VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

BELAGAVI - 590018, KARNATAKA

A Seminar Report on

NITRO SHOCK ABSORBER

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of degree
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Submitted by:
HEMANTH KUMAR S
(1BY16ME025)
VIII Semester

Under the Guidance of

Dr. SANTHOSH KUMAR.
Assistant Professor
Dept. of MECH, BMSIT&M

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

B.M.S. INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
DODDABALLAPUR MAIN ROAD, AVALAHALLI, YELAHANKA,
BENGALURU, KARNATAKA 560064
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2019 - 2020
 B.M.S. INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(Affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University)

Doddaballapur Main Road,

Avalahalli, Yelahanka,
Bengaluru, Karnataka – 560064
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Certified that the technical seminar work entitled “NITRO SHOCK ABSORBER” is a bona fide

work carried out by HEMANTH KUMAR S, 1BY16ME025, student of BMS Institute of Technology

and Management, in partial fulfilment for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Mechanical

Engineering of Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi during the year 2019-20. The

technical seminar has been approved as it satisfies the academic requirements in respect of

seminar prescribed for the said degree.

_______________ ______________
Signature of Guide Signature of HOD
Dr. Santhosh Kumar., Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar,
BE, M Tech (PhD), BE, MTech, PhD,
Assistant Professor, Professor and Head,
Dept. of Mech, BMSIT&M Dept. of Mech, BMSIT&M

Signature of Examiners:

1. __________________

2. __________________
 ACKNOWLEDGEMNT

I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to my seminar guide, Dr. Santhosh Kumar., Assistant
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, for taking part in the useful decision
making processes, giving necessary advice and guidance. His encouragement has been very
helpful in the successful completion of this seminar.

I am also grateful to my parents and friends for their timely aid without which I would not
have finished my seminar successfully. I extend my deepest thanks to the Principal, HOD and
certain staff members of Mechanical department who have contributed directly and indirectly
for the completion of the seminar work.

I perceive this opportunity as a big milestone in my career development. I will strive to use
gained skills and knowledge in the best possible way, and continue to work on their
improvement, in order to attain desired career objectives.

3
 PREFACE
It is required to take a seminar project report for the partial fulfilment of the B.Tech
programme so as to practical experience now in the mechanism world each company tries to
launch new technologies in the market. Their main aim is to develop our system which is
efficiency and also eco-friendly and is accepted at large by focusing on various attitudes like
price, quantity and other special unique features.

4
 CONTENTS

S.NO TOPIC PG no

1 INTRODUCTION 6

2 Need for Shock Absorber 14

3 Shock Absorber Action 17

4 Gas Filled Shock Absorber Action 21

5 Types 24

6 Working 25

7 Advantages 28

8 Mounting Tips 33

9 Conclusions 34

10 References 35

SYNOPSIS

In the present scenario of automobile industry manufacturers are trying to produce

comfortable and safe vehicles which the consumers are looking for. A shock absorber is a
damping element of the vehicle suspension, and its performance directly affects the

5
comfortability, dynamic load of the wheel and dynamic stroke of the suspension. The
conventional type of shock absorbers has got the main drawback that it causes foaming of the
fluid at high speeds of operation. This results in a decrease of the damping forces and a loss
of spring control. The gas filled shock absorbers are designed to reduce foaming of the oil
and provide a smooth ride for a long period.

INTRODUCTION

For a smooth and comfortable ride the disturbing forces should be eliminated or reduced
considerably by using some devices. Shock absorbers are such devices which isolate the
vibrations by absorbing some disturbing energy themselves. Of the many types telescopic
shocks are widely used which has got the draw back that the flow of oil in the cylinder can
cause foam of oil and air to form. These limit the optimum throughout of the flow in the
valves. Gas shocks represent an advance over traditional shocks. Nitrogen filled gas shock
absorbers are the results of years of extensive research and development with top flight shock
design engineers. They are designed for both lowered and stock vehicles to provide shock
absorbers that would out perform anything on the market today. Nitro shock absorbers are
high quality, nitrogen filled shocks designed and gas charged specifically for each vehicle
application. The addition of nitrogen under pressure limits the foaming effect and increases
efficiency.

A BRIEF HISTORY

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In the early 1900's, cars still rode on carriage springs. After all, early drivers had bigger
things to worry about than the quality of their ride - like keeping their cars rolling over the
rocks and ruts that often passed for roads.
Pioneering vehicle manufacturers were faced early on with the challenges of enhancing driver
control and passenger comfort. These early suspension designs found the front wheels
attached to the axle using steering spindles and kingpins. This allowed the wheels to pivot
while the axle remained stationary. Additionally, the up and down oscillation of the leaf
spring was damped by device called a shock absorber.

These first shock absorbers were simply two arms connected by a bolt with a friction disk
between them. Resistance was adjusted by tightening or loosening the bolt.
As might be expected, the shocks were not very durable, and the performance left much to be
desired. Over the years, shock absorbers have evolved into more sophisticated designs.

WHAT SHOCKS DO

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Let's start our discussion of shock absorbers with one of very important point: despite what
many people think, conventional shock absorbers do not support vehicle weight. Instead, the
primary purpose of the shock absorber is to control spring and suspension movement. This is
accomplished by turning the kinetic energy of suspension movement into thermal energy, or
heat energy, to be dissipated through the hydraulic fluid.
Shock absorbers are basically oil pumps. A piston is attached to the end of the piston rod and
works against hydraulic fluid in the pressure tube. As the suspension travels up and down, the
hydraulic fluid is forced through tiny holes, called orifices, inside the piston. However, these
orifices let only a small amount of fluid through the piston. This slows down the piston,
which in turn slows down spring and suspension movement.
The amount of resistance a shock absorber develops depends on the speed of the suspension
and the number and size of the orifices in the piston. All modern shock absorbers are velocity
sensitive hydraulic damping devices - meaning the faster the suspension moves, the more
resistance the shock absorber provides. Because of this feature, shock absorbers adjust to
road conditions. As a result, shock absorbers reduce the rate of:
1 Bounce

2 Roll or sway

3 Brake dive and Acceleration squat

Shock absorbers work on the principle of fluid displacement on both the compression and
extension cycle. A typical car or light truck will have more resistance during its extension
cycle then its compression cycle. The compression cycle controls the motion of a vehicle's
unsprang weight, while extension controls the heavier sprung weight.

8
Compression cycle
During the compression stroke or downward movement, some fluid flows through the piston
from chamber B to chamber A and some through the compression valve into the reserve tube.
To control the flow, there are three valving stages each in the piston and in the compression
valve.
At the piston, oil flows through the oil ports, and at slow piston speeds, the first stage bleeds
come into play and restrict the amount of oil flow. This allows a controlled flow of fluid from
chamber B to chamber A.
At faster piston speeds, the increase in fluid pressure below the piston in chamber B causes
the discs to open up away from the valve seat.
At high speeds, the limit of the second stage discs phases into the third stage orifice
restrictions. Compression control, then, is the force that results from a higher pressure present
in chamber B, which acts on the bottom of the piston and the piston rod area.

9
Extension cycle
As the piston and rod move upward toward the top of the pressure tube, the volume of
chamber A is reduced and thus is at a higher pressure than chamber B. Because of this higher
pressure, fluid flows down through the piston's 3-stage extension valve into chamber B.
However, the piston rod volume has been withdrawn from chamber B greatly increasing its
volume. Thus the volume of fluid from chamber A is insufficient to fill chamber B. The
pressure in the reserve tube is now greater than that in chamber B, forcing the compression
intake valve to unseat. Fluid then flows from the reserve tube into chamber B, keeping the
pressure tube full.
Extension control is a force present as a result of the higher pressure in chamber A, acting on
the topside of the piston area.

SHOCK ABSORBER DESIGN

There are several shock absorber designs in use today:
1o Twin Tube Designs

2o Gas Charged

3o PSD

4o ASD

2 Mono-Tube

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Basic Twin Tube Design
The twin tube design has an inner tube known as the working or pressure tube and an outer
tube known as the reserve tube. The outer tube is used to store excess hydraulic fluid.
There are many types of shock absorber mounts used today. Most of these use rubber
bushings between the shock absorber and the frame or suspension to reduce transmitted road
noise and suspension vibration. The rubber bushings are flexible to allow movement during
suspension travel. The upper mount of the shock absorber connects to the vehicle frame.
Notice that the piston rod passes through a rod guide and a seal at the upper end of the
pressure tube. The rod guide keeps the rod in line with the pressure tube and allows the
piston to move freely inside. The seal keeps the hydraulic oil inside and contamination out.
The base valve located at the bottom of the pressure tube is called a compression valve. It
controls fluid movement during the compression cycle.

11
Bore size is the diameter of the piston and the inside of the pressure tube. Generally, the
larger the unit, the higher the potential control levels because of the larger piston
displacement and pressure areas. The larger the piston area, the lower the internal operating
pressure and temperatures. This provides higher damping capabilities.
Ride engineers select valving values for a particular vehicle to achieve optimal ride
characteristics of balance and stability under a wide variety of driving conditions. Their
selection of valve springs and orifices control fluid flow within the unit, which determines the
feel and handling of the vehicle.

Twin Tube - Gas Charged Design

The development of gas charged shock absorbers was a major advance in ride control
technology. This advance solved many ride control problems which occurred due to an
increasing number of vehicles using uni-body construction, shorter wheelbases and increased
use of higher tire pressures.

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The design of twin tube gas charged shock absorbers solves many of today's ride control
problems by adding a low pressure charge of nitrogen gas in the reserve tube. The pressure of
the nitrogen in the reserve tube varies from 100 to 150 psi, depending on the amount of fluid
in the reserve tube. The gas serves several important functions to improve the ride control
characteristics of a shock.
The prime function of gas charging is to minimize aeration of the hydraulic fluid. The
pressure of the nitrogen gas compresses air bubbles in the hydraulic fluid. This prevents the
oil and air from mixing and creating foam. Foam affects performance because it can be
compressed - fluid can not. With aeration reduced, the shock is able to react faster and more
predictably, allowing for quicker response time and helping keep the tire firmly planted on
the road surface.

An additional benefit of gas charging is that it creates a mild boost in spring rate to the
vehicle. This does not mean that a gas charged shock would raise the vehicle up to correct
ride height if the springs were sagging. It does help reduce body roll, sway, brake dive, and
acceleration squat.
This mild boost in spring rate is also caused by the difference in the surface area above and
below the piston. With greater surface area below the piston than above, more pressurized
fluid is in contact with this surface. This is why a gas charged shock absorber will extend on
its own.
The final important function of the gas charge is to allow engineers greater flexibility
in valving design. In the past such factors as damping and aeration forced compromises in
design.

13
 NEED FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS

Springs alone cannot provide a satisfactorily smooth ride. Therefore an additional device
called a “shock absorber” is used with each spring. Consider the action of a coil spring. The
spring is under an initial load provided by the weight of the vehicle. This gives the spring an
original amount of compression. When the wheel passes over a bump, the spring becomes
further compressed. After the bump is passed the spring attempts to return to its original
position. However it over rides its original position and expands too much. This behaviour
causes the vehicle frame to be thrown upward. Having expanded too much, the spring
attempts to compress that it will return to its original position; but in compressing it again
overrides. In doing this the wheel may be raised clear of the road and the frame consequently
drops. The result is an oscillating motion of the spring that causes the wheel to rebound or
bounce up and down several times, after a bump is encountered. If, in the mean time, another
bump is encountered, a second series of rebounding will be started. On a bumpy road, and
particularly in rounding a curve, the oscillations might be so serious as to cause the driver to
lose control of the vehicle.

A shock absorber is basically a hydraulic damping mechanism for controlling spring

vibrations. It controls spring movements in both directions: when the spring is compressed
and when it is extended, the amount of resistance needed in each direction is determined by
the type of vehicle, the type of suspension, the location of the shock absorber in the
suspension system and the position in which it is mounted. Shock absorbers are a critical
product that determines an automobile’s character not only by improving ride quality but also
by functioning to control the attitude and stability of the automobile body.

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

The damping mechanism of a shock absorber is viscous damping. Viscosity is the property of
a fluid by virtue of which it offers resistance to the motion of one layer over the adjacent on.
The main components of a viscous damper are cylinder, piston and viscous fluid. There is a
clearance between the cylinder walls and the piston. More the clearance more will be the
velocity of the piston in the viscous fluid and it will offer less value of viscous damping
coefficient. The basic system is shown below. The damping force is opposite to the direction
of velocity.

14
 I-CLEARNCE, II-PISTON, III-VISCOUS FLUID

The damping resistance depends on the pressure difference on the both sides of the piston in
the viscous medium. The figure shown below shows the example of free vibrations with
viscous damping.

The equation of motion for the system can be written as mx + cx +kx = 0

Energy dissipation in viscous damping :

For a vibratory body some amount of energy is dissipated because of damping. This energy
dissipation can be per cycle. Rate of change of work W is called energy. For a viscously
damped system the force F is expressed as

F= cx = cdx/dt, where x = dx/dt

Work done W = Fx = (cdx/dt) x

The rate of change of work per cycle

i.e. Energy dissipated

2 Π /ω 2 Π /ω 2 Π/ω
ΔE= ∫ ( Fx )dt= ∫ c(dx/dt*dx/dt)dt= ∫ c (dx/dt )²dt
0 0 0
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Let us assume the simple harmonic motion of the type x = Asinωt

(dx/dt) ² = ω²A²cos²ωt

The equation for 2 Π /ω

ΔE= ∫ cω²A² ((1+cos2 ω t )/2 )dt=ΠcωA ²
0

This shows that the energy dissipation per

cycle is proportional to the square of the amplitude of motion.

The total energy of a vibrating system can be either maximum of its potential or kinetic
energy. The maximum kinetic energy of the system can be written as E = (KE) max =
1/2mx²max

= 1/2mω²A²

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 SHOCK ABSORBER ACTION

Shock absorbers develop control or resistance by forcing fluid through restricted passages. A
cross-sectional view of a typical shock absorber is shown below. Its main components and
working is also given below.

The inside parts of a shock absorber

The upper mounting is attached to a piston rod. The piston rod is attached to a piston
and rebound valve assembly. A rebound chamber is located above the piston and a
compression chamber below the piston. These chambers are full of hydraulic fluid. A
compression intake valve is positioned in the bottom of the cylinder and connected
hydraulically to a reserve chamber also full of hydraulic fluid. The lower mounting is
attached to the cylinder tube in which the piston operates.

17
During compression, the movement of the shock absorber causes the piston to move
downward with respect to the cylinder tube, transferring fluid from the compression chamber
to the rebound chamber. This is accomplished by fluid moving through the outer piston hole
and unseating the piston intake valve.

During rebound, the pressure in the compression chamber falls below that of the
reserve chamber. As a result, the compression valve will unseat and allow fluid to flow from
the reserve chamber into the compression chamber. At the same time, fluid in the rebound
chamber will be transferred into the compression chamber through the inner piston holes and
the rebound valve.

Spring Schematic Diagram of the Interior of a Shock Absorber

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FORMS OF SUSPENSIONS AND TYPES OF SHOCK ABSORBERS

Various types of shock absorbers are available in the market. Out of that the widely used
types and their characteristics are given below.

Type Product Characteristics

The outer part of the double tube

is used as a gas chamber, which
is filled with low- pressure
nitrogen gas. This type can
provide stable damping force.
Double-tube

Separation between oil and

nitrogen gas by a free piston
Double-wishbone provides stable damping force,
(Multilink) as well as high performance.

Single-tube

This type consists of double

tubes that comprise part of the
support structure of the
Strut suspension. Filled with low-
pressure nitrogen gas, it
Double-tube provides stable damping force.

19
 Structurally, this is a single-tube
type placed upside down. Its
large-diameter pipe provides
sufficient rigidity to bear the
heavy load from the car body,
Inverted type characteristic of a strut.

When connected to the power

steering system at a point higher
than normal, this type allows the
cabin space to be expanded and
the maneuvering stability
With a steering arm improved.

Type with separately

Because the spring is mounted
mounted spring
separately, this type features a
(rigid axle, etc.)
simple structure comprised of a
damping mechanism

Unit damper

WHY GAS FILLED SHOCK ABSORBERS?

The rapid movement of the fluid between the chambers during the rebound and compression
strokes can cause foaming of the fluid. Foaming is the mixing of free air and the shock fluid.
When foaming occurs, the shock develops a lag because the piston is moving through an air
pocket that offers up resistance. The foaming results in a decrease of the damping forces and
a loss of spring control.

During the movement of the piston rod, the fluid id forced through the valuing of the
piston. When the piston rod is moving quickly, the shock absorbers oil cannot get through the
valuing fast enough, which causes pressure increases in front of the piston and pressure
decreases behind the piston. The result is foaming and a loss of shock absorber control. The
need for a gas filled shock absorber arises here.

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 GAS FILLED SHOCK ABSORBER

The gas filed shock absorbers is designed to reduce the foaming of the oil. It uses a piston
and oil chamber similar to other shock absorbers. The difference is that instead of a double
tube with a reserve chamber, a dividing piston separates the oil chamber from the gas
chamber. The oil chamber contains a special hydraulic oil and the gas chamber contains
nitrogen at 25 times atmospheric pressure. The schematic diagram showing the inside parts of
a gas filled shock absorber is shown below.

The inside parts of a gas-filled shock absorber.

When the piston rod is moved into the shock absorber, oil is displaced as in double tube
principle. This oil displacement causes the dividing piston to press in the gas chamber, thus
reducing it in size. With the return of the piston rod the gas pressure returns the dividing
piston to its starting position.

Whenever the oil column is held at a static pressure of approximately 25 times atmospheric
pressure, the pressure decreases behind, the working piston cannot be high enough for the gas
to exit from the oil column. Consequently, the gas filled shock absorber operates without
foaming.

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 Gas Shock Absorbers
Gas shock absorbers represent an advance over traditional shocks. At high speeds, the flow of
oil in the cylinder can cause a foam of oil and air to form. This limits the optimum throughput
of the flow in the valves. The addition of nitrogen under pressure limits this phenomenon and
increases efficiency.

There are two types of gas shock absorbers:

 Single tube with high pressure

 Twin-tube with low pressure gas.

1. High pressure single tube shock absorbers.

Gas shock absorbers operate on the same basic principle of movement of the piston in an oil
filled tube but they contain, at one end, a small quantity of nitrogen under high pressure (25
bars).
The gas is prevented from mixing with the oil by a floating piston. When the piston rod
passes into the body and displaces oil, the oil compresses the nitrogen even further. The
volume of gas changes, playing the same role as an equalization tube. The permanent
pressure exerted on the oil by the gas guarantees an instantaneous response and quieter piston
valve operation. At the same time, this constant pressure eliminates cavitation and foaming
which could momentarily degrade the effectiveness of the shock absorber.

2. Low Pressure gas twin-tube shock absorbers

The Monroe Original twin-tube Gas-Technology design retains the classical twin-tube while
adding, at the top of the reserve tube, nitrogen under relatively low pressure 2,5-5 bars
instead of the 25-30 bars used in high pressure shock absorbers.
This pressure is sufficient to to radically improve the efficiency of the shock absorber.
The Monroe Original low-pressure design presents two main innovations:
 in the upper part of the reserve tube, air at atmospheric pressure is replaced by
nitrogen ( an inert gas) at pressure of 2,5 to 5 bars. This is introduced once and for all
during manufacture.

 The oil seal surrounding the piston rod in the upper body of the shock absorber has
been especially designed with one lip to prevent the entry of dust and with a further
two sealing lips to prevent oil escaping. The base of the seal is in the form of a

22
 circular strip which functions as a non-return valve. The flexibility of the strip allows
the oil to flow back into the reserve tubes and keeps the gas pressure solely on the oil
in the reserve.

The low pressure shock absorber design has enabled Monroe to solve certain problems
associated with the MacPersonsystem.These shock absorbers produce a very comfortable ride
and very precise steering.

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 TYPES OF GAS FILLED SHOCK ABSORBERS

 Twin– tube with low pressure gas.

 Single- tube with high pressure gas.

LOW PRESSURE TWIN- TUBE SHOCKS

Twin- tube gas technology design retains the classical twin-tube while adding at the top of
the reserve tube nitrogen under relatively low pressure 2.5- 5 bars instead of 25- 30 bars used
in high pressure shock absorbers. This pressure is sufficient to radically improve the
efficiency of the shock absorbers.

HIGH PRESSURE SINGLE- TUBE SHOCKS

Gas shock absorbers operate in the same principle of movement of the piston in an oil filled
tube but they contain at one end a small quantity of nitrogen under high pressure (25 bars).
The gas is prevented from mixing with the oil by a floating piston. When the piston rod
passes into the body and displaces oil, the oil compresses the nitrogen even further. The
volume of gas changes playing the role as an equalization tube. The permanent pressure
exerted on the oil by the gas guarantees an instantaneous response and the quieter piston
valve operation. At the same time this constant pressure eliminates cavitations and foaming
which could momentarily degrade the effectiveness of the shock absorber.

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 WORKING

Bump Stroke:

When the piston rod is pushed in oil flows without resistance from below the piston through
the orifices and the non-return valve to the enlarged volume above the piston.
Simultaneously, a quantity of oil is displaced by the volume of the rod entering the cylinder.
This volume of oil is forced to flow through the bottom valve into the reservoir tube (filled
with air (1 bar) or nitrogen gas (4-8 bar)). The resistance, encountered by the oil passing
through the footvalve, generates the bump damping.

Rebound Stroke:

When the piston rod is pulled out, the oil above the piston is pressurized and forced to flow
through the piston. The resistance, encountered by the oil on passing through the piston,
generates the rebound damping. Simultaneously, some oil flows back, without resistance,
from the reservoir tube through the footvalve to the lower part of the cylinder to compensate
for the volume of the piston rod emerging from the cylinder.

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Twin Tube Shock Absorber
A twin tube shock or the Twin tube shock absorber is a low pressure shock having tube inside
the outer shock body which contains the piston assembly. In order to create damping force,
different coil springs inside the shock body are used. The inner tube is known as pressure
tube whereas the outer tube is known as the reserve tube. The reserve tube is used for storing
different types of hydraulic fluid. The mounts used for the shock absorber are many but the
most popularly used rubber mount is rubber bushings between the shock absorber and the
suspension for minimizing suspension vibration.
The piston rod passes to the upper end of the pressure tube through rod guide and the seal.
The rod guide assist the piston to move freely inside whereas the oil is kept inside by the seal.
The movement of the fluid is controlled by the base valve which is located at the bottom of
the pressure tube.
Working of a Twin Tube Shock Absorber

The pushing of the piston results in the flow of the oil without
resistance from below the piston through different outlets to
the area above the piston. The oil displaced the rod flows into
the reservoir tube filled with air. The oil encounters the
resistance while passing through the foot valve thereby
generating the bump damping.

The oil above the piston is pressurized when the piston rod is
pulled out which the flows through the piston. The oil when
encounters an resistance while passing through the piston,
generates the rebound damping.

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Types of Twin Tube Shock Absorber

Twin tube shock absorber can be of different types depending on the

mechanism used. Some of the popular types are as follows:

Gas Charged Twin Tube Shock Absorber

Gas charged shock absorber solved many problems associated with
driving. The design uses low pressure charge of nitrogen gas in the reserve
tube. The pressure of the gas may vary and depends upon the amount of
fluid in the reserve tube.

The gas helps in minimizing the aeration of the hydraulic fluid. The
creation of foam is prevented because the gas compresses air bubbles in
the hydraulic fluid. Reduction of aeration enhances the working capacity of the shocks. This
shock absorber gives more flexibility to the engineers to design valve. The additional
advantage of the shock absorber is that it creates a mild boost in spring rate to the vehicle.

Benefits of Gas Charged Twin Shock Absorber

 The handling is improved through roll reduction and the reduction of sway and dive.

 It reduces aeration and give smooth control in different types of road conditions.

 The heat may lead to the reduction of damping capability in the shock absorber
however in gas charged shocks this is reduced to a considerable extent.

Position Sensitive Damping (PSD) Twin Tube Shock Absorber

Twin tube shock PSD design is a new technology in the field of shock absorber. In this twin
shock absorber, the position of the valve within the pressure tube is taken into account. The
pressure tube contains the tapered grooves which enables optimal ride comfort and added
control. The grooves in effect creates two zones within the pressure tube.

In the first zone, the tapered grooves allow hydraulic fluid to pass freely around and through
the piston thereby reducing the resistance on the piston and ensuring a smooth, comfortable
ride. The first zone is utilized in case of normal ride. In case of demanding situations, second
zone called as control zone is utilized. The fluid flow towards the piston valving for more
control of the vehicle's suspension which gives better control.

27
 Advantages
 Give fine and smooth ride.

 It can adapt itself quickly to different road and weight conditions.

 It has two shocks in itself that is-comfort and control

Acceleration Sensitive Damping (ASD) Twin Tube Shocker

Twin tube ASD shocker brings the benefits of both the comfort and the control. Twin tube
ASD design shocker uses the compression valve which provides a bypass to fluid flow
around the compression valve. The compression valve is designed in such a way that it senses
a bump in the road and adjust the shock automatically to absorb the impact thereby giving
greater control to the shock.

MONO- TUBE SHOCK ABSORBERS :

The main components are:

 Pressure cylinder, also called housing

 Piston rod connected to a piston rod
 Floating piston, also called separating piston
 Piston rod guide
 Upper and lower attachment

Mono Tube Shock Absorber

Mono tube shock absorber or monotube shock regulates the flow of the oil between the
compression and compensation chambers by using mechanically fixed base valve. The shock
also utilizes compressible bladder in the compensation chamber for allowing volume
compensation. The use of base valve and the compressible bladder together eliminate the
need for pressurized gas and a floating piston which were the important features of the
traditional monotube dampers.

How It Works
In mono tube design, the damping force is created by deflective discs which are heat treated
stainless spring steel. The discs are generally stacked in a pyramid pattern. The shim with the
largest diameter faces the piston. The disc which is in close proximity to piston open first and
allows the flow of the oil. The rate of the shock both on compression and rebound can be
changed by increasing thickness and sometimes diameters.

28
Monotube shock absorber consists of two chambers which are stacked on each other and are
separated by a "floating piston". Both the piston are filled with oil and gas respectively. In the
oil filled chamber damping forces are created. The gas chamber is separated by a floating
piston. The compression of shock results in the compression of the air chamber by the
floating piston which displaces the volume of the shaft. This type of pressure creates the rod-
pressure.

The pushing of piston rod also forces the floating piston towards downwards thereby
increasing pressure in both gas and oil section. This also results in the flow of the oil through
the piston. This type of resistance generates the bump damping.

Rebound damping is produced when the oil between piston and guide is forced to flow
through the piston. This happens when the piston is pulled out

Benefits
 Gives good control and smooth ride.

 Monotube Shocks Can be mounted at any angle.

 It is lighter as compared to equivalent twin tube designs.

 Has high severity life.

 Adjusts to road conditions automatically.

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Features

The features of the mono tube shock absorber include:

 It has distinctive mono disc design.

 The vehicle can be assembled easily.

 Weight is light.

 Element of lag and fade is absent.

 Reliable and durable.

It also comes in controlled ride application.

How does it work?

Bump Stroke:

Unlike the bi-tube damper, the mono-tube has no reservoir tube. Still, a possibility is needed
to store the oil that is displaced by the rod when entering the cylinder. This is achieved by
making the oil capacity of the cylinder adaptable. Therefore the cylinder is not completely
filled with oil; the lower part contains (nitrogen) gas under 20-30 bar. Gas and oil are
separated by the floating piston. When the piston rod is pushed in, the floating piston is also
forced down the displacement of the piston rod, thus slightly increasing pressure in both gas
and oil section. Also, the oil below the piston is forced to flow through the piston. The
resistance encountered in this manner generates the bump damping.

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Rebound Stroke:

When the piston rod is pulled out, the oil between piston and guide is forced to flow through
the piston. The resistance encountered in this manner generates the rebound damping. At the
same time, part of the piston rod will emerge from the cylinder and the free (floating) piston
will move upwards.

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 ADVANTAGES OF NITRO SHOCKS

Instantaneous response :

 Because the high pressure eliminates aeration (foaming), action is always is

immediate.
 The low mass of gas and the single tube further improves response time.

Better fade resistance :

 Since there is no outer tube, cooling is much better which gives a drastic reduction in
fade. Thus more consistent handling and control.

Better durability :

 Single-tube construction also allows for a larger internal working area, reducing stress
and fatigue for better durability.
 De Carbon’s monodisc valving system features a single moving part that drastically
reduces inertia and friction, to improve durability and performance.
 Better cooling of the mono tube design results in lower operating temperatures and
thus longer life.

No need for re-adjustment:

 The viscosity of hydraulic fluid changes as temperature changes. This may because of
climate, season (summer/winter) or heavy duty (motorway cruising). The high
pressure gas compensates immediately and automatically for changes in viscosity.

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 TIPS BEFORE MOUNTING

A stiff suspension does not necessarily mean good handling. Often the contrary. If still a stiff
suspension is needed it should come from the springs. The function of the shock absorber is
to dampen oscillations of the spring by converting energy to heat. Do not use shock absorbers
to obtain a stiff suspension. Shock absorbers and springs each have their own function.
Respect those functions.

Do not use new shocks to compensate for old and tired springs. The shocks will soon fail
when the springs are bad. Worn shocks do not only reduce safety and handling, they also
increase the risk of having a broken spring as the spring is allowed to oscillate.

When to buy shocks?

Shock absorbers last a long time, but they tend to degrade slowly throughout their life. So
when is it time to replace them?

In some cases, a seal will rupture. A shock covered in oil is a good indication that it has
failed. The age-old test of bouncing on a fender is really only a rough guide as to whether the
vehicle needs new shocks. Usually the slow degradation in shock absorber's performance
won't be noticed until it affects handling fairly dramatically. Depending on how rough the
roads are, modern shocks can last 80-100,000 miles, but remember that a shock with 60,000
miles on it won't perform as well as a new one.

Which ones are right?

Choosing which shocks to buy largely depends upon what kind of vehicle and the kind of
driving. As with most automotive components, it is important the specific vehicle, since
mismatched shocks can drastically affect handling and could even be dangerous. The best
advice will probably come from a mechanic who is familiar with the vehicle.

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 CONCLUSION

In the current scenario of automobile industry the need for vehicles which provides smooth
and comfort ride is growing. Nitro shock absorbers are designed to be ultimate in
performance and comfort. In a country like ours whose roads are not up to world standards
the need for automotive components like nitro shocks are necessary. It goes without saying
that if the right choice is made the improvements in vehicles ride and handling can be
shocking.

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 REFERENCES

1. “In For A Shock”, S.B.L Beohar; Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing.
2. Automotive Encyclopedia; Tobolt, Johnson.
3. Auto Mechanical Fundamentals; Stockel.
4. http://belltech.net
5. http://monroeshocks.com

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