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At least 595 records · Page 33

Active rotor coning for a 25 MW downwind offshore wind turbine

A two-bladed downwind turbine system was upscaled from 13.2 MW to 25 MW by redesigning aerodynamics, structures, and controls. In particular, three 25-MW rotors were developed, and the final version is a fully redesigned model of the original rotor. Despite their radically large sizes, it was found that these 25-MW turbine rotors satisfy this limited set of structural design drivers at the rated condition and that larger blade lengths are possible with conewise load-alignment. In addition, flapwise morphing (varying the cone angle with a wind-speed schedule) was investigated to minimize mean and fluctuating blade root bending loads using steady inflow proxies for the maximum and lifetime damage equivalent load moments. Compared to the fixed coned rotor case, morphing can provide an Annual Energy Production (AEP) increase of 6%, and the maximum blade root flapwise bending moment increases 21% (still under the constraint, i.e., 10% of the ultimate moments) as a trade-off. The resulting series of 25-MW rotors can be a valuable baseline for further development and assessment of ultra-large-scale wind turbines.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Comparison of the effect of two damper sizes on the performance of a low-solidity axial-flow transonic compressor rotor

The experimental performance of a 20-inch-diameter axial-flow transonic compressor rotor with small dampers is presented. The compressor rotor was tested earlier with large dampers which were twice in size, and comparisons of overall performance and radial distributions of selected flow and performance parameters are made. The rotor with small dampers experienced lower losses in the damper region which resulted in locally higher values of temperature rise efficiency and total pressure ratio. However, there was no appreciable effect on overall efficiency and pressure ratio. A greater stall margin was measured for the rotor with small dampers at design speed, but at 70 and 90 percent of design speed the rotor with large dampers had somewhat greater flow range.

Lewis, G. W., Jr.↗

Effect of support flexibilty and damping on the dynamic response of a single mass flexible rotor in elastic bearings

A steady state analysis of the shaft and the bearing housing motion was made by assuming synchronous precession of the system. The conditions under which the support system would act as a dynamic vibration absorber at the rotor critical speed were studied; plots of the rotor and support amplitudes, phase angles, and forces transmitted were evaluated by the computer, and the performance curves were automatically plotted by a CalComp plotter unit. Curves are presented on the optimization of the support housing characteristics to attenuate the rotor unbalance response over the entire rotor speed range. The complete transient motion including rotor unbalance was examined by integrating the equations of motion numerically using a modified fourth order Runge-Kutta procedure, and the resulting whirl orbits were plotted by the CalComp plotter unit. The results of the transient analysis are discussed with regards to the design optimization procedure derived from the steady-state analysis.

Kirk, R. G.↗

Single-stage experimental evaluation of tandem-airfoil rotor and stator blading for compressors. Part 3: Data and performance for stage C

Stage C, comprised of tandem-airfoil rotor C and tandem-airfoil stator B, was designed and tested to establish performance data for comparison with the performance of conventional single-airfoil blading. Velocity diagrams and blade leading and trailing edge metal angles selected for the conventional rotor and stator blading were used in the design of the tandem blading. The rotor had an inlet hub/tip ratio of 0.8 and a design tip velocity of 757 ft/sec. At design equivalent rotor speed, rotor C achieved a maximum adiabatic efficiency of 91.8% at a pressure ratio of 1.31. The stage maximum adiabatic efficiency was 86.5% at a pressure ratio of 1.31.

Brent, J. A.↗

Rotor systems research aircraft predesign study. Volume 2: Conceptual study report

The overall feasibility of the technical requirements and concepts for a rotor system research aircraft (RSRA) was determined. The designs of two aircraft were then compared against the RSRA requirements. One of these is an all new aircraft specifically designed as an RSRA vehicle. A new main rotor, transmission, wings, and fuselage are included in this design. The second aircraft uses an existing Sikorsky S-61 main rotor, an S-61 roller gearbox, and a highly modified Sikorsky S-67 airframe. The wing for this aircraft is a new design. Both aircraft employ a fan-in-fin anti-torque/yaw control system, T58-GE-16 engines for rotor power, and TF34-GE-2 turbofans for auxiliary thrust. Each aircraft meets the basic requirements and goals of the program. The all new aircraft has inflight variable main rotor shaft tilt, a side-by-side cockpit seating arrangement, and is slightly faster in the compound mode. It is also somewhat lighter since it uses new dynamic components specifically designed for the RSRA. Preliminary development plans, including schedules and costs, were prepared for both of these aircraft.

Schmidt, S. A.↗

Flexible rotor dynamics analysis

A digital computer program was developed to analyze the general nonaxisymmetric and nonsynchronous transient and steady-state rotor dynamic performance of a bending- and shear-wise flexible rotor-bearing system under various operating conditions. The effects of rotor material mechanical hysteresis, rotor torsion flexibility, transverse effects of rotor axial and torsional loading and the anisotropic, in-phase and out-of-phase bearing stiffness and damping force and moment coefficients were included in the program to broaden its capability. An optimum solution method was found and incorporated in the computer program. Computer simulation of experimental data was made and qualitative agreements observed. The mathematical formulations, computer program verification, test data simulation, and user instruction was presented and discussed.

Shen, F. A.↗

Effects of increased leading-edge thickness on performance of a transonic rotor blade

A single-stage transonic compressor was tested with two rotor blade leading-edge configurations to investigate the effect of increased leading-edge thickness on the performance of a transonic blade row. The original rotor blade configuration was modified by cutting back the leading edge sufficiently to double the blade leading-edge thickness and thus the blade gap blockage in the tip region. At design speed this modification resulted in a decrease in rotor overall peak efficiency of four points. The major portion of this decrement in rotor overall peak efficienty was attributed to the flow conditions in the outer 30 percent of the blade span. At 70 and 90 percent of design speed, the modification had very little effect on rotor overall performance.

Reid, L.↗

Single-stage experimental evaluation of tandem-airfoil rotor and stator blading for compressors. Part 7: Data and performance for stage E

An axial flow compressor stage, having tandem airfoil blading, was designed for zero rotor prewhirl, constant rotor work across the span, and axial discharge flow. The stage was designed to produce a pressure ratio of 1.265 at a rotor tip velocity of 757 ft/sec. The rotor has an inlet hub/tip ratio of 0.8. The design procedure accounted for the rotor inlet boundary layer and included the effects of axial velocity ratio and secondary flow on blade row performance. The objectives of this experimental program were (1) to obtain performance with uniform and distorted inlet flow for comparison with the performance of a stage consisting of single-airfoil blading designed for the same vector diagrams and (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of accounting for the inlet boundary layer, axial velocity ratio, and secondary flows in the stage design.

Cheatham, J. G.↗

Bucket rotor wind-driven generator

As compared with the ordinary propeller type rotor, the bucket rotor is limited in rotational speed since the tip rotor speed can never exceed the wind speed. However, it does not present the blade fatigue problem that the ordinary rotor has, and it perhaps causes less sight pollution. The deflector vanes also provide a venturi passage to capture greater wind flow. The bucket rotors can be strung together end-to-end up to thousands of feet long to produce large amounts of power.

Chang, H. H.↗

Rotor blade-vortex interaction

The vortex lattice method has been extended to a single bladed rotor operating at high advance ratios and encountering a free vortex from a fixed wing upstream of the rotor. The predicted unsteady load distributions on the model rotor blade are generally in agreement with the experimental results. This method has also been extended to full scale rotor flight cases in which vortex induced loads near the tip of a rotor blade were indicated. Using conformal transformation methods an exact analysis of the effects of thickness on the lift due to a two dimensional wing vortex interaction is presented.

Mccormick, B. W.↗

Experiments with a four-bladed cyclic pitch stirring model rotor, part 3

The experimental work with the 2-bladed 16-inch diameter model rotor has been continued with a 4-bladed 16.5 inch diameter rotor capable of progressing and regressing cyclic pitch excitation (cyclic pitch stirring). Advance ratios of 0, .19 and .38 were tested at rotor speeds corresponding to non-dimensional blade natural frequencies of 1:14 and 1.19. The results are presented in the form of the first 5 Fourier components of the periodic response modulating function which for a periodic system takes the place of the complex response amplitude ratio of a constant system. In addition, the first and second harmonics of the trim response are presented. The test data are compared to analytical data without rotor wake and to the test data obtained earlier with the two-bladed rotor model of half the blade solidity ratio.

Hohenemser, K. H.↗

Design of an oil squeeze film damper bearing for a multimass flexible-rotor bearing system

A single-mass flexible-rotor analysis was used to optimize the stiffness and damping of a flexible support for a symmetric five-mass rotor. The flexible, damped support attenuates the amplitudes of motions and forces transmitted to the support bearings when the rotor operates through and above its first bending critical speed. An oil squeeze film damper was designed based on short bearing lubrication theory. The damper design was verified by an unbalance response computer program. Rotor amplitudes were reduced by a factor of 16 and loads reduced by a factor of 36 compared with the same rotor with rigid bearing supports.

Cunningham, R. E.↗

Flapping response characteristics of hingeless rotor blades by a gereralized harmonic balance method

Linearized equations of motion for the flapping response of flexible rotor blades in forward flight are derived in terms of generalized coordinates. The equations are solved using a matrix form of the method of linear harmonic balance, yielding response derivatives for each harmonic of the blade deformations and of the hub forces and moments. Numerical results and approximate closed-form expressions for rotor derivatives are used to illustrate the relationships between rotor parameters, modeling assumptions, and rotor response characteristics. Finally, basic hingeless rotor response derivatives are presented in tabular and graphical form for a wide range of configuration parameters and operating conditions.

Peters, D. A.↗

Redesigned rotor for a highly loaded, 1800 ft/sec tip speed compressor fan stage 1: Aerodynamic and mechanical design

A highly loaded, high tip-speed fan rotor was designed with multiple-circular-arc airfoil sections as a replacement for a marginally successful rotor which had precompression airfoil sections. The substitution of airfoil sections was the only aerodynamic change. Structural design of the redesigned rotor blade was guided by successful experience with the original blade. Calculated stress levels and stability parameters for the redesigned rotor are within limits demonstrated in tests of the original rotor.

Halle, J. E.↗

Analysis of the wind tunnel test of a tilt rotor power force model

Two series of wind tunnel tests were made to determine performance, stability and control, and rotor wake interaction on the airframe, using a one-tenth scale powered force model of a tilt rotor aircraft. Testing covered hover (IGE/OCE), helicopter, conversion, and airplane flight configurations. Forces and moments were recorded for the model from predetermined trim attitudes. Control positions were adjusted to trim flight (one-g lift, pitching moment and drag zero) within the uncorrected test data balance accuracy. Pitch and yaw sweeps were made about the trim attitudes with the control held at the trimmed settings to determine the static stability characteristics. Tail on, tail off, rotors on, and rotors off configurations were testes to determine the rotor wake effects on the empennage. Results are presented and discussed.

Marr, R. L.↗

Stability of elastic bending and torsion of uniform cantilever rotor blades in hover with variable structural coupling

The stability of elastic flap bending, lead-lag bending, and torsion of uniform, untwisted, cantilever rotor blades without chordwise offsets between the elastic, mass, tension, and areodynamic center axes is investigated for the hovering flight condition. The equations of motion are obtained by simplifying the general, nonlinear, partial differential equations of motion of an elastic rotating cantilever blade. The equations are adapted for a linearized stability analysis in the hovering flight condition by prescribing aerodynamic forces, applying Galerkin's method, and linearizing the resulting ordinary differential equations about the equilibrium operating condition. The aerodynamic forces are obtained from strip theory based on a quasi-steady approximation of two-dimensional unsteady airfoil theory. Six coupled mode shapes, calculated from free vibration about the equilibrium operating condition, are used in the linearized stability analysis. The study emphasizes the effects of two types of structural coupling that strongly influence the stability of hingeless rotor blades. The first structural coupling is the linear coupling between flap and lead-lag bending of the rotor blade. The second structural coupling is a nonlinear coupling between flap bending, lead-lag bending, and torsion deflections. Results are obtained for a wide variety of hingeless rotor configurations and operating conditions in order to provide a reasonably complete picture of hingeless rotor blade stability characteristics.

Hodges, D. H., Roberta.↗

Axial flow rotor unsteady response to circumferential inflow distortions

The unsteady response of an axial flow fan rotor to steady, circumferential inflow velocity and stagnation pressure distortions is assessed by two different methods. These are: (1) investigation of the unsteady normal force and pitching moment on a chordwise element of a rotor blade; and (2) investigation of the variation of the stagnation pressure distortion between the inlet and exit of the rotor. Experimental measurements of these unsteady characteristics are presented as a function of the geometry of the rotor -- stagger angle, solidity and steady angle of incidence -- for sinusoidally varying circumferential distortions with different numbers of distortion cycles. These measurements are compared with several theoretical analyses. While these comparisons indicate some of the deficiencies which exist in the theories, the existence of an unsteady cascade effect and the ability of the theories to adequately predict the trend of the unsteady response due to variations in reduced frequency, rotor stagger angle, solidity and mean incidence angle is clearly demonstrated.

Bruce, E. P.↗

The effect of helicopter main rotor blade phasing and spacing on performance, blade loads, and acoustics

The performance, blade loads, and acoustic characteristics of a variable geometry rotor (VGR) system in forward flight and in a pullup maneuver were determined by the use of existing analytical programs. The investigation considered the independent effects of vertical separation of two three-bladed rotor systems as well as the effects of azimuthal spacing between the blades of the two rotors. The computations were done to determine the effects of these parameters on the performance, blade loads, and acoustic characteristics at two advance ratios in steady-state level flight and for two different g pullups at one advance ratio. To evaluate the potential benefits of the VGR concept in forward flight and pullup maneuvers, the results were compared as to performance, oscillatory blade loadings, vibratory forces transmitted to the fixed fuselage, and the rotor noise characteristics of the various VGR configurations with those of the conventional six-bladed rotor system.

Gangwani, S. T.↗