Experimental Verification of the Impact of a Technical Gas-Using Pneumatic Coupling on Torsional Oscillation

Abstract

The field of reducing torsional vibration of mechanical systems has seen the emergence of new flexible coupling designs. Our attention is focused on flexible pneumatic couplings. The flexible member of this coupling design is a pneumatic bag. The typical basic feature of such couplings is that the pneumatic bag allows for a change in air pressure. In the course of developing pneumatic couplings, we have experimented with the use of technical gases other than air for filling pneumatic bags. The aim has been to verify the impact of pneumatic couplings filled with other technical gases on the magnitude of torsional vibration in the mechanical system. For verification itself, two different gases have been used: helium, whose density is lower than air density, and propane butane, whose density is higher than air density. Experimental verification was performed under laboratory conditions on a mechanical system where torsion vibration was produced by a piston compressor.

Novel Design of Variable Stiffness Pneumatic Flexible Shaft Coupling: Determining the Mathematical-Physical Model and Potential Benefits

“…Pneumatic flexible shaft coupling uses compressed gas as a means of flexible torque transmission. As a gaseous medium, mostly air is used, but experiments were also made with helium and propane/butane [57]. According to several patents [58][59][60], compressed air can be enclosed in standard or special air bellows, air hoses, or cylinders with pistons, and various mechanisms are used for changing their volume.…”