The objective is to develop a prototype of a rotational vibration absorber with a nonlinear restoring characteristic to reduce multi-frequency torsional vibrations in rotating machinery. The nonlinear restoring characteristic is the promising novel part that enables the absorber to mitigate multi-frequency vibrations.

The feasibility of a design chain from mathematical concept to prototype for a rotational vibration absorber will be proven. Recently finished PhD-research (EA08, Kevin Dekemele 13/04/2021, guided by Mia Loccufier, TRL2) resulted in the optimization of the needed nonlinear restoring characteristic and a numerical efficient performance prediction methodology which is leveraged. 

To obtain a rotational absorber which embodies the nonlinear restoring characteristic, an absorber with a dual ring wheel will be topologically optimized.

A prototype will be manufactured and tested on an available industrial relevant test bench.  The prototype serves as a demonstrator to convince potential industrial investors for valorization initiation (TRL4).