Isolation of micro-vibrations due to reaction wheel assembly using a source-path-receiver approach for quantitative requirements

Abstract

A source-path-receiver approach is presented for the design of an isolator for a reaction wheel assembly (RWA) that will reduce angular vibrations of a device on a flexible satellite body. One objective of this study is to determine, with minimum trial and error, the stiffness of a passive isolator for the RWA that will satisfy strict quantitative requirements of receiver vibration. First, based on measurements of blocked forces during operations, the RWA was characterized as a vibration source with lumped parameters. Second, a finite element model of a truss structure with a thick plate on it, chosen as a substitute for a satellite and an imaging device, respectively, was prepared using a commercial finite element tool (ABAQUS), and the model was tuned for accuracy. Then, a way to select the stiffness of the isolators to be installed between the RWA and the truss structure was proposed with minimum trial and error in the total range of frequency and rotation speed to meet the requirements of angular vibration of the receiver part. For the purpose of a comparison, the conventional approach, based simply on vibration transmissibility across a vibration isolator, which cannot take the flexibility of the path structure into account, was used to determine the isolator stiffness. Vibration isolators with stiffnesses determined by both approaches were manufactured and applied to the RWA truss structure, and it was evaluated as to whether or not the quantitative requirement was satisfied.

Keywords

Flexibility of path structure micro-vibrations source characterization source-path-receiver approach vibration isolation

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