsional, and longitudinal vibrations are coupled. This study focuses on the horizontal and vertical planes of a cracked shaft, whose bending vibrations are caused by a vertical excitation, in the clamped end of the model. When the crack orientations are not symmetrical to the vertical plane, a response in the horizontal plane is observed due to the presence of the cracks. The crack orientation is defined by the rotational angle of the crack, a parameter which affects the horizontal response. When more cracks appear in a shaft, then the coupling becomes stronger or weaker depending on the relative crack orientations. It is shown that a double peak appears in the vibration spectrum of a cracked or multi-cracked shaft.Modeling the crack in the traditional manner, as a spring, yields analytical results for the horizontal response as a function of the rotational angle and the depths of the two cracks. A 2×2 compliance matrix, containing two non-diagonal terms (those responsible for the coupling) serves to model the crack. Using the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, the equations for the natural frequencies and the coupled response of the shaft are defined. The experimental coupled response and eigenfrequency measurements for the corresponding planes are presented. The double peak was also experimentally observed.     

Experimental and numerical study on long-span reticulate structure with multidimensional high-damping earthquake isolation devices

Multidimensional high-damping earthquake isolation device (MHEID) for long-span reticulate structure is an innovative passive vibration control device. In this paper, the results of horizontal and vertical property tests are presented first and then effects of excitation frequency, displacement on MHEID are studied. In order to consider the effects of excitation frequency, displacement amplitude and temperature on MHEID, a new mathematical model, i.e., fractional-derivative equivalent standard solid model, is put forward to describe the dynamic properties of MHEID precisely in both horizontal and vertical directions. Then, horizontal and vertical pseudo-dynamic tests on structures with and without MHEID are conducted. It can be seen from the experimental results that MHEID can obviously reduce the displacement responses, acceleration responses and input forces of the long-span reticulate structure. In order to analyze the earthquake isolation effect of MHEID on long-span reticulate structures, the dynamic responses are simulated by using a new dynamic response analysis method. The numerical results fit well with the experimental results and it is indicated that the proposed method can simulate the dynamic responses of the long-span reticulate structure.     

Nonlinear dynamics and synchronisation of pendula attached to a rotating hub

A model of a nonlinear system composed of a hub with attached two pendula rotating in a horizontal plane is studied in the paper. Each single pendulum, treated as a stiff and massless rod with a lumped mass, is connected to the hub by a flapping hinge. Nonlinear stiffness and viscous damping of the hinge is taken into consideration. The system is excited by an external torque generated by a DC motor which is considered as an ideal system with torque given by a harmonic function. For small oscillations the problem is linearised and then solved analytically. An influence of the structural parameters like mass of the hub and pendula length on natural end excited vibrations is presented. Large oscillations are studied by a continuation technique, directly from the original Ordinary Differential Equations of motion (ODE). The complete synchronisation, phase synchronisation, bifurcations and transition through resonances are analysed considering the influence of the mass of the hub. The existence of chaotic oscillations of the system and paths leading to chaos are demonstrated as well.     

Characterization of non-contact torque transfer and switching system for superconducting flywheel

Superconducting flywheel energy storage system can store the energy for a long duration, in that the main body of a flywheel is placed in a vacuum chamber to minimize rotational loss, and is separated from a generation motor. The superconducting flywheel device need a non-contact system which can transfer the rotational torque without contact. A combination of two permanent magnets can transmit the power without contact. We calculated the torque forces and the field distributions of two types of magnetic arrays; repulsive type and Halbach type. Both magnetic circuits have respective inner and outer diameters of 61.5 and 144 mm and consist of eight poles of Fe–Nd–B permanent magnets 30 mm in thickness. We also studied the effects of the number of poles and the size on the transferable torque forces and found that a practical torque transfer and switching systems can be constructed with a combination of permanent magnetic circuits.     

Vibrated sessile drops: Transition between pinned and mobile contact line oscillations

We study the effects of vertical vibrations on non-wetting large water sessile drops flattened by gravity. The solid substrate is characterized by a finite contact angle hysteresis (10-15 degrees). By varying the frequency and the amplitude of the vertical displacement, we observe two types of oscillations. At low amplitude, the contact line remains pinned and the drop presents eigen modes at different resonance frequencies. At higher amplitude, the contact line moves: it remains circular but its radius oscillates at the excitation frequency. The transition between these two regimes arises when the variations of contact angle exceed the contact angle hysteresis. We interpret different features of these oscillations, such as the decrease of the resonance frequencies at larger vibration amplitudes. The hysteresis acts as solid friction on the contour oscillations, and gives rise to a stick-slip regime at intermediate amplitude.Received: 4 April 2004, Published online: 10 August 2004PACS: 47.55.Dz Drops and bubbles - 68.08.Bc Wetting - 47.35. + i Hydrodynamic waves     

Free transverse vibrations of uniform circular plates and membranes with eccentric holes

An analytical method, based on the transformation of cylindrical wave functions, is presented for calculating the free transverse vibrations of uniform circular plates and membranes with eccentric holes. The wave equations governing the small transverse motion of the plates and membranes are solved exactly to satisfy the boundary conditions at both inner and outer edges, and the associated frequency equations for the plates and membranes are derived. The analysis also includes the vibrations of uniform circular plates and membranes with concentric holes as special cases. Numerical examples are presented to show the dependence of the eigenfrequency on the eccentricity and on the ratio of the inner radius to outer radius. The main purpose of the paper is to illustrate that an exact, analytical solution of the vibrations of eccentric annular plates and membranes can be obtained.     

A model of the vertical apparent mass and the fore-and-aft cross-axis apparent mass of the human body during vertical whole-body vibration

The apparent mass of the human body reflects gross movements caused by whole-body vibration and can be used to predict the influence of body dynamics on seat transmissibility. With vertical excitation, various models fit the measured vertical apparent mass of the human body, but experiments also show high fore-and-aft forces on the seat (the fore-and-aft cross-axis apparent mass) that have not influenced current models. This paper defines a model that predicts the vertical apparent mass and the fore-and-aft cross-axis apparent mass of the seated human body during vertical excitation. A three degree-of-freedom model with vertical, fore-and-aft and rotational (i.e. pitch) degrees of freedom has been developed with twelve model parameters (representing inertia, stiffness, damping, and geometry) optimised to the measured vertical apparent mass and the measured fore-and-aft cross-axis apparent mass of the body. The model provides close fits to the moduli and phases for both median data and the responses of 12 individual subjects. The optimum model parameters found by fitting to the median apparent mass of 12 subjects were similar to the medians of the same parameters found by fitting to the individual apparent masses of the same 12 subjects. The model suggests the seated human body undergoes fore-and-aft motion on a seat when exposed to vertical excitation, with the primary resonance frequency of the apparent mass arising from vertical motion of the body. According to the model, changes in the vertical, fore-and-aft, or rotational degree of freedom have an effect on the resonance in the fore-and-aft cross-axis apparent mass.     

Filter switching device for dual-wavelength videoimaging

An inexpensive, dual-wavelength, videoimaging system that can be used for parallel observation of two fluorescent dyes is described. All four filters, two for excitation and two for emission, are placed on the same oscillating holder. Filters are coupled with a single dichroic mirror having two spectral windows. A coil driven by an electronic circuit connected to photosensors, which determine the position of the holder, moves the magnet that shifts the position of the filters. Since the filter holder is placed between two springs, it oscillates with the frequency of mechanical resonance. As a result the filter switching did not require much power and did not produce significant vibrations of the base. Switching frequencies up to 4.5 s^–1 were reached with the first experimental device. System performance was tested using phospholipid vesicles loaded with water-soluble and membrane dyes. It has been demonstrated that the device can be used successfully in experiments on membrane fusion with rhodamine- and calcein-labeled liposomes.