Development of a twin-tube variable orifice damper for vehicular applications through CFD analysis and quarter car mathematical model

Effective vibration damping has played a crucial role in enhancing system performance and ensuring comfort under dynamic excitation. This study presents the development of a twin tube Variable Orifice Damper (TTVOD) capable of adjusting damping force based on operational requirements. TTVOD has featured a variable orifice piston that modifies orifice openings to regulate the damping force. The design effort has focused on improving multi-level adjustability by incorporating the variable orifice mechanism. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations have been conducted to evaluate the damper performance and justify its fabrication. Experimental characterization of the developed TTVOD has achieved a maximum force of 218.02 N at zero orifice opening. The damper behavior has been modeled by using the modified Bouc-Wen model, and the simulated force outputs have been applied in a quarter-car mathematical model to assess the damper performance under ISO standard random road conditions (three profiles) along with single and multiple hump conditions. The comparative analysis has demonstrated a significant variation in damping force across different orifice openings, validating the effectiveness of the developed TTVOD in adapting to changing road conditions and confirming its potential for semi-active suspension applications.