Segmented Damper for Bellows Root Vibration Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Bellows type expansion joints in piping and ducting systems experience flow-induced vortex shedding, leading to unsteady flow, structural response, and high cycle fatigue, which can result in failure due to resonance from flow-induced vibrations.

Innovation Solution

A damper is placed at the root region of the convolutions, filled with a damping medium including particles with or without entrapped fluid, to absorb energy from fluid flow and reduce resonance, and is designed in segmented form with attachment structures for easy retrofitting to various conduits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a damper is installed at the root region of bellows convolutions to reduce flow-induced vibrations, then structural response and fatigue risk are minimized, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefatigue resistanceVSAvoiddamper structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The damper is divided into multiple segments that can be assembled together to form a complete circular damper. Each segment contains damping material and can be independently manufactured, then assembled around the bellows root region using attachment structures. This segmentation reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining effectiveness in reducing flow-induced vibrations and fatigue risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If a damper is designed to fit various conduit sizes for retrofitting applications, then adaptability increases, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconduit compatibilityVSAvoidattachment interface

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The damper is constructed from multiple segments that can be assembled to different sizes, allowing adaptation to various conduit diameters. The segmented design with attachment structures enables flexible configuration while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment structures are designed to accommodate different conduit sizes and configurations, making the damper universally applicable to various bellows expansion joints. The same basic damper design can be adapted to different applications through segmentation and attachment variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The damper effectively minimizes undesirable structural response and reduces the risk of high cycle fatigue by absorbing energy from flow-induced vibrations, providing added structural margin and preventing self-sustaining resonance.

Implementation Method 1

The damping medium may include particles with or without an entrapped fluid to provide particle damping

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectParticle damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentUS7604259B2Damper root ring

Publication Date: 2009.10.20 AEROJET ROCKETDYNE OF DE INC

AI summary

A damper that provides damping to the motion caused by flow induced vibration of a bellows type expansion joint. The damper is at least partially filled with a damping medium and located at a root region of the bellows type expansion joint convolutions. The damper is manufactured in segments which have an attachment structure therebetween to facilitate retrofitting of the damper to various conduits that are experiencing or are expected to experience flow induced vibration.