Test and analysis of multi-cavity particle damper for horizontal vibration control of pipeline structures

Abstract

Undesirable vibration in pipeline structures due to internal gas/liquid coupling, mechanical vibration, and water hammer action may cause machine shutdown, leakage, fatigue failure, and sometimes catastrophic explosion. It is necessary to design a device to mitigate pipeline vibration. This paper proposes a new type of particle damper, the multi-cavity particle damper (MPD). A mechanical MPD model is first proposed. Second, the analytical solutions of the MPD are given for the case of two symmetric impacts per cycle. A corresponding method for numerically simulating more general cases is also proposed, and the optimal movement distance is established using the analytical solution. Third, shaking table tests are carried out on pipeline structures controlled by an MPD subjected to harmonic excitation, and the control effects are verified. Finally, a parametric study is conducted, and the MPD design is discussed. The MPD is found to have a significant damping effect that can reduce the response by 98% in resonant cases. Shaking table tests verify the analytical solution, numerical simulation, and optimization method.