The influence of temperature on the damping characteristic of hydraulic shock absorbers

Abstract

This paper presents the results of bench-tests and calculations assessing the influence of temperature on the performance of a two-pipe hydraulic shock absorber. The shock absorber prepared for the tests was cooled with dry ice to a temperature corresponding to that associ-ated with the average winter conditions in a temperate climate. The temperature range of the shock absorber during testing was ensured via equipping it with a thermocouple and monitoring it with a thermal imaging camera. During testing, the shock absorber was subjected to kinematic forces of a selected frequency with two different, fixed displacement amplitudes. The results of the tests showed a direct correlation between the decrease of component resistance at lower temperatures. The rate of change in resistance was higher at lower tem-peratures. It was also found that the energy dissipated in one shock cycle decreased linearly with an increasing temperature. Finally, a method for determining the ideal use temperature of the shock absorber for the assumed operating conditions was also presented.