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At least 19 records

Influence of rubbing on rotor dynamics, part 2

Rotor dynamic behavior depends considerably on how much the specific physical phenomena accompanying rotor rubbing against the stator is involved. The experimental results of rotor-to-stator rubbing contact are analyzed. The computer code is described for obtaining numerical calculations of rotor-to-stator rubbing system dynamic responses. Computer generated results are provided. The reduced dynamic data from High Pressure Fuel Turbo Pump (HPFTP) hot fire test are given. The results provide some significant conclusions. Information is provided on the electronic instrumentation used in the experimental testing.

Muszynska, Agnes

The effect of cyclic feathering motions on dynamic rotor loads

The dynamic loads of a helicopter rotor in forward flight are influenced significantly by the geometric pitch angles between the structural axes of the hub and blade sections and the plane of rotation. The analytical study presented includes elastic coupling between inplane and out-of-plane deflections as a function of geometric pitch between the plane of rotation and the principal axes of inertia of each blade. The numerical evaluation is based on a transient analysis using lumped masses and elastic substructure techniques. A comparison of cases with and without cyclic feathering motion shows the effect on computed dynamic rotor loads.

Harvey, K. W.

The inclusion of rotor dynamics in controller design for helicopters.

State-feedback-controllers and state-estimators (filters) are designed for the roll-pitch-horizontal motions of a helicopter near hover, using a new quadratic synthesis technique. One model (tenth order) uses a dynamic model of the rotor, whereas the other model (sixth order) assumes the rotor can be tilted instantaneously. It is shown that, for tight control, neglecting the rotor dynamics in designing the autopilot can produce unstable closed-loop response on the model that includes rotor dynamics. Two filters are designed to use only fuselage sensors and two are designed to use both fuselage and rotor sensors. It is shown that rotor states can be estimated with sufficient accuracy using only fuselage sensors so that it does not seem worthwhile to use rotor sensors. The mean square response of the vehicle to a gusty, random wind, using several different filter/state-feedback compensators, is shown to be satisfactory.

Hall, W. E., Jr.

Experimental studies in system identification of helicopter rotor dynamics

Recent experiments investigating the system identification of helicopter rotor dynamics are described. The identification makes use of a two-pass procedure that estimates the rotor dynamic states prior to estimation of the dynamic equation parameters. Estimation of the rotor states is made possible through use of the predictive information contained in blade-mounted accelerometers combined with a specialized processing scheme utilizing these signals. Descriptions of the experimental hardware and the system identification technique are given, as well as implementation issues for using the procedure on other similarly instrumented rotor blades. Finally, comparisons with other identification techniques using the same data are presented. It is demonstrated that the approach is an attractive one for measurement of a helicopter rotor's dynamic behavior.

Mckillip, Robert, Jr.

Direct integration of transient rotor dynamics

An implicit method was developed for integrating the equations of motion for a lumped mass model of a rotor dynamics system. As an aside, a closed form solution to the short bearing theory was also developed for a damper with arbitrary motion. The major conclusions are that the method is numerically stable and that the computation time is proportional to the number of elements in the rotor dynamics model rather than to the cube of the number. This computer code allowed the simulation of a complex rotor bearing system experiencing nonlinear transient motion and displayed the vast amount of results in an easily understood motion picture format - a 10 minute, 16 millimeter, color, sound motion picture supplement. An example problem with 19 mass elements in the rotor dynamics model took 0.7 second of central processing unit time per time step on an IBM 360-67 computer in a time sharing mode.

Kascak, A. F.

Effects of different rub models on simulated rotor dynamics

Using a direct integration, transient response rotor dynamics computer code, the response of turbine engine rotors to two different blade tip - seal interference rub models was studied. The first model, an abradable seal rub model, is based on an energy-loss-per-unit-volume theory (applicable to a ceramic turbine blade tip seal). The second, a smearin model, is based on viscous hydrodynamic theory (applicable to a metallic blade tip seal). The results from these two models were compared with those from a previously studied model based on dry friction theory. The abradable model was very senitive to small changes in the energy per unit volume, and once a threshold was exceeded, the rotor went into a backward whirl. The amplitude seemed to grow without limit. This was similar to the dry friction model when the coefficient of friction exceeded a particular threshold. The smearing model was not as sensitive to small changes in the viscosity, but a threshold viscosity was found. When it was exceeded, the rotor went into backward whirl, but the amplitude seemed to grow to a finite limit.

Kascak, A. F.

Transient rotor dynamic rub phenomena - Theory and test

This paper develops an implicit integration scheme for transient rotor dynamic rub prediction and includes a correlation study with actual test results. A Nordsieck-like numerical integration scheme is applied directly to the second-order equations of motion. The assumption that forces and torques on the rotor are functions of the position and velocity at the point of application and its nearest neighbor is made in order to make the computational time proportional to the number of elements in the rotor dynamics model rather than the cube of the number. The test rig consists of a turbine driven, flexible shaft supported by squeeze film dampers. The blade loss event occurs due to collision of a balance bolt on one of the disks with a high speed plunger. The rotor is seen to spiral outward and contact against a stationary assemblage of seal shoes.

Kascak, A. F.

Rotor-to-stator Partial Rubbing and Its Effects on Rotor Dynamic Response

Results from experimental and analytical studies on rotor to stationary element partial rubbings at several locations and their effects on rotor dynamic responses are presented. The mathematical model of a rubbing rotor is given. The computer program provides numerical results which agree with experimentally obtained rotor responses.

Muszynska, Agnes

Data Collection and Analysis Software Development for Rotor Dynamics Testing in Spin Laboratory

Gas turbine engine components undergo high rotational loading another complex environmental conditions. Such operating environment leads these components to experience damages and cracks that can cause catastrophic failure during flights. There are traditional crack detections and health monitoring methodologies currently being used which rely on periodic routine maintenances, nondestructive inspections that often times involve engine and components dis-assemblies. These methods do not also offer adequate information about the faults, especially, if these faults at subsurface or not clearly evident. At NASA Glenn research center, the rotor dynamics laboratory is presently involved in developing newer techniques that are highly dependent on sensor technology to enable health monitoring and prediction of damage and cracks in rotor disks. These approaches are noninvasive and relatively economical. Spin tests are performed using a subscale test article mimicking turbine rotor disk undergoing rotational load. Non-contact instruments such as capacitive and microwave sensors are used to measure the blade tip gap displacement and blade vibrations characteristics in an attempt develop a physics based model to assess/predict the faults in the rotor disk. Data collection is a major component in this experimental-analytical procedure and as a result, an upgrade to an older version of the data acquisition software which is based on LabVIEW program has been implemented to support efficiently running tests and analyze the results. Outcomes obtained from the tests data and related experimental and analytical rotor dynamics modeling including key features of the updated software are presented and discussed.

Rotor Dynamics

Rotor Dynamic State and Parameter Identification from Hovering Transients

State and parameter identifications based on a form of the maximum likelihood method are applied to the problem of extracting linear perturbation models, including rotor dynamic inflow effects, from transient blade flapping measurements. The estimation method is first studied in computer simulations and then applied to cyclic pitch stirring transients generated with a four-bladed rotor model operating in hovering trim conditions. The analytical perturbation models extracted from the transient test results are compared with transient and frequency response tests not used in the state and parameter identification. The identified analytical perturbation model is also compared with a simple theory. The method that is applicable both to small scale and full scale dynamic rotor testing is being extended to perturbations from forward flight trim conditions.

Hohenemser, K. H.

Rotor dynamic state and parameter identification from simulated forward flight transients, part 1

State and parameter identifications from simulated forward flight blade flapping measurements are presented. The transients were excited by progressing cyclic pitch stirring or by hub stirring with constant stirring acceleration. Rotor dynamic inflow models of varying degree of sophistication were used from a one parameter inflow model (equivalent Lock number) to an eight parameter inflow model. The maximum likelihood method with assumed fixed measurement error covariance matrix was applied. The rotor system equations for both fixed hub and tilting hub are given. The identified models were verified by comparing true responses with predicted responses. An optimum utilization of the simulated measurement data can be defined. From the numerical results it can be anticipated that brief periods of either accelerated cyclic pitch stirring or of hub stirring are sufficient to extract with adequate accuracy up to 8 rotor dynamic inflow parameters plus the blade Lock number from the transients.

Hohenemser, K. H.

Nonlinear Analysis Of Rotor Dynamics

Study explores analytical consequences of nonlinear Jeffcott equations of rotor dynamics. Section 1: Summary of previous studies. Section 2: Jeffcott Equations. Section 3: Proves two theorems that provide inequalities on coefficients of differential equations and magnitude of forcing function in absence of side force. Section 4: Numerical investigation of multiple-forcing-function problem by introducing both side force and mass imbalance. Section 5: Examples of numberical solutions of complex generalized Jeffcott equation with two forcing functions of different frequencies f1 and f2. Section 6: Boundedness and stability of solutions.Section 7: Concludes report reviewing analytical results and significance.

Day, William B.

Computer program for flexible rotor dynamics analysis

Program analyzes general nonaxisymmetric and nonsynchronous transient and steady-state rotor dynamic performance of bending- and shear-wise flexible rotor-bearing system under various operating conditions. Program can be used as analytical study tool for general transient spin-speed and/or non-axisymmetric rotor motion.

Shen, F. A.

Helicopter rotor dynamics and aeroelasticity - Some key ideas and insights

Four important current topics in helicopter rotor dynamics and aeroelasticity are discussed: (1) the role of geometric nonlinearities in rotary-wing aeroelasticity; (2) structural modeling, free vibration, and aeroelastic analysis of composite rotor blades; (3) modeling of coupled rotor/fuselage areomechanical problems and their active control; and (4) use of higher-harmonic control for vibration reduction in helicopter rotors in forward flight. The discussion attempts to provide an improved fundamental understanding of the current state of the art. In this way, future research can be focused on problems which remain to be solved instead of producing marginal improvements on problems which are already understood.

Friedmann, Peretz P.

Effect of coulomb spline on rotor dynamic response

A rigid rotor system coupled by a coulomb spline is modelled and analyzed by approximate analytical and numerical analytical methods. Expressions are derived for the variables of the resulting limit cycle and are shown to be quite accurate for a small departure from isotropy.

Nataraj, C.