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Title
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Eddy Current-Based Vibration Damping for Aerospace Structures
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Description
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A need exists for enhancing the passive damping present in proposed aerospace structures. A research program is underway to assess the feasibility of exploiting the retarding force experienced by conductors moving in the presence of a magnetic field, to provide passive damping of space-deployed structures. The characteristics of this approach are strikingly suitable for space applications: non-outgassing, relatively insensitive to temperature, noncontacting (no stiction or wear), linear, radiation tolerant, highly reliable. An eddy current-based damper could be used as the damping element in a tuned inertial reaction device (passive vibration absorber, proof mass actuator, etc.) or, alternatively, as part of a static broad-band damper. For a static damper, a flexure-based mechanism would amplify the vibratory motion of the truss member, ensuring sufficient motion of the conductor to develop adequate power dissipation. Preliminary calculations have shown that substantial modal damping ratios can be achieved at minimal weight. SatCon is undertaking an analytical, experimental and design-oriented program to assess the weight, performance, cost and reliability of this novel approach to vibration damping of space structures.
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Creator
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Goldie, James H.
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Publisher
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Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH : Wright Laboratory, Flight Dynamics Directorate, Air Force Systems Command
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Date
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1991
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Format
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1 online resource (17 pages) : ill.
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Type
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article
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Abstract
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A need exists for enhancing the passive damping present in proposed aerospace structures. A research program is underway to assess the feasibility of exploiting the retarding force experienced by conductors moving in the presence of a magnetic field, to provide passive damping of space-deployed structures. The characteristics of this approach are strikingly suitable for space applications: non-outgassing, relatively insensitive to temperature, noncontacting (no stiction or wear), linear, radiation tolerant, highly reliable. An eddy current-based damper could be used as the damping element in a tuned inertial reaction device (passive vibration absorber, proof mass actuator, etc.) or, alternatively, as part of a static broad-band damper. For a static damper, a flexure-based mechanism would amplify the vibratory motion of the truss member, ensuring sufficient motion of the conductor to develop adequate power dissipation. Preliminary calculations have shown that substantial modal damping ratios can be achieved at minimal weight. SatCon is undertaking an analytical, experimental and design-oriented program to assess the weight, performance, cost and reliability of this novel approach to vibration damping of space structures.
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Date Issued
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1991-08
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Extent
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17
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Corporate Author
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SatCon Technology Corporation
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Report Number
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WL-TR-91-3078 Volume II, pages FDA-1 to FDA-17
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DoD Project
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2401
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DoD Task
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240104
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Distribution Conflict
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No
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Index Abstract
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Contrails only
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Photo Quality
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Not Needed
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Distribution Classification
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1
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Report Availability
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Full text available
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Provenance
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University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Kraemer Family Library
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Identifier
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ADA241312
