What is a Shock Absorber?
1 Answers
Shock absorbers are designed to accelerate the attenuation of vibrations in the vehicle frame and body, thereby improving the driving smoothness (comfort) of the car. Most vehicle suspension systems are equipped with shock absorption devices. Below are specific details about shock absorbers: 1. Composition: A vehicle's shock absorption system consists of both springs and shock absorbers. The shock absorber is not used to support the weight of the vehicle body but to dampen the oscillations from the spring's rebound after absorbing shocks and to absorb the energy from road impacts. The spring serves to cushion impacts, transforming "a single large-energy impact" into "multiple small-energy impacts," while the shock absorber gradually reduces these "multiple small-energy impacts." 2. Principle: In the suspension system, elastic components generate vibrations upon impact. To enhance driving comfort, shock absorbers are installed in parallel with the elastic components in the suspension. To attenuate vibrations, most vehicle suspension systems use hydraulic shock absorbers. Their working principle involves the piston inside the shock absorber moving up and down when relative motion occurs between the vehicle frame (or body) and axle due to vibrations. This causes the oil in the shock absorber chamber to repeatedly flow from one chamber to another through various orifices. The friction between the orifice walls and the oil, as well as the internal friction among oil molecules, creates a damping force that converts the vehicle's vibration energy into heat energy of the oil, which is then absorbed and dissipated into the atmosphere by the shock absorber.
