Ring damper for structureborne noise suppression in piping systems

Abstract

A ring damper for reducing vibration and structureborne noise propagation piping systems, comprising a metal ring that is clamped circumferentially around the outer surface of the pipe or duct, said ring defining an annular chamber or cavity that is stuffed with a combination of damping materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In combination with a pipe, a ring damper for reducing vibration and structureborne noise propagation in said pipe, comprising a metallic ring member adapted to be clamped around the pipe circumference at a preselection dominant axial wave location, said ring member and said pipe circumference defining a cavity extending annularly around the pipe circumference, said cavity being filled with dampimg material. 
     
     
       2. In the ring damper of claim 1, said damping material comprising a combination of elastomeric sheet, metallic sheet, and lead sheet. 
     
     
       3. The ring damper of claim 2 further characterized in that a first layer of said elastomeric sheet is wrapped around the pipe circumference at the location where the ring damper is mounted, a second layer of said metallic sheet is wrapped around said first layer, said ring member being in clamping engagement with said second layer. 
     
     
       4. An elongated pipe having a plurality of damping means clamped thereon, being axially spaced at preselected dominant axial wave locations, for reducing vibration and structureborne noise propagation caused by fluid flow therethrough, each said damping means comprising a layer of damping material extending around the circumference of said pipe, a metallic ring member clampingly engaging said damping layer, said ring member being configured so as to, in cooperation with said pipe circumference, define an annular cavity extending around said pipe circumference in communication with said damping layer, and damping material stuffed within said cavity so as to completely fill same. 
     
     
       5. The combination of claim 4 further characterized in that each said ring member is clamped onto a discrete damping layer, wherein there is a plurality of axially spaced damping layers on said pipe, each having one of said ring members clamped therearound. 
     
     
       6. The combination of claim 4 further characterized in that said damping layer comprises a first elastomeric sheet wrapped around said pipe, and a second metallic sheet wrapped around said first sheet. 
     
     
       7. In the combination of claim 6, said damping material stuffed within said cavity comprising a combination of elastomeric, metallic, and lead sheet materials. 
     
     
       8. In the combination of claim 4, each said ring member further comprising a pair of semi-circular mating sections clamped to each other so as to extend completely around said damping layer in pressurized engagement therewith. 
     
     
       9. The combination of claim 4 further characterized in that the cross sectional shape of said annular cavity is rectangular.