Tension Element Damping (TED) – With Hydraulics for Large Displacements

About this technology

Overview

NASA engineers developed a new approach to mitigating unwanted structural vibrations that cause maintenance issues and compromise the performance and safety of large, tall structures. NASAs method is fundamentally different from conventional passive and active vibration damping methods used today. TED uses disruptive modal coupling between two different structures, each with their own vibrational behavior, to provide vibration damping for one or both of the structures. This novel reactive vibration damping method uses feedback from the vibrational displacement itself, such as the tension and compression cycles from the movement of the vibrating structure (like a wind turbine or tower), to disrupt the vibration. Line tension is provided by either hydraulic, pneumatic, or magnetic means to suit the application and the size/ displacement of the vibration. Compared to conventional spring dampers, TED devices are simple in design, lightweight, very effective, and have a smaller footprint.