Analysis and experimental verification of the energy transfer mechanism in particle dampers for vibration reduction

To elucidate the energy dissipation mechanisms of particle dampers, three configurations are investigated: USPD, ODMPD, and TDMPD. Energy conversion occurs through three pathways: kinetic energy dissipation, internal energy accumulation, and collision-induced acoustic radiation. Experiments on a single-degree-of-freedom platform evaluate energy transfer under varying excitation frequencies, clearances, and amplitudes. At low frequency, only a small fraction of input energy converts to acoustic energy. At high frequency, acoustic radiation efficiency drops significantly. USPD dissipates energy through directional collisions and is kinetic-energy-dominated, while ODMPD and TDMPD rely on inter-particle friction and compression, being internal-energy-dominated. USPD performs better at high frequency due to rapid response. TDMPD achieves optimal damping at low frequency due to strong nonlinearity. ODMPD shows modest performance due to limited particle motion.