Engineering topics

Smalley, A. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Smalley, A. J..

18 records

NASA NTRS1989

Spray automated balancing of rotors - How process parameters influence performance

This paper addresses the application of spray-automated balancing of rotors, and the influence that various operating parameters will have on balancing performance. Spray-automated balancing uses the fuel-air repetitive explosion process to imbed short, discrete bursts of high velocity, high temperature powder into a rotating part at an angle selected to reduce unbalance of the part. The shortness of the burst, the delay in firing of the gun, the speed of the disk and the variability in speed all influence the accuracy and effectiveness of the automated balancing process. The paper evaluates this influence by developing an analytical framework and supplementing the analysis with empirical data obtained while firing the gun at a rotating disk. Encouraging results are obtained, and it is shown that the process should perform satisfactorily over a wide range of operating parameters. Further experimental results demonstrate the ability of the method to reduce vibration levels induced by mass unbalance in a rotating disk.

Smalley, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Subsynchronous vibrations in a high pressure centrifugal compressor: A case history

Two distinct aerodynamically excited vibrations in a high pressure low flow centrifugal compressor are documented. A measured vibration near 21% of running speed was identified as a nonresonant forced vibration which results from rotating stall in the diffuser; a measured vibration near 50% of running speed was identified as a self excited vibration sustained by cross coupling forces acting at the compressor wheels. The dependence of these characteristics on speed, discharge pressure, and changes in bearing design are shown. The exciting mechanisms of diffuser stall and aerodynamic cross coupling are evidenced. It is shown how the rotor characteristics are expected to change as a result of modifications. The operation of the compressor after the modifications is described.

Evans, B. F.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Use of elastomeric elements in control of rotor instability

The dynamic characteristics of elastomeric supports are discussed. Stiffness and damping characteristics for elastomers of various geometries including O-rings, buttons loaded in compression, and rectangular elements loaded in shear are presented. The effects of frequency, temperature, and amplitude are illustrated, as well as the effects of material and geometry. Empirical design methods are illustrated, and several examples are presented where elastomers have successfully controlled both synchronous and nonsynchronous vibrations.

Smalley, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1979

The effects of strain and temperature on the dynamic properties of elastomers

This paper presents the results of a program of analysis and tests to determine the dynamic properties of elastomers as a function of strain and ambient temperature. Measurements were also made to determine the temperature distribution in the elastomer samples during the tests. These measured properties were compared with analytical predictions based on a visco-elastic model designed to take into account the self-heating of the materials as a function of strain. The test method used was well-established Base Excitation Resonant Mass Technique. The specimens tested were two cylindrical button compression specimens and a shear specimen. Strain was shown to be an important parameter in determining the dynamic properties of the elastomers. In general, these properties were much more sensitive to strain than to frequency. The self-heating effect was found to account for a portion of the strain sensitivity of these properties.

Darlow, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Design of elastomer dampers for a high-speed flexible rotor

This paper describes the methods used to design elastomerically damped supports for high-speed, flexible rotor-bearing systems. The procedure consists of using a damped natural frequency analysis to identify stiffness and damping requirements for the supports over the speed range. Optimum values for these coefficients are found and unbalance response analysis is used to calculate expected rotor behavior. Equations for calculating the shear and compressive stiffness and damping of button-type elastomer mounts are given, as is a procedure for their application to the design of the elastomeric mounts. These techniques were successfully applied to the design of damped elastomeric supports for a high-speed rotor, which traverses two bending critical speeds. Results of the testing showed that the rotor was well behaved and showed linear response to unbalance. Measured modal damping exceeded expectations and tests were conducted with both high- and low-loss elastomers, enabling the exploration of the practical range of elastomer damping capability.

Tecza, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Stiffness and damping of elastomeric O-rings

Report presents perameterpreturbation test program (using nineteen combinations of Test perameters) for elastomeric O-rings conducting for range of materials, temperatures, amplitudes, squeeze valves, stretch valves, cross-sectional diameters, and groove widths. Tests data were plotted and Power law lines fitted to sets of data.

Darlow, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Elastomer mounted rotors - An alternative for smoother running turbomachinery

This paper describes the design of elastomeric bearing supports for a rotor built to simulate the power turbine of an advanced gas turbine engine which traverses two bending critical speeds. The elastomer dampers were constructed so as to minimize rotor dynamic response at the critical speeds. Results are presented of unbalance response tests performed with two different elastomer materials. These results showed that the resonances on the elastomer-mounted rotor were well damped for both elastomer materials and showed linear response to the unbalance weights used for response testing. Additional tests were performed using solid steel supports at either end (hand-mounted), which resulted in drastically increased sensitivity and nonlinear response, and with steel supports in one end of the rotor and the elastomer at the other, which yielded results which were between the soft- and hard-mounted cases. It is concluded that elastomeric supports are a viable alternative to other methods of mounting flexible rotors, that damping was well in excess of predictions and that elastomeric supports are tolerant of small rotor misalignments.

Tecza, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1979

An introduction to a unified approach to flexible rotor balancing

Two types of technique for flexible-rotor balancing are examined: the influence coefficient method, and the modal balancing method. Briefly, the influence coefficient method seeks those correction masses in a predetermined set of planes which will minimize measured vibration (readings) at a series of sensors and speeds, as predicted by influence coefficients relating vibration readings to mass additions; the influence coefficients are normally determined by a series of trial mass tests. The modal balancing method seeks to balance the rotor, one mode at a time, with a set of masses specifically selected not to disturb previously balanced lower modes, the sensitivity to this combination of masses is determined empirically by a series of trial mass tests. The two approaches are compared in supercritical-shaft balancing tests, and some common features are stressed for ultimate incorporation into a unified approach toward flexible-rotor balancing.

Parkinson, A. G.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Development of procedures for calculating stiffness and damping of elastomers in engineering applications. Part 5: Elastomer performance limits and the design and test of an elastomer damper

Tests were performed on elastomer specimens of the material polybutadiene to determine the performance limitations imposed by strain, temperature, and frequency. Three specimens were tested: a shear specimen, a compression specimen, and a second compression specimen in which thermocouples were embedded in the elastomer buttons. Stiffness and damping were determined from all tests, and internal temperatures were recorded for the instrumented compression specimen. Measured results are presented together with comparisons between predictions of a thermo-viscoelastic analysis and the measured results. Dampers of polybutadiene and Viton were designed, built, and tested. Vibration measurements were made and sensitivity of vibration to change in unbalance was also determined. Values for log decrement were extracted from the synchronous response curves. Comparisons were made between measured sensitivity to unbalance and log decrement and predicted values for these quantities.

Tecza, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Dynamic properties of elastomer cartridge specimens under a rotating load

This paper presents the results of a program of analysis and test to determine the dynamic properties of elastomer cartridges operating under a rotating load. These measured properties were compared to predictions based on results of unidirectional tests with the same elastomer material. The test method for the dynamic stiffness and damping measurements was essentially the same as the Base Excitation Resonant Mass Method. The primary difference is that the exciting force used for these most recent tests was exerted by rotating unbalance in a rotational test rig rather than a shake table. The specimens tested were: two rectangular cross-section, continuous ring cartridges of different cross-section and three cylindrical button cartridges of different button thickness. Tests were performed for strains from about 0.0001 to about 0.01 (double amplitude). Material properties and prediction equations determined from reciprocating tests were used to make numerical predictions of stiffness, damping, and loss coefficient for the test elements, with encouraging results. Strain was shown to be an important parameter in determining these dynamic properties, particularly damping and loss coefficient.

Darlow, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Balancing techniques for high-speed flexible rotors

Ideal and non-ideal conditions for multiplane balancing are addressed. Methodology and procedures for identifying optimum balancing configurations and for assessing, quantitatively, the penalties associated with non-optimum configurations were developed and demonstrated. The problems introduced when vibration sensors are supported on flexible mounts were assessed experimentally, and the effects of flexural asymmetry in the rotor on balancing were investigated. A general purpose method for predicting the threshold of instability of an asymmetric rotor was developed, and its predictions are compared with measurements under different degrees of asymmetry.

Smalley, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

The stability of an asymmetric rotor in damped supports

A general-purpose method of evaluating the stability of an asymmetric flexible rotor, mounted in symmetric damped bearings, is defined. This method evaluates the complex eigenvalues of the rotor system by solving the equations of motion in a rotating coordinate frame. The application of this method to a rotor mounted in tilting-pad bearings is demonstrated. The observed behavior of a number of different rotor configurations is compared with corresponding predictions of stability. For the configurations predicted to be unstable, a distinct and unnegotiable threshold of instability is encountered. The sharpness of this threshold is emphasized by careful balancing at speeds fractionally below the threshold. In a final configuration predicted to be marginally stable, lightly damped resonant behavior, negotiable by balancing, is encountered in the region of the first critical speed.

Smalley, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Design and test of a squeeze-film damper for a flexible power transmission shaft

For a flexible shaft designed to pass through a number of bending critical speeds, a squeeze-film damper has been designed and tested. The damper properties were selected to provide control of all critical speeds, while meeting additional constraints of high power transmission requirements and damper simplicity. The damper was fabricated and installed and its ability to control flexible shaft vibrations was demonstrated by the comparison of vibration amplitudes both with and without the damper.

Darlow, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Stiffness and damping of elastomeric O-ring bearing mounts

A test rig to measure the dynamic stiffness and damping of elastomer O rings was described. Test results for stiffness and loss coefficient in the frequency range from 50 Hz to 1000 Hz are presented. Results are given for three different materials, for five temperatures, for three amplitudes, for five values of squeeze for three values of stretch for three values of cross-section diameter and for three values of groove width. All test data points were plotted. In addition, trend summary plots were presented which compare the effect of material, temperature, amplitude, squeeze, stretch, cross-section diameter, and groove width. O ring deflections under a static load for different material were presented; and effective static stiffness values were compared with dynamic values.

Smalley, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Development of procedures for calculating stiffness and damping properties of elastomers in engineering applications. Part 4: Testing of elastomers under a rotating load

A test rig designed to measure stiffness and damping of elastomer cartridges under a rotating load excitation is described. The test rig employs rotating unbalance in a rotor which runs to 60,000 RPM as the excitation mechanism. A variable resonant mass is supported on elastomer elements and the dynamic characteristics are determined from measurements of input and output acceleration. Five different cartridges are considered: three of these are buttons cartridges having buttons located in pairs, with 120 between each pair. Two of the cartridges consist of 360 elastomer rings with rectangular cross-sections. Dynamic stiffness and damping are measured for each cartridge and compared with predictions at different frequencies and different strains.

Darlow, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Development of procedures for calculating stiffness and damping properties of elastomers. Part 3: The effects of temperature, dissipation level and geometry

Effects of temperature, dissipation level and geometry on the dynamic behavior of elastomer elements were investigated. Force displacement relationships in elastomer elements and the effects of frequency, geometry and temperature upon these relationships are reviewed. Based on this review, methods of reducing stiffness and damping data for shear and compression test elements to material properties (storage and loss moduli) and empirical geometric factors are developed and tested using previously generated experimental data. A prediction method which accounts for large amplitudes of deformation is developed on the assumption that their effect is to increase temperature through the elastomers, thereby modifying the local material properties. Various simple methods of predicting the radial stiffness of ring cartridge elements are developed and compared. Material properties were determined from the shear specimen tests as a function of frequency and temperature. Using these material properties, numerical predictions of stiffness and damping for cartridge and compression specimens were made and compared with corresponding measurements at different temperatures, with encouraging results.

Smalley, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Drive-train dynamics technology - State-of-the-art and design of a test facility for advanced development

A program for the development and verification of drive-train dynamic technology is described along with its basis and the results expected from it. A central feature of this program is a drive-train test facility designed for the testing and development of advanced drive-train components, including shaft systems, dampers, and couplings. Previous efforts in designing flexible dynamic drive-train systems are reviewed, and the present state of the art is briefly summarized. The design of the test facility is discussed with major attention given to the formulation of the test-rig concept, dynamic scaling of model shafts, and the specification of design parameters. Specific efforts envisioned for the test facility are briefly noted, including evaluations of supercritical test shafts, stability thresholds for various sources and types of instabilities that can exist in shaft systems, effects of structural flexibility on the dynamic performance of dampers, and methods for vibration control in two-level and three-level flexible shaft systems.

Badgley, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Small, high-speed bearing technology for cryogenic turbo-pumps

The design of 20-mm bore ball bearings is described for cryogenic turbo-machinery applications, operating up to speeds of 120,000 rpm. A special section is included on the design of hybrid bearings. Each hybrid bearing is composed of a ball bearing in series with a conventional pressurized fluid-film journal bearing. Full details are presented on the design of a test vehicle which possesses the capability of testing the above named bearings within the given speed range under externally applied radial and axial loads.

Winn, L. W.↗