Numerical and experimental analysis on the helicopter rotor dynamic load controlled by the actively trailing edge flap

Reducing the rotor dynamic load is an important issue to improve the performance and reliability of a helicopter. The control mechanism of the actively controlled flap on the rotor dynamic load is numerically and experimentally investigated by a 3-blade helicopter rotor in this paper. In the aero-elastic numerical approach, the complex motion of the rotor such as the stretching, bending, torsion and pitching of the blade including the deflection of the actively controlled flap (ACF) are all taken into consideration in the structural formulation. The aerodynamic solution adopted the vortex lattice method combining with the free wake model, in which the influence of ACF on the free wake and the aerodynamic load on the blade is taken into account as well. While the experimental method of measuring hub loads and acoustic was accomplished by a rotor rig in a wind tunnel. The result shows that the 3/rev ACF actuation can reduce the $3\omega$ hub load by more than 50\% at maximum, which is significantly better than the 4/rev control. While 4/rev has greater potential to reduce BVI loads than 3/rev with $\mu=0.15$. Further mechanistic analysis shows that by changing the phase difference between the dynamic load on the flap and the rest of the blade, the peak load on the whole blade can be improved, thus achieving effective control of the hub dynamic load, the flap reaches the minimum angle of attack at 90°-100° azimuth under best control condition; when the BVI load is perfectly controlled, the flap reaches the minimum angle of attack at 140° azimuth, and by changing the circulation of the wake, the intensity of blade vortex interaction in the advancing side is improved. Moreover, an interesting finding in the optimal control of noise and vibration is that an overlap point exist on the motion patterns of the flap with different frequencies.

Permanent Magnet Machines for High-Speed Applications

This paper overviews high-speed permanent magnet (HSPM) machines, accounting for stator structures, winding configurations, rotor constructions, and parasitic effects. Firstly, single-phase and three-phase PM machines are introduced for high-speed applications. Secondly, for three-phase HSPM machines, applications, advantages, and disadvantages of slotted/slotless stator structures, non-overlapping/overlapping winding configurations, different rotor constructions, i.e., interior PM (IPM), surface-mounted PM (SPM), and solid PM, are summarised in detail. Thirdly, parasitic effects due to high-speed operation are presented, including various loss components, rotor dynamic and vibration, and thermal aspects. Overall, three-phase PM machines have no self-starting issues, and exhibit high power density, high efficiency, high critical speed, together with low vibration and noise, which make them a preferred choice for high-performance, high-speed applications.

Approximation of Non-Linear Rotor Dynamic Resonance Behavior of Vertically Aligned Hydro-Units Guided by Tilting-Pad Bearings

Dynamic analyses of vertical hydro power plant rotors require the consideration of the non-linear bearing characteristics. This study investigates the vibrational behavior of a typical vertical machine using a time integration method that considers non-linear bearing forces. Thereby, the influence of support stiffness and unbalance magnitude is examined. The results show a rising influence of unbalance on resonance speed with increasing support stiffness. Furthermore, simulations reveal that the shaft orbit in the bearing is nearly circular for typical design constellations. This property is applied to derive a novel approximation procedure enabling the examination of non-linear resonance behavior, using linear rotor dynamic theory. The procedure considers the dynamic film pressure for determining the pad position. In addition, it is time-efficient compared to a time integration method, especially at high amplitudes when damping becomes small.

Application of Monte Carlo Analysis and Self-Organizing Maps to De-Risk Compressor Re-Wheeling

Objectives / Scope Re-wheeling compressors to match late-life field conditions gives significant benefits in operational efficiency and carbon reduction. But changing the compressor wheels and increasing shaft speeds also introduces a risk in terms of the rotor-dynamic stability of the system. API assessments use deterministic methods to assess the design change, but give less information in terms of the key risks and how to control them. This paper outlines new methods for assessing rotor dynamic risks to compressors during re-wheeling and their value over traditional methods. Methods New methods were developed to extend beyond the API requirements in order to assess and manage the rotor-dynamic risk as part of a peer review process of re-wheeling a compressor train. A combination of sensitivity studies on key parameters and Self Organizing Maps (SOMs - a machine learning technique) was used to identify the factors which present the greatest risk to the re-wheeling, and a Monte Carlo analysis was used to identify the change in risk of rotor-dynamic problems when compared with the existing machine. Results The Monte Carlo analysis used random distributions of factors on key input parameters, and the same factors were applied to the existing and re-wheeled designs. It identified that although the re-wheeled design was nominally more stable than the existing design according to the API analysis, it actually presented a greater risk of instability. This is because the distribution of resulting stability values had a higher mean but a greater spread than the existing machine when subject to uncertainty in input parameters. Since the existing machine is free from dynamics problems, the parameter combinations which resulted in an unstable existing machine could be discounted, but the resulting subset of factors when applied to the re-wheeled design still gave some unstable cases. Therefore, the fact that the existing machine is free from dynamics problems does not in itself discount the possibility of problems following the re-wheel. SOMs were used to identify the components which posed the greatest risk to the re-wheeled design. This highlighted that low stiffness in two particular bearings along the high speed shaft would pose the greatest risk to shaft stability, meaning that close attention can be paid by the operators and OEMs to this to manage the risks as the re-wheel progresses. Novel Information This work shows that probabilistic and machine learning techniques have significant value in managing risks during compressor re-wheeling, highlighting risks which would not be identified using standard deterministic methods and focusing attention on the aspects which are most important to manage them.

Application of Gas Foil Bearings in China

Gas foil bearing has been widely used in high-speed turbo machinery due to its oil-free, wide temperature range, low cost, high adaptability, high stability and environmental friendliness. In this paper, state-of-the-art investigations of gas foil bearings are reviewed, mainly on the development of the high-speed turbo machinery in China. After decades of development, progress has been achieved in the field of gas foil bearing in China. Small-scale applications of gas foil bearing have been realized in a variety of high-speed turbo machinery. The prospects and markets of high-speed turbo machinery are very broad. Various high-speed turbomachines with gas foil bearings have been developed. Due to the different application occasions, higher reliability requirements are imposed on the foil bearing technology. Therefore, its design principle, theory, and manufacturing technology should be adaptive to new application occasions before mass production. Thus, there are still a number of inherent challenges that must be addressed, for example, thermal management, rotor-dynamic stability and wear-resistant coatings.

Steam Turbine Overspeed Scenarios: Comparison Between API Energy Method and Dynamic Simulation

In turbomachinery applications the possibility to reduce size and costs of main flow-path components, by increasing shaft rotating speed, has always been appealing. The technological challenge in increasing this power density capability is typically related to performance prediction, to operating stress in blades and shafts, as well as to the need for a more accurate rotor-dynamic analysis. Yet another aspect, often reduced to standard assessments in less demanding applications, is related to the analysis of overspeed scenarios where, following a sudden loss of load and/or driven inertia, the turbomachine shall maintain its mechanical integrity. Especially in steam turbines applications, where the behavior of the machine is strongly affected by the plant conditions, valves intervention time and connected volumes, the reduction of the rotor inertia, against comparable power, may produce overspeed scenarios that can become a primary design constraint and, if overlooked, may have both availability and safety implications. In this paper several approaches to the analysis of overspeed scenarios are discussed, with increasing level of detail. The energy-based overspeed analysis method, as required by API612, is first discussed against practical design cases. A more accurate dynamic model is then presented, and its results compared with those of the energy-based approach. Finally, the sensitivity analysis of the overspeed peak value with respect to critical design parameters is discussed. With respect to previous works, mostly based on load rejection scenarios, the main focus is on the scenario of sudden coupling loss.

Research on Short-Circuit Current Calculation Method of Doubly-Fed Wind Turbines Considering Rotor Dynamic Process

With the enlarging scale of doubly-fed induction generators (DFIGs) connected to power systems, it is important to analyze the influence of a short-circuit current to system relay protection. Due to the correct evaluation of the protection operation characteristics, the DFIG short-circuit current needs to be calculated accurately. But the current research on the short-circuit current of DFIG is based on the following assumption: the rotor excitation current is zero after the rotor crowbar is put, and the influence of its dynamic process is ignored. This will bring errors to the calculation results. This paper takes into account the influence of rotor current dynamics by studying the mechanism of the potential transient change of DFIG. The stator rotor flux linkage of DFIG in the event of a three-phase short-circuit is accurately calculated, and an improved RMS calculation method of doubly-fed wind turbine short circuit current is proposed. A physical experiment platform with an actual controller of a doubly-fed fan is established, based on RTDS. It can be seen from the experiment that the short-circuit current calculation method proposed in this paper is more accurate than those methods that ignore the rotor dynamic process. This study lays a foundation for further study of the influence of DFIG on the protection operation characteristics.