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At least 253 records · Page 14

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1995

Dynamic behavior of a magnetic bearing supported jet engine rotor with auxiliary bearings

This paper presents a study of the dynamic behavior of a rotor system supported by auxiliary bearings. The steady-state behavior of a simulation model based upon a production jet engine is explored over a wide range of operating conditions for varying rotor imbalance, support stiffness, and damping. Interesting dynamical phenomena, such as chaos, subharmonic responses, and double-valued responses, are presented and discussed.

Flowers, George T.↗

NASA NTRS1996

A Model for Axial Magnetic Bearings Including Eddy Currents

This paper presents an analytical method of modelling eddy currents inside axial bearings. The problem is solved by dividing an axial bearing into elementary geometric forms, solving the Maxwell equations for these simplified geometries, defining boundary conditions and combining the geometries. The final result is an analytical solution for the flux, from which the impedance and the force of an axial bearing can be derived. Several impedance measurements have shown that the analytical solution can fit the measured data with a precision of approximately 5%.

Kucera, Ladislav↗

NASA NTRS1996

The Avoidance of Saturation Limits in Magnetic Bearing Systems During Transient Excitation

When a transient event, such as mass loss, occurs in a rotor/magnetic bearing system, optimal vibration control forces may exceed bearing capabilities. This will be inevitable when the mass loss is sufficiently large and a conditionally unstable dynamic system could result if the bearing characteristic become non-linear. This paper provides a controller design procedure to suppress, where possible, bearing force demands below saturation levels while maintaining vibration control. It utilizes H(sub infinity) optimization with appropriate input and output weightings. Simulation of transient behavior following mass loss from a flexible rotor is used to demonstrate the avoidance of conditional instability. A compromise between transient control force and vibration levels was achieved.

Rutland, Neil K.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Halbach-array radial stabilizer for a passive magnetic bearing

A radial stabilizer is provided for stabilizing levitation passive bearing elements against lateral displacements. The stabilizer provides a means to introduce anisotropy in the radial stiffness of the stabilizer. The presence of anisotropic stiffness has a strongly stabilizing effect on whirl-type rotor-dynamic instabilities. The stabilizer design also provides a means for continuously monitoring the state of health of the rotor by signaling the onset of changes of balance that would be expected to precede any major failure.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRS1990

Magnetic translator bearings

A magnetic bearing system for enabling translational motion includes a carriage and a shaft for movably supporting the carriage; a first magnetic bearing fixed to one of the carriage and shaft and slidably received in a first channel of the other of the carriage and shaft. The first channel is generally U shaped with two side walls and a back wall. The magnetic bearing includes a pair of spaced magnetic pole pieces, each pole piece having a pair of electromagnetic coils mounted on poles on opposite ends of the pole piece proximate the side walls, and a third electromagnetic coil mounted on a pole of the pole piece proximate the backwall; a motion sensor for sensing translational motion along two axes and rotationally about three axes of the carriage and shaft relative to each other; and a correction circuit responsive to the sensor for generating a correction signal to drive the coils to compensate for any misalignment sensed between the carriage and the shaft.

Hockney, Richard L.↗

NASA NTRS2004

New Dynamic Spin Rig Capabilities Used to Determine Rotating Blade Dynamics

The Dynamic Spin Rig Facility at the NASA Glenn Research Center is used to determine the structural response of rotating engine components without the effects of aerodynamic loading. Recently, this rig's capabilities were enhanced through the replacement of grease-lubricated ball bearings with magnetic bearings. Magnetic bearings offer a number of advantages--the most important here being that they not only fully support the rotor system, but excite it as well. Three magnetic bearings support the rotor and provide five axes of controlled motion: an x- and y-axis translation at each of two radial bearings and a z-axis translation in the vertical or axial direction. Sinusoidal excitation (most commonly used) can be imparted on the rotor through the radial magnetic bearings in either a fixed or rotating frame of reference. This excitation is added directly to the magnetic bearing control output. Since the rotor is fully levitated, large translations and rotations of the rotor system can be achieved. Some of the capabilities of this excitation system were determined and reported. The accelerations obtained at the tip of a titanium flat plate test article versus the swept sine excitation sent to both radial bearings in phase and perpendicular to the plane containing the two blades are shown. Recent tests required the excitation of fundamental bending and torsional blade resonances at rotor speeds up to 10,000 rpm. Successful fixed synchronous rotation of the excitation signal provided the best detectable blade resonant vibrations at excitation frequencies up to 1100 Hz for the particular blades of interest. A noncontacting laser measurement system was used to collect blade-tip motions. From these data, the amplitude and frequency of the motion could be determined as well as the blade damping properties. Damping could be determined using two methods: (1) free decay and (2) curve fitting the vibration amplitude as a function of frequency in and around the resonance of interest and using the half-power method. The free decay of a composite blade vibrating at its first bending resonance while rotating at 3000 rp is shown. This new system is currently being used to support the Efficient Low-Noise Fan project at Glenn. The damping properties of prototype hollow composite blades specially designed to reduce fan noise are currently being determined.

Provenza, Andrew J.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Design and test of a magnetic thrust bearing

A magnetic thrust bearing can be employed to take thrust loads in rotating machinery. The design and construction of a prototype magnetic thrust bearing for a high load per weight application is described. The theory for the bearing is developed. Fixtures were designed and the bearing was tested for load capacity using a universal testing machine. Various shims were employed to have known gap thicknesses. A comparison of the theory and measured results is presented.

Allaire, P. E.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Improved Superconducting Magnetic Rotary Bearings

Improved magnetic rotary bearings designed by exploiting properties of type-II superconducting materials. Depending on design and application, bearing provides fixed or adjustable compensation for lateral vector component of weight or other lateral load on rotor. Allows applied magnetic field to penetrate partially in clusters of field lines, with concomitant establishment of undamped circulating electrical currents within material. Type-II superconductors have critical magnetic fields and critical temperatures greater than type-I superconductors.

Flom, Yury↗

NASA NTRS2011

Oil-Free Shaft Support System Rotordynamics: Past, Present, and Future Challenges and Opportunities

Recent breakthroughs in Oil-Free technologies have enabled new high-speed rotor systems and turbomachinery. Such technologies can include compliant-surface gas bearings, magnetic bearings, and advanced solid lubricants and tribo-materials. This presentation briefly reviews critical technology developments and the current state-of-the-art, emerging Oil-Free rotor systems and discusses obstacles preventing more widespread use. Key examples of "best practices" for deploying Oil-Free technologies will be presented and remaining major technical questions surrounding Oil-Free technologies will be brought forward.

DellaCorte, Christopher↗

NASA NTRS1996

Vibration Control in Turbomachinery Using Active Magnetic Journal Bearings

The effective use of active magnetic bearings for vibration control in turbomachinery depends on an understanding of the forces available from a magnetic bearing actuator. The purpose of this project was to characterize the forces as functions shaft position. Both numerical and experimental studies were done to determine the characteristics of the forces exerted on a stationary shaft by a magnetic bearing actuator. The numerical studies were based on finite element computations and included both linear and nonlinear magnetization functions. Measurements of the force versus position of a nonrotating shaft were made using two separate measurement rigs, one based on strain gage measurement of forces, the other based on deflections of a calibrated beam. The general trends of the measured principal forces agree with the predictions of the theory while the magnitudes of forces are somewhat smaller than those predicted. Other aspects of theory are not confirmed by the measurements. The measured forces in the normal direction are larger than those predicted by theory when the rotor has a normal eccentricity. Over the ranges of position examined, the data indicate an approximately linear relationship between the normal eccentricity of the shaft and the ratio of normal to principal force. The constant of proportionality seems to be larger at lower currents, but for all cases examined its value is between 0.14 and 0.17. The nonlinear theory predicts the existence of normal forces, but has not predicted such a large constant of proportionality for the ratio. The type of coupling illustrated by these measurements would not tend to cause whirl, because the coupling coefficients have the same sign, unlike the case of a fluid film bearing, where the normal stiffness coefficients often have opposite signs. They might, however, tend to cause other self-excited behavior. This possibility must be considered when designing magnetic bearings for flexible rotor applications, such as gas turbines and other turbomachinery.

Knight, Josiah D.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Magnetic bearings-state of the art

Magnetic bearings have existed for many years, at least in theory. Earnshaw's theorem, formulated in 1842, concerns stability of magnetic suspensions, and states that not all axes of a bearing can be stable without some means of active control. In Beam's widely referenced experiments, a tiny (1/64 in diameter) rotor was rotated to the astonishing speed of 800,000 rps while it was suspended in a magnetic field. Despite a long history, magnetic bearings have only begun to see practical application since about 1980. The development that finally made magnetic bearings practical was solid state electronics, enabling power supplies and controls to be reduced in size to where they are now comparable in volume to the bearings themselves. An attempt is made to document the current (1991) state of the art of magnetic bearings. The referenced papers are large drawn from two conferences publications published in 1988 and 1990 respectively.

Fleming, David P.↗

NASA NTRS2005

High-Temperature (1000 F) Magnetic Thrust Bearing Test Rig Completed and Operational

Large axial loads are induced on the rolling element bearings of a gas turbine. To extend bearing life, designers use pneumatic balance pistons to reduce the axial load on the bearings. A magnetic thrust bearing could replace the balance pistons to further reduce the axial load. To investigate this option, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, the NASA Glenn Research Center, and Texas A&M University designed and fabricated a 7-in.- diameter magnetic thrust bearing to operate at 1000 F and 30,000 rpm, with a 1000-lb load capacity. This research was funded through a NASA Space Technology Transfer Act with Allison Advance Development Company under the Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) Intelligent Propulsion Systems Foundation Technology project.

Montague, Gerald T.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Demonstration, Testing and Qualification of a High Temperature, High Speed Magnetic Thrust Bearing

The gas turbine industry has a continued interest in improving engine performance and reducing net operating and maintenance costs. These goals are being realized because of advancements in aeroelasticity, materials, and computational tools such as CFD and engine simulations. These advancements aid in increasing engine thrust-to-weight ratios, specific fuel consumption, pressure ratios, and overall reliability through higher speed, higher temperature, and more efficient engine operation. Currently, rolling element bearing and squeeze film dampers are used to support rotors in gas turbine engines. Present ball bearing configurations are limited in speed (<2 million DN) and temperature (<5OO F) and require both cooling air and an elaborate lubrication system. Also, ball bearings require extensive preventative maintenance in order to assure their safe operation. Since these bearings are at their operational limits, new technologies must be found in order to take advantage of other advances. Magnetic bearings are well suited to operate at extreme temperatures and higher rotational speeds and are a promising solution to the problems that conventional rolling element bearings present. Magnetic bearing technology is being developed worldwide and is considered an enabling technology for new engine designs. Using magnetic bearings, turbine and compressor spools can be radically redesigned to be significantly larger and stiffer with better damping and higher rotational speeds. These advances, a direct result of magnetic bearing technology, will allow significant increases in engine power and efficiency. Also, magnetic bearings allow for real-time, in-situ health monitoring of the system, lower maintenance costs and down time.

DeWitt, Kenneth↗

NASA NTRS2001

Cross-Axis Proportional Gains Used to Control Gyroscopic Effects in a Magnetic- Bearing-Supported Flywheel

For magnetic-bearing-supported high-speed machines with significant gyroscopic effects, it is necessary to stabilize both forward and backward tilt whirling modes. Instability or the low damping of these modes can prevent the attainment of desired shaft speeds. Previous work elsewhere showed that cross-axis derivative gain in the magnetic bearing control law can improve the stability of the forward whirl mode, but it is commonly recognized that derivative gains amplify high-frequency noise and increase the required control effort. At the NASA Glenn Research Center, it has been shown previously that a simple cross-axis proportional gain can add stability (without adding noise) to either forward whirl or backward whirl, depending on the sign of the gain, but that such a gain destabilizes the other mode. It has been predicted by Glenn analysis that both modes can be stabilized by cross-axis proportional gains by utilizing the large-frequency separation of the two modes at speeds where the gyroscopic effects are significant. We use a modal controller that decouples the tilt and center-of-mass-translation modes. Only the tilt modes exhibit speed-dependent gyroscopic effects. The key to controlling them by the present method is to stabilize the backward whirl tilt mode with the appropriate sign of cross-axis proportional gain in the control law, but to include a low-pass filter on that gain term to restrict its effect only to the low-frequency backward-whirl mode. A second cross-axis term with the opposite sign and a high-pass filter stabilizes the forward whirl, which can have a frequency one or two orders of magnitude higher than the backward whirl, permitting very independent action of the two terms. Because the physical gyroscopic torques are proportional to the spinning speed of the shaft, it is convenient to gain-schedule the cross-axis control terms by making them proportional to shaft speed. This has the added benefit of avoiding a somewhat awkward zero-speed splitting of the tilt-mode eigenvalues.

Brown, Gerald V.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Permanent-Magnet Meissner Bearing

Permanent-magnet meissner bearing features inherently stable, self-centering conical configuration. Bearing made stiffer or less stiff by selection of magnets, springs, and spring adjustments. Cylindrical permanent magnets with axial magnetization stacked coaxially on rotor with alternating polarity. Typically, rare-earth magnets used. Magnets machined and fitted together to form conical outer surface.

Robertson, Glen A.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Novel Damping Concepts for Mechanical Backup Bearings and Passive Magnetically Suspended Rotors

The following summarizes the research accomplished under the titled project. The period of research extended from August 2001 to August 2002. The team of researchers consisted of two Senior Research Associates: Mark Siebert and Carl Buccieri. one PhD student: Pete Kenney and one faculty member: Theo Keith, who was the P.I. Karen Balog was the Program Coordinator. The research was performed at both the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio and at the University of Toledo. Accordingly, periodic group telephone meetings were held with the team members, the NASA technical coordinators and several other University of Toledo researchers working on-site at GRC. Two passive magnetic bearing test rigs were designed and tested as a result of the work of this NRA. Additionally, two technical papers, based on this effort, were generated and are currently being reviewed.

Keith, Theo G., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Magnetically-controlled bearing lubrication

Proposed magnetic-lubricant ball-bearing assembly has permanently-magnetized bearing retainer fabricated of porous material. Pores of retainer are filled with ferrolubricant. Surface tension causes retainer to deliver sufficient lubricant to nonmagnetic ball bearings.

Whitaker, A. F.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Oil-Free Turbomachinery Technologies for Long-Life, Maintenance-Free Power Generation Applications

Turbines have long been used to convert thermal energy to shaft work for power generation. Conventional turbines rely upon oil-lubricated rotor supports (bearings, seals, etc.) to achieve low wear, high efficiency and reliability. Emerging Oil-Free technologies such as gas foil bearings and magnetic bearings offer a path for reduced weight and complexity and truly maintenance free systems. Oil-Free gas turbines, using gaseous and liquid fuels are commercially available in power outputs to at least 250kWe and are gaining acceptance for remote power generation where maintenance is a challenge. Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) turbines are an approach to power generation that is well suited for long life space missions. In these systems, a recirculating gas is heated by nuclear, solar or other heat energy source then fed into a high-speed turbine that drives an electrical generator. For closed cycle systems such as these, the working fluid also passes through the bearing compartments thus serving as a lubricant and bearing coolant. Compliant surface foil gas bearings are well suited for the rotor support systems of these advanced turbines. Foil bearings develop a thin hydrodynamic gas film that separates the rotating shaft from the bearing preventing wear. During start-up and shut down when speeds are low, rubbing occurs. Solid lubricants are used to reduce starting torque and minimize wear. Other emerging technologies such as magnetic bearings can also contribute to robust and reliable Oil-Free turbomachinery. In this presentation, Oil-Free technologies for advanced rotor support systems will be reviewed as will the integration and development processes recommended for implementation.

turbomachinery↗