Application of Tuned Vibration Absorber Concept to Blisk Ring Dampers: A Nonlinear Study

In this study, a novel design for ring dampers is proposed, where the concept of tuned vibration absorbers is leveraged to substantially increase damper effectiveness while minimizing potential stresses near the blade root. Tuned absorbers have been used in the past to reduce the forced response amplitudes of both mechanical and civil structures. The absorber natural frequency is tuned to the targeted frequency of the host structure where it is attached. The vibration reduction mechanism relies on energy transfer from the host structure to the absorber. The novel design technique proposed here uses a vibration absorber approach to achieve energy transfer from the blisk to the damper, which leads to larger damper motion. This enables energy dissipation due to friction, reducing vibrations even in blade-dominated modes. An academic finite element model of a blisk with a ring damper is used to demonstrate the novel tuned damper concept and design technique. The geometric mistuning of the damper due to the presence of a gap in the ring structure is also taken into account. The results demonstrate the validity of the proposed tuned damper concept, showing a substantial vibration amplitude reduction compared to the linear baseline results, in which the damper is not tuned or absent.