Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Rotordynamics”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Annular Seals of High Energy Centrifugal Pumps: Presentation of Full Scale Measurement

Prediction of rotordynamic behavior for high energy concentration centrifugal pumps is a challenging task which still imposes considerable difficulties. While the mechanical modeling of the rotor is solved most satisfactorily by finite element techniques, accurate boundary conditions for arbitrary operating conditions are known for journal bearings only. Little information is available on the reactive forces of annular seals, such as neck ring and interstage seals and balance pistons, and on the impeller interaction forces. The present focus is to establish reliable boundary conditions at annular seals. For this purpose, a full scale test machine was set up and smooth and serrated seal configurations measured. Dimensionless coefficients are presented and compared with a state of the art theory.

Florjancic, S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A Simplified Method for Predicting the Stability of Aerodynamically Excited Turbomachinery

A method is presented for the quick and accurate prediction of the stability of aerodynamically excited turbomachinery using real eigenvalue/eigenvector data obtained from a rotordynamics model. An expression is presented which uses the modal data and the transmitted torque to provide a numerical value of the relative stability of the system. This approach provides a powerful design tool to quickly ascertain the effects of squeeze-film damper bearings, bearing location, and support changes on system stability.

Storace, Albert F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Seals Research at Texas A/M University

The Turbomachinery Laboratory at Texas A&M has been providing experimental data and computational codes for the design seals for many years. The program began with the development of a Halon based seal test rig. This facility provided information about the effective stiffness and damping in whirling seals. The Halon effectively simulated cryogenic fluids. Another test facility was developed (using air as the working fluid) where the stiffness and damping matrices can be determined. This data was used to develop bulk flow models of the seal's effect upon rotating machinery; in conjunction with this research, a bulk flow model for calculation of performance and rotordynamic coefficients of annular pressure seals of arbitrary non-uniform clearance for barotropic fluids such as LH2, LOX, LN2, and CH4 was developed. This program is very efficient (fast) and converges for very large eccentricities. Currently, work is being performed on a bulk flow analysis of the effects of the impeller-shroud interaction upon the stability of pumps. The data was used along with data from other researchers to develop an empirical leakage prediction code for MSFC. Presently, the flow field inside labyrinth and annular seals are being studied in detail. An advanced 3-D Doppler anemometer system is being used to measure the mean velocity and entire Reynolds stress tensor distribution throughout the seals. Concentric and statically eccentric seals were studied; presently, whirling seals are being studied. The data obtained are providing valuable information about the flow phenomena occurring inside the seals, as well as a data base for comparison with numerical predictions and for turbulence model development. A finite difference computer code was developed for solving the Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes equation inside labyrinth seals. A multi-scale k-epsilon turbulence model is currently being evaluated. A new seal geometry was designed and patented using a computer code. A large scale, 2-D seal flow visualization facility is also being developed.

Morrison, Gerald L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Active magnetic bearings: As applied to centrifugal pumps

Application of magnetic bearings to boiler feed pumps presents various attractive features, such as longer bearing life, lower maintenance costs, and improved operability through control of the rotordynamics. Magnetic bearings were fitted to an eight-stage, 600 hp boiler feed pump, which generates 2600 ft of heat at 680 gpm and 3560 rpm. In addition to the varied and severe operating environment in steady state operation of this pump in a power plant, it is also subjected to transient loads during frequent starts and stops. These loads can now be measured by the in-built instrumentation of the magnetic bearings. Following site installation, a follow-up bearing tune-up was performed, and pump transient response testing was conducted. The bearing response was completely satisfactory, ensuring trouble-free pump operation even in the range of reduced load. The experience gained so far through design and testing proves feasibility of magnetic bearings for boiler feed pumps, which sets the stage for application of even higher energy centrifugal pumps equipped with magnetic bearings.

Lev Nelik↗
NASA NTRS1992

Orbit transfer vehicle engine technology program. Task B-6 high speed turbopump bearings

Bearing types were evaluated for use on the Orbit Transfer Vehicle (OTV) high pressure fuel pump. The high speed, high load, and long bearing life requirements dictated selection of hydrostatic bearings as the logical candidate for this engine. Design and fabrication of a bearing tester to evaluate these cryogenic hydrostatic bearings was then conducted. Detailed analysis, evaluation of bearing materials, and design of the hydrostatic bearings were completed resulting in fabrication of Carbon P5N and Kentanium hydrostatic bearings. Rotordynamic analyses determined the exact bearing geometry chosen. Instrumentation was evaluated and data acquisition methods were determined for monitoring shaft motion up to speeds in excess of 200,000 RPM in a cryogenic atmosphere. Fabrication of all hardware was completed, but assembly and testing was conducted outside of this contract.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1992

Limiting critical speed response on the SSME Alternate High Pressure Fuel Turbopump (ATD HPFTP) with bearing deadband

Yammamoto (1954) described the influence of bearing deadband on the critical speed response of a rotor-bearing system. Practical application of these concepts to limit critical speed response of turbopump rotors is described. Nonlinear rotordynamic analyses are used to define the effect of bearing deadband and rotor unbalance on the Space Shuttle Main Engine Alternate High Pressure Fuel Turbopump. Analysis results are used with hot fire test data to verify the presence of a lightly damped critical speed within the operating speed range. With the proper control of rotor unbalance and bearing deadband, the response of this critical speed is reduced to acceptable levels without major design modifications or additional sources of damping.

Goggin, David G.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Simulation of cryogenic turbopump annular seals

The goal of the current work is to develop software that can accurately predict the dynamic coefficients, forces, leakage and horsepower loss for annular seals which have a potential for affecting the rotordynamic behavior of the pumps. The fruit of last year's research was the computer code SEALPAL which included capabilities for linear tapered geometry, Moody friction factor and inlet pre-swirl. This code produced results which in most cases compared very well with check cases presented in the literature. TAMUSEAL Icode, which was written to improve SEALPAL by correcting a bug and by adding more accurate integration algorithms and additional capabilities, was then used to predict dynamic coefficients and leakage for the NASA/Pratt and Whitney Alternate Turbopump Development (ATD) LOX Pump's seal.

Palazzolo, Alan B.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Earth-to-orbit propulsion turbomachinery subsystem: Overview

The topics presented are covered in viewgraph form. The objectives are: (1) to develop the technology related to the turbomachinery systems of high performance rocket engines, which focuses on advanced design methodologies and concepts, develops high performance turbomachinery data bases, and validates turbomachinery design tools; and (2) specific turbomachinery subsystems and disciplines, which focus on turbine stages, pump stages, bearings, deals, structural dynamics, complex flow paths, materials, manufacturability, producibility, and inspectability, rotordynamics, and fatigue/fracture/life.

Schutzenhofer, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Cryogenic Fluid Film Bearing Tester Development Study

Conceptual designs were developed for the determination of rotordynamic coefficients of cryogenic fluid film bearings. The designs encompassed the use of magnetic and conventional excitation sources as well as the use of magnetic bearings as support bearings. Test article configurations reviewed included overhung, floating housing, and fixed housing. Uncertainty and forced response analyses were performed to assess quality of data and suitability of each for testing a variety of fluid film bearing designs. Development cost and schedule estimates were developed for each design. Facility requirements were reviewed and compared with existing MSFC capability. The recommended configuration consisted of a fixed test article housing centrally located between two magnetic bearings. The magnetic bearings would also serve as the excitation source.

Scharrer, Joseph K.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Foil bearings

The rolling element bearings (REB's) which support many turbomachinery rotors offer high load capacity, low power requirements, and durability. Two disadvantages of REB's are: (1) rolling or sliding contact within the bearing has life-limiting consequences; and (2) REB's provide essentially no damping. The REB's in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) turbopumps must sustain high static and dynamic loads, at high speeds, with a cryogenic fluid as lubricant and coolant. The pump end ball bearings limit the life of the SSME high pressure oxygen turbopump (HPOTP). Compliant foil bearing (CFB) manufacturers have proposed replacing turbopump REB's with CFB's CFB's work well in aircraft air cycle machines, auxiliary power units, and refrigeration compressors. In a CFB, the rotor only contracts the foil support structure during start up and shut down. CFB damping is higher than REB damping. However, the load capacity of the CFB is low, compared to a REB. Furthermore, little stiffness and damping data exists for the CFB. A rotordynamic analysis for turbomachinery critical speeds and stability requires the input of bearing stiffness and damping coefficients. The two basic types of CFB are the tension-dominated bearing and the bending-dominated bearing. Many investigators have analyzed and measured characteristics of tension-dominated foil bearings, which are applied principally in magnetic tape recording. The bending-dominated CFB is used more in rotating machinery. This report describes the first phase of a structural analysis of a bending-dominated, multileaf CFB. A brief discussion of CFB literature is followed by a description and results of the present analysis.

Elrod, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Orbit transfer rocket engine technology program

An advanced near term (1990's) space-based Orbit Transfer Vehicle Engine (OTVE) system was designed, and the technologies applicable to its construction, maintenance, and operations were developed under Tasks A through F of the Orbit Transfer Rocket Engine Technology Program. Task A was a reporting task. In Task B, promising OTV turbomachinery technologies were explored: two stage partial admission turbines, high velocity ratio diffusing crossovers, soft wear ring seals, advanced bearing concepts, and a rotordynamic analysis. In Task C, a ribbed combustor design was developed. Possible rib and channel geometries were chosen analytically. Rib candidates were hot air tested and laser velocimeter boundary layer analyses were conducted. A channel geometry was also chosen on the basis of laser velocimeter data. To verify the predicted heat enhancement effects, a ribbed calorimeter spool was hot fire tested. Under Task D, the optimum expander cycle engine thrust, performance and envelope were established for a set of OTV missions. Optimal nozzle contours and quick disconnects for modularity were developed. Failure Modes and Effects Analyses, maintenance and reliability studies and component study results were incorporated into the engine system. Parametric trades on engine thrust, mixture ratio, and area ratio were also generated. A control system and the health monitoring and maintenance operations necessary for a space-based engine were outlined in Task E. In addition, combustor wall thickness measuring devices and a fiberoptic shaft monitor were developed. These monitoring devices were incorporated into preflight engine readiness checkout procedures. In Task F, the Integrated Component Evaluator (I.C.E.) was used to demonstrate performance and operational characteristics of an advanced expander cycle engine system and its component technologies. Sub-system checkouts and a system blowdown were performed. Short transitions were then made into main combustor ignition and main stage operation.

Gustafson, N. B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Bulk-Flow Analysis, part A

The bulk-flow analysis results for this contract are incorporated in the following publications: 'Fluid-Structure Interaction Forces at Pump-Impeller Shroud Surfaces for Axial Vibration Analysis'; 'Centrifugal Acceleration Modes for Incompressible Fluid in the Leakage Annulus Between a Shrouded Pump Impeller and Its Housing'; 'Influence of Impeller Shroud Forces on Pump Rotordynamics'; 'Pressure Oscillation in the Leakage Annulus Between a Shrouded Impeller and Its Housing Due to Impeller-Discharge-Pressure Disturbances'; and 'Compressibility Effects on Rotor Forces in the Leakage Path Between a Shrouded Pump Impeller and Its Housing'. These publications are summarized and included in this final report. Computational Fluid Mechanics (CFD) results developed by Dr. Erian Baskharone are reported separately.

Childs, Dara W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Influence of impeller shroud forces on turbopump rotor dynamics

The shrouded-impeller leakage path forces calculated by Childs have been analyzed to answer two questions. First, because of certain characteristics or the results of Childs, the forces could not be modeled with traditional approaches. Therefore, an approach has been devised to include the forces in conventional rotordynamic analyses. The forces were found to be well-modeled with this approach. Finally, the effect these forces had on a simple rotor-bearing system was analyzed, and, therefore, they, in addition to seal forces, were applied to a Jeffcott rotor. The traditional methods of dynamic system analysis were modified to incorporate the impeller forces and yielded results for the eigenproblem, frequency response, critical speed, transient response, and an iterative technique for finding the frequency of free vibration as well as system stability. All results lead to the conclusion that the forces have little influence on natural frequency but can have appreciable effects on system stability. Specifically, at higher values of fluid swirl at the leakage path entrance, relative stability is reduced. The only unexpected response characteristics that occurred are attributed to the nonlinearity of the model.

Williams, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Experimental investigation of turbine blade-tip excitation forces

Results of a program to investigate the magnitude and parametric variations of rotordynamic forces which arise in high power turbines due to blade-tip leakage effects are presented. Five different unshrouded turbine configurations and one configuration shrouded with a labyrinth seal were tested with static offsets of the turbine shaft. The forces along and perpendicular to the offset were measured directly with a rotating dynometer. Exploration of casing pressure and flow velocity distributions was used to investigate the force-generating mechanisms. For unshrouded turbines, the cross-forces originate mainly from the classical Alford mechanisms while the direct forces arise mainly from a slightly skewed pressure pattern. The Alford coefficient for cross-force was found to vary between 2.4 and 4.0, while the similar direct force coefficient varied from 1.5 to 3.5. The cross-forces are found to increase substantially when the gap is reduced from 3.0 to 1.9% of blade height, probably due to viscous blade-tip effects. The forces also increase when the hub gap between stator and rotor decreases. The force coefficient decreased with operating flow coefficient. In the case of the shrouded turbine, most of the forces arise from nonuniform seal pressures. This includes about 80% for the transverse forces. The rest appears to come from uneven work extraction. Their level is about 50% higher in the shrouded case.

Martinez-Sanchez, Manuel↗
NASA NTRS1994

A 3D-CFD code for accurate prediction of fluid flows and fluid forces in seals

Current and future turbomachinery requires advanced seal configurations to control leakage, inhibit mixing of incompatible fluids and to control the rotodynamic response. In recognition of a deficiency in the existing predictive methodology for seals, a seven year effort was established in 1990 by NASA's Office of Aeronautics Exploration and Technology, under the Earth-to-Orbit Propulsion program, to develop validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) concepts, codes and analyses for seals. The effort will provide NASA and the U.S. Aerospace Industry with advanced CFD scientific codes and industrial codes for analyzing and designing turbomachinery seals. An advanced 3D CFD cylindrical seal code has been developed, incorporating state-of-the-art computational methodology for flow analysis in straight, tapered and stepped seals. Relevant computational features of the code include: stationary/rotating coordinates, cylindrical and general Body Fitted Coordinates (BFC) systems, high order differencing schemes, colocated variable arrangement, advanced turbulence models, incompressible/compressible flows, and moving grids. This paper presents the current status of code development, code demonstration for predicting rotordynamic coefficients, numerical parametric study of entrance loss coefficients for generic annular seals, and plans for code extensions to labyrinth, damping, and other seal configurations.

Athavale, M. M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

An experimental study of dynamic characteristics of labyrinth seal

The fluid force due to labyrinth seal sometimes makes the turbomachineries unstable under higher rotating speed, higher pressure and higher power. Therefore, it is important to predict the magnitude and the direction of the fluid force and to evaluate the stability of the rotor system in design process. This paper shows the experimental results of the fluid force induced by a straight labyrinth seal and the rotordynamic coefficients calculated from the fluid force. Influences of the number of fins under the rotating speed, whirling speed, inlet pressure, and inlet tangential velocity are mainly investigated on a stability of the rotor system. The results show that increase of the number of fins makes the fluid force small and the rotor system stable, an increase of inlet pressure makes the fluid forces large and an increase of inlet tangential velocity makes the rotor system unstable.

Iwatsubo, Takuzo↗
NASA NTRS1994

Design review and analysis for a Pratt and Whitney fluid-film bearing and seal testing rig

A design review has been completed for a Pratt and Whitney (P&W)-designed fluid-film bearing and annular-seal test rig to be manufactured and installed at George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Issues covered in this study include: (1) the capacity requirements of the drive unit; (2) the capacity and configuration of the static loading system; (3) the capacity and configuration of the dynamic excitation system; (4) the capacity, configuration, and rotordynamic stability of a test bearing, support bearings, and shaft; and (5) the characteristics and configuration of the measurement transducers and data channels.

Childs, Dara W.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Dynamic modelling and response characteristics of a magnetic bearing rotor system with auxiliary bearings

Auxiliary bearings are a critical feature of any magnetic bearing system. They protect the soft iron core of the magnetic bearing during an overload or failure. An auxiliary bearing typically consists of a rolling element bearing or bushing with a clearance gap between the rotor and the inner race of the support. The dynamics of such systems can be quite complex. It is desired to develop a rotordynamic model which describes the dynamic behavior of a flexible rotor system with magnetic bearings including auxiliary bearings. The model is based upon an experimental test facility. Some simulation studies are presented to illustrate the behavior of the model. In particular, the effects of introducing sideloading from the magnetic bearing when one coil fails is studied.

Free, April M.↗