Touchdown Bearing Contact Forces in Magnetic Bearing Systems

Author(s):  
Fawaz Y. Saket ◽  
M. Necip Sahinkaya ◽  
Patrick S. Keogh

Under contact-free levitation, rotors supported by active magnetic bearings have many advantages such as allowing near frictionless rotation and high rotational speeds. They also provide the designer the capability to achieve increased machine power density. However, magnetic bearings possess limited load capacity and operate under active control. Under certain operational conditions, the load capacity may be exceeded or a transient fault may occur. The rotor may then make contact with touchdown bearings and the ensuing rotor dynamics may result in transient or sustained contact dynamics. The magnetic bearings may have the capability to restore contact-free levitation, though this will require appropriate control strategies to be devised. An understanding of the contact dynamics is required, together with the relationship between these and applied magnetic bearing control forces. This paper describes the use of a contact force measurement system to establish the force relationship. The contact force components measured by the system are calibrated against forces applied by an active magnetic bearing. The data generated can be used to validate non-linear dynamic system models and aid the design of control action to minimize or eliminate contact forces.

Author(s):  
Patrick S. Keogh ◽  
Chris Lusty ◽  
Nicola Y. Bailey

Under normal operation a rotor spinning within an active magnetic bearing system will be levitated and hence rotor-stator contact conditions do not exist. In such a case, external disturbances and inherent unbalance will cause rotor responses that are maintained by the magnetic bearing control system to be within the clearance gap. However, magnetic bearings have limited dynamic load capacity due to magnetic material field saturation. Hence large external disturbances may be sufficient to cause the clearance gap to become closed and result in rotorstator contact. A touchdown bearing is usually incorporated as a sacrificial stator component to protect the expensive rotor, magnetic bearing and sensor components. Once contact has been made, rotor dynamic conditions may ensue resulting in persistent rotor bouncing or rubbing limit cycle responses. Prolonged exposure to these severe dynamics will cause touchdown bearing degradation and require regular replacement. A clear aim is therefore to restore contact-free levitation through available control capability in an efficient manner. This paper provides an analysis to gain an understanding of the uncontrolled rotor/touchdown contact dynamics. These will then be used to guide the control options that are available to restore contact-free levitation. The use of magnetic bearing control is appropriate if the required control forces are within saturation limits. It is also possible to actuate touchdown bearings and destabilize persistent rotor dynamic contact conditions. For example, piezo-based actuation offers larger control forces than those from magnetic bearing systems.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Tangredi ◽  
Enrico Meli ◽  
Andrea Rindi ◽  
Alessandro Ridolfi ◽  
Pierluca D’Adamio ◽  
...  

Nowadays, the search for increasing performances in turbomachinery applications has led to a growing utilization of active magnetic bearings (AMBs), which can bring a series of advantages thanks to their features: AMBs allow the machine components to reach higher peripheral speeds; in fact there are no wear and lubrication problems as the contact between bearing surfaces is absent. Furthermore, AMBs characteristic parameters can be controlled via software, optimizing machine dynamics performances. However, active magnetic bearings present some peculiarities, as they have lower load capacity than the most commonly used rolling and hydrodynamic bearings, and they need an energy source; for these reasons, in case of AMBs overload or breakdown, an auxiliary bearing system is required to support the rotor during such landing events. During the turbomachine design process, it is fundamental to appropriately choose the auxiliary bearing type and characteristics, because such components have to resist to the rotor impact; so, a supporting design tool based on accurate and efficient models of auxiliary bearings is very useful for the design integration of the Active Magnetic Bearing System into the machine. This paper presents an innovative model to accurately describe the mechanical behavior of a complete rotor-dynamic system composed of a rotor equipped with two auxiliary rolling bearings. The model, developed and experimentally validated in collaboration with Baker Hughes a GE company (providing the test case and the experimental data), is able to reproduce the key physical phenomena experimentally observed; in particular, the most critical phenomenon noted during repeated experimental combined landing tests is the rotor forward whirl, which occurs in case of high friction conditions and greatly influences the whole system behavior. In order to carefully study some special phenomena like rotor coast down on landing bearings (which requires long period of time to evolve and involves many bodies and degrees of freedom) or other particular events like impacts (which occur in a short period of time), a compromise between accuracy of the results and numerical efficiency has been pursued. Some of the elements of the proposed model have been previously introduced in literature; however the present work proposes some new features of interest. For example, the lateral and the axial models have been properly coupled in order to correctly reproduce the effects observed during the experimental tests and a very important system element, the landing bearing compliant suspension, has been properly modelled to more accurately describe its elastic and damping effects on the system. Furthermore, the model is also useful to characterize the frequencies related to the rotor forward whirl motion.


Author(s):  
Iain S. Cade ◽  
M. Necip Sahinkaya ◽  
Clifford R. Burrows ◽  
Patrick S. Keogh

Auxiliary bearings are used to prevent rotor/stator contact in active magnetic bearing systems. They are sacrificial components providing a physical limit on the rotor displacement. During rotor/auxiliary bearing contact significant forces normal to the contact zone may occur. Furthermore, rotor slip and rub can lead to localized frictional heating. Linear control strategies may also become ineffective or induce instability due to changes in rotordynamic characteristics during contact periods. This work considers the concept of using actively controlled auxiliary bearings in magnetic bearing systems. Auxiliary bearing controller design is focused on attenuating bearing vibration resulting from contact and reducing the contact forces. Controller optimization is based on the H∞ norm with appropriate weighting functions applied to the error and control signals. The controller is assessed using a simulated rotor/magnetic bearing system. Comparison of the performance of an actively controlled auxiliary bearing is made with that of a resiliently mounted auxiliary bearing. Rotor drop tests, repeated contact tests, and sudden rotor unbalance resulting in trapped contact modes, are considered.


2014 ◽  
Vol 494-495 ◽  
pp. 685-688
Author(s):  
Rong Gao ◽  
Gang Luo ◽  
Cong Xun Yan

Active magnetic bearing (AMB) system is a complex integrated system including mechanics, electronic and magnetism. In order to research for the basic dynamic characteristic of rotor supported by AMB, it is necessary to present mathematics method. The dynamics formula of AMB is established using theory means of dynamics of rotator and mechanics of vibrations. At the same tine, the running stability of rotor is analyzed and the example is presented in detail.


Author(s):  
Bruno Wagner

This paper recalls the principles and main features of the active magnetic bearings and especially the advantages for turbomachines. Oil-free working and vibration control are part of them. Field experiences are described for different shaft line configurations. Step by step we are going to get totally rid of oil with the introduction of active magnetic bearings together with dry gas seals and gearless drive. Future machines will take the benefit of all this field experience. The trend of the design optimization is the active magnetic bearings in the process gas itself, for a length reduction of shafts. But at the present stage, the active magnetic bearing is a proven technology today.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (34n36) ◽  
pp. 1840074
Author(s):  
Jintao Ju ◽  
Xiaobin Liu ◽  
Zegang Xu ◽  
Chao Gu ◽  
Yilin Liu

Molecular pumps have been widely used in the vacuum metallurgy, coating, semiconductor manufacturing and many other fields in which the high vacuum, ultra-clean environment is needed. The application of magnetic bearings can bring many advantages for molecular pump, such as eliminating the friction, decreasing the power loss, lowering the maintenance costs, and increasing the rotating speed and service life. Besides, the magnetic bearings can fundamentally solve the vacuum chamber pollution problem which is caused by the backflow of lubrication oil steam. The three-pole magnetic bearings are the simplest structure of radial magnetic bearings and can be driven by three-phase converter which has the advantages of low costs, small volume and low power loss. In this paper, the performance of the three-pole active magnetic bearing (AMB) and hybrid magnetic bearing (HMB) are compared based on radial force–current characteristics analysis. Firstly, the mathematical model of three-pole AMB and HMB is built by equivalent magnetic circuit model, and the radial force–current characteristics are analyzed. Then, simulation by the three-dimensional (3D) finite element method (FEM) is performed. Finally, the experiment is conducted. The FEM results are consistent with the analytical results, showing that the nonlinearity and coupling of three-pole HMB are lower than three-pole AMB. The reason of causing nonlinearity and coupling is also discussed.


Author(s):  
Iain S. Cade ◽  
M. Necip Sahinkaya ◽  
Clifford R. Burrows ◽  
Patrick S. Keogh

During fault conditions, rotor displacements in magnetic bearing systems may potentially exceed safety/operating limits. Hence it is a common design feature to incorporate auxiliary bearings adjacent to the magnetic bearings for the prevention of rotor/stator contact. During fault conditions the rotor may come into contact with the auxiliary bearings, which may lead to continuous rub type orbit responses. In particular, forward rub responses may become persistent. This paper advances the methodology by considering an actively controlled auxiliary bearing system. An open-loop control strategy is adopted to provide auxiliary bearing displacements that destabilize established forward rub orbit responses. A theoretical approach is undertaken to identify auxiliary bearing motion limits at which forward rub responses become unstable. Experimental validation is then undertaken using a rotor/active magnetic bearing system with an actively controlled auxiliary bearing system under piezoelectric actuation. Two different operating speeds below the first bending mode of the rotor are considered and the applied harmonic displacements of the auxiliary bearing are shown to be effective in restoring contact free levitation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulan Zhao ◽  
Guojun Yang ◽  
Patrick Keogh ◽  
Lei Zhao

Active magnetic bearings (AMBs) have been utilized widely to support high-speed rotors. However, in the case of AMB failure, emergencies, or overload conditions, the auxiliary bearing is chosen as the backup protector to provide mechanical supports and displacement constraints for the rotor. With lack of support, the auxiliary bearing will catch the dropping rotor. Accordingly, high contact forces and corresponding thermal generation due to mechanical rub are applied on the dynamic contact area. Rapid deterioration may be brought about by excessive dynamic and thermal shocks. Therefore, the auxiliary bearing must be sufficiently robust to guarantee the safety of the AMB system. Many approaches have been put forward in the literature to estimate the rotor dynamic motion, nonetheless most of them focus on the horizontal rotor drop and few consider the inclination around the horizontal plane for the vertical rotor. The main purpose of this paper is to predict the rotor dynamic behavior accurately for the vertical rotor drop case. A detailed model for the vertical rotor drop process with consideration of the rotating inclination around x- and y-axes is proposed in this paper. Additionally, rolling and sliding friction are distinguished in the simulation scenario. This model has been applied to estimate the rotor drop process in a helium circulator system equipped with AMBs for the 10 MW high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTR-10). The HTR-10 has been designed and researched by the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology (INET) of Tsinghua University. The auxiliary bearing is utilized to support the rotor in the helium circulator. The validity of this model is verified by the results obtained in this paper as well. This paper also provides suggestions for the further improvement of auxiliary bearing design and engineering application.


Author(s):  
H Hirani ◽  
P Samanta

Survey of patents on bearings indicates the maturity of hydrodynamic and rapid development of magnetic bearings. Active magnetic bearings are costlier compared with permanent magnetic bearings. To understand the performance characteristics of permanent magnetic bearings, an experimental setup has been developed. Experimental studies on radial permanent magnetic bearings demonstrated the drawbacks, such as high axial thrust and low load capacity. This has led the authors to hybridize the permanent magnet with hydrodynamic technology and to explore the possibility of achieving the low starting torque of a permanent magnetic bearing and the medium to high load carrying capacity of a hydrodynamic bearing in a single bearing arrangement. Simulation is carried out in order to reduce axial force-effect and enhance the radial force supported by the permanent magnetic bearing. Results of simulation on permanent magnetic bearing have been compared with that of published research papers. Finally an algorithm has been developed to investigate the coupling of forces generated by permanent magnets and hydrodynamic actions. Results of load sharing have been reported. The experimentally measured displacements of the shaft running at 500, 2000, and 3000 r/min have been plotted. The effect of hydrodynamics on shaft orbit has been illustrated.


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