Feasibility study of a frictional vibration damper for a space borne microbalance

This work is focused on the design of a suspension system for a quartz crystal microbalance devoted to space application. A friction damper is designed to reduce high vibration levels foreseen during the instrument launch. Mechanical design has been guided by different requirements, i.e. proper dynamic behaviour, mechanical resistance, transmitted vibration reduction and provided thermal conductance. The proposed suspension system is based on four friction dampers in which elastic elements provide stiffness in radial direction as well as damping thanks to friction. After a preliminary testing activity aimed to the dynamic characterization of an instrument mockup, damper characteristics have been set by means of FE modal and dynamic analyses. Detail design of the damper has been performed starting from the previous findings. A FE model of the damper has been developed and mechanical resistance of the damper has been verified by means of FE static analyses. Commercial components to be used for the damper has been identified as well. Finally, thermal static analyses have been performed to evaluate the suspension system thermal conductance of the proposed design.