Vibration isolation products for machines and plants
Vibration isolation through spring or elastomer bearings
Spring bearings and elastomer bearings are typical products used to separate and isolate a vibrating system from a vibration source. They are placed between the source and the system, thus minimizing energy transfer from the source to the system. The natural frequency of the vibrating system f0, which is defined by the stiffness of the spring bearings or elastomer bearings and the supported mass, must be designed in such a way that it differs significantly from the excitation frequency of the vibration source fE .
Applications
A typical industrial application for spring bearings is the foundation insulation of heavy machinery such as presses or forging hammers. In power plants, spring bearings are used to isolate coal pulverizers, diesel generators, turbines, pumps or capacitors from vibrations. Elastomer bearings are used for the installation and insulation of smaller machines such as cogeneration units, diesel engines or production machines.
Spring bearings or elastomer bearings can also be used to isolate a vibration-capable system against unwanted vibrations from the environment (receiver insulation). Examples of this are, the insulation of precision machines or buildings against unwanted vibrations, e.g. from traffic.
In any case, insulation with spring bearings and elastomer bearings can significantly reduce the effects of undesired vibrations and can therefore offer the following advantages
- effective protection for people, machines, plants and buildings in the event of impact stress or uniform excitation
- the possibility to keep operational vibrations within the permissible limits
- the ability to reduce the wear and tear on machinery, equipment and plants
As a result, with a well-insulated foundation, e.g. for a large hydraulic press, the foundation itself can be made considerably lighter. Therefore, thanks to the appropriate insulation, vibrating equipment can be installed in practically any environment and the costs for the foundations can be significantly reduced.
References
In a natural gas plant pipe vibrations caused serious problems during commissioning. The installation of tuned mass dampers not only reduced vibrations to a minimum but also allows the plant operation run most effectively.
