Energy Dissipation and Temperature Rise in Silicone Oil Torsional Dampers

Analytical models for energy dissipation and temperature rise in a silicone oil torsional damper are developed to investigate its thermal characteristics. An experimental test platform is established to measure the surface temperature rise in the damper, and experimental results are used to validate the proposed analytical model. Good agreement between the analytical predictions and experimental measurements demonstrates the reliability of the analytical model. The results show that the maximum temperature rise in the damper is influenced not only by the engine speed but also by the output torque. Increasing the thickness of the silicone oil layer leads to higher total energy dissipation and temperature rise, whereas increasing the kinematic viscosity of the silicone oil reduces both energy dissipation and temperature rise. In addition, decreasing either the width or the radius of the inertia ring effectively lowers the surface temperature rise in the damper. Under steady-state operating conditions, the surface temperature can be considered as the temperature of the silicone oil. It is also found that the peak temperature rise is exhibited at 2300 rpm (revolutions per minute) for the silicon oil damper used in the paper. These findings provide theoretical insight into the thermal characteristics of silicone oil dampers and offer useful guidance for designing structures with lower temperature rise.