Nonlinear Analysis of a Rigid Rotor on Magnetic Bearings

A simple model of a rigid rotor supported on magnetic bearings is considered. A proportional control architecture is assumed, the nonlinear equations of motion are derived and some essential nondimensional parameters are identified. The free and forced response of the system is analyzed using techniques of nonlinear analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative results are obtained and stability criteria are derived for safe operation of the system.

Evaluation of High Pressure Turbine Blade Coatings on an LM2500 Rainbow Rotor

Two LM2500 rainbow rotors with repaired stage 1 and stage 2 high pressure turbine blades are being assembled for marine propulsion service evaluation by the US Navy. The blades have seen between 5,000 and 15,000 hours of service in the Navy’s Fleets. A number of corrosion resistant coatings including plasma sprayed CoCrAlHf (bill of material), composite plated CoCrAlHf, platinum aluminide, aluminum silicide, and physical vapor deposited yttria stabilized zirconia thermal barrier coating (PVD TBC) will be evaluated in the rainbow rotor. This paper will discuss the advantages and microstructures of the various coatings. Composite plated CoCrAlHf, and PVD TBCs were recently service evaluated in an industrial LM2500 rainbow rotor for 10,500 hours. Both these coatings performed well, although the PVD TBC had local spallation at the leading edge. This paper will review the details of performance of these two coatings in the industrial LM2500 application.

Optimization of Bearing Locations for Rotor Systems With Magnetic Bearings

This paper presents a method for quickly evaluating the effect of changes in bearing location on bearing design for stability of rotating machinery. This method is intended for use by rotating machinery designers to select the “best” bearing locations prior to the bearing design process. The purpose of the method is to improve the design process by separating the problem of determining the “best” bearing locations from that of determining the actual bearing design. The method is independent of the type of bearing employed. For each candidate bearing configuration, the method provides a scalar measure of the relative ability of bearings to meet stability specifications. Within certain limits, the stability specifications are defined by the designer. The scalar measure is used to rank the candidate bearing locations and thereby select the best one. The scalar measure is compared to a practical measure of magnetic bearing design such as the infinity norm of the controller for an example design of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor.

Energy Analysis to the Design of Rotor-Bearing Systems

In the design of rotating machinery, it is often desirable and necessary to change a subset of system parameters to meet the design requirements. The success in designing rotor bearing systems and/or in solving the vibration problems depends heavily upon the understanding of fundamental physical properties and insights of the systems. The modeling improvements and computational techniques have been extensively presented over the years. The design methodologies and fundamental properties have not been widely addressed to assist design engineers in solving their practical problems. The objective of this paper is to relate the various forms of energy and work and their contributions to the system dynamic characteristics. The design strategies and methodologies using the energy approach are also presented and illustrated in a turbine driven machine.

Blade Loss Simulation of Multi Mass Rotor Model With Nonlinear Tilt Pad Journal Bearings

Prediction of rotor vibrations due to large imbalance requires nonlinear solution of the supporting bearings. This paper presents a methodology and results for the effects of large, sudden imbalance on the response of a multi mass rotor model supported on tilt pad journal bearings. For a given imbalance, response is obtained for rotor speeds below, above and at the rotor natural frequency. The maximum peak to peak amplitude is larger at the critical speed than at a speed above or below the critical. The imbalance response is compared with two other methods used for predicting the transient response of a rotor bearing system. The rigid rotor and nonlinear bearing model shows a response similar in shape to that obtained with a flexible rotor and nonlinear bearing model, but the magnitude is different, which reached a limiting value as the imbalance was increased. The flexible rotor and linearized bearing model predicts a similar trend as the flexible rotor and nonlinear bearing model, with increasing speed for a given imbalance, but the shape and magnitude of the orbit is completely different. The motion of rotor to static equilibrium location for the flexible rotor and nonlinear bearing model showed oscillations which diminished with time, while the rigid rotor and nonlinear bearing model does not show any oscillations.

Synchronous Dynamics of a Coupled Shaft/Bearing/Housing System With Auxiliary Support From a Clearance Bearing: Analysis and Experiment

This study examines the response of a flexible rotor supported by load sharing between linear bearings and an auxiliary clearance bearing. The objective of the work is to develop a better understanding of the dynamical behavior of a magnetic bearing supported rotor system interacting with auxiliary bearings during a critical operating condition. Of particular interest is the effect of coupling between the bearing/housing and shaft vibration on the rotordynamical responses. A simulation model is developed and a number of studies are performed for various parametric configurations. An experimental investigation is also conducted to compare and verify the rotordynamic behavior predicted by the simulation studies. A strategy for reducing sychronous shaft vibration through appropriate design of coupled shaft/bearing/housing vibration modes is identified. The results are presented and discussed.

High Temperature Degradation of Coating and Substrate in Gas Turbine Blade

This paper studied high temperature degradation behavior of gas turbine blades consisting of CoNiCrAlY coatings and Rene 80 substrates using a small punch (SP) testing technique at 295–1223 K and scanning Auger microprobe (SAM). In SP tests, coating cracks continuously propagated along the radial direction at 295 K and many cracks discretely were formed along more random directions at higher temperatures. The ductility of the coating at 295 K was reduced and the ductile-brittle transition temperature was increased during long time exposure of gas turbine blades to high temperature oxidation environments. SAM analyses on cross sections and fracture surfaces of the coatings indicated that oxidation and S segregation near the coating surface are profoundly induced in-service. The relationship between the mechanical properties and microstructural/chemical evolution near the coating surface is presented which serves as a data base for determining the remaining life of gas turbine blades.

Surface Integral and Finite Element Hybrid Method for Three-Dimensional Analysis of Arbitrarily-Shaped Surface Cracks

A 3D surface integral and finite element hybrid method has been developed for modeling arbitrarily-shaped surface cracks in complex structural components. Accurate stress intensity factors were obtained by decomposing the problem into a surface integral model of the fracture in a domain of infinite extent and a finite element model of the uncracked domain. Boundary conditions were enforced by applying corrective tractions to the surfaces of both constituent models. Coupling between the two formulations was minimized by implementing the fundamental solution for a force multipole near a planar free surface. Surface cracks intersecting nonplanar free surfaces were modeled in a piecewise linear fashion by deploying multiple sets of these functions. The effectiveness of this approach was demonstrated for well-documented cases including: a corner crack in a thick plate and a 3D edge crack. The results of these benchmark studies will be used to develop a set of heuristics for assuring suitable finite element mesh densities in the vicinity of the fracture.

CT Multiscan: Using Small Area Detectors to Image Large Components

The small size and dynamic range of the best two-dimensional X-ray detectors are impediments to the use of three-dimensional X-ray computed tomography (3D-XRCT) for 100% inspection of large ceramic components. The most common industrial 3D-XRCT systems use a “rotate-only” geometry in which the X-ray source and the area detector remain stationary while the component placed between them is rotated through 360°. This configuration offers the highest inspection speed and the best utilization of X-ray dose, but requires that the component be small enough to fit within the X-ray/detector “cone.” Also, if the object is very dense, the ratio of an unattenuated X-ray signal to that through the longest path in the component may exceed the dynamic range of the detector. To some extent, both of these disadvantages can be overcome by using “Multiscan CT,” i.e., scanning small overlapping regions of a large component separately while maximizing the X-ray dose to each. The overlapping scans can then be combined seamlessly into a single scan with optimal contrast.

Probabilistic Assessment of Combustor Liner Design

A typical hot structural component within an engine such as composite combustor liner is computationally simulated and probabilistically evaluated in view of the numerous uncertainties associated with the structural, material, and thermo-mechanical load variables (primitive variables) that describe the combustor. The combustor is evaluated for buckling (eigenvalue) loads, vibration frequencies, and local stresses. Results show that the scatter in the combined stress is not uniform along the length of the combustor. Furthermore, coefficient of thermal expansion, hoop modulus of the liner material, and the thermal load profile dominate stresses near the support and the intermediate location of the combustor liner. However, the liner thickness, the liner material hoop modulus, and pressure load profile have significant impact on stresses near the free end of combustor.