How to select anti vibration mounts

To select the correct anti vibration mounts for your installation, there are a number of factors to consider that will influence the type of product that you require.

Here is an overview of some of the considerations:

• Equipment specifications
  Different types of HVAC equipment will require different solutions. You need to consider the size and weight of the equipment or pipework and its structural attachment points. This will give you an idea of how many mounts you’ll need, and the size of those mounts.
• Location of equipment 
  The location and support surface of the equipment can affect which types of isolator are required. For example, is it ceiling mounted, floor mounted on a slab in a basement, or is it outdoors on a building rooftop?
• Vibration excitation of the equipment
  The rotational frequency (revolutions per second) of the machinery contribute to the levels of vibration. The forces and couples generated will influence the isolators required to dampen the vibrations.
• Type of building
  Different types of building can have different requirements for vibration and acoustic isolation. For example an entertainment venue, industrial facility or luxury apartment block may have more significant requirements or expectations than some other buildings.
• Environmental considerations
  Whether the equipment is placed indoors or outdoors can make a big difference, but under all circumstances, you need to consider environmental factors such as the degree of corrosivity and the minimum and maximum ambient temperature near the equipment.
• Special requirements
  Last but not least, you need to check if there are any special requirements. For example, are there electrical, pipework or ducting connections that might modify the mechanical response of the mounting system. Are there any externally applied forces or moments; minimum or maximum clearance requirements between equipment and foundation; alignment requirements; or dynamic loads.

How to evaluate the suitability of a vibration mount

Once you have a full overview of the installation requirements and external considerations, you need to select the anti vibration mount or isolator that provides you with the most efficient solution. A mount with soft rubber would isolate vibrations more, but if the rubber is too soft for the application, it might not be able to recover from deformity caused by the stress forces of the equipment, and it will not be as effective.

Therefore you need to determine the level of vibration transmission to the structure so that you can select a product which is capable of dampening the vibrations effectively. The simplest way to determine vibration transmission to the structure is to use static deflection and vibration isolation efficiency charts available in the Walraven VibraTek^® product documentation.

First, determine the static deflection of an isolator at a given load using the load displacement chart. Static deflection refers to how much your anti-vibration mount will compress under the weight of the equipment.

Then plot the deflection on the isolation efficiency chart to determine the degree of isolation for the given application. All charts are available in our brochure.

Learn more about the anti vibration mounts from Walraven

Vibration mount selection chart

Our brochure contains a useful matrix of products and applications to give you an initial idea of what type of vibration isolator might be suited to your project. It also contains all the charts for each product to help you decide which product would suit your installation.

In the Walraven portfolio, you can find a complete range of spring and rubber mounts, spring hangers, rubber absorbers and anti vibration pads.

Find out more about dealing with vibration in HVAC installations or browse our anti-vibration product range.