Stochastic properties of turbulence excited rotor blade vibrations
Rotor blade random vibrations in response to turbulence
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Rotor blade random vibrations in response to turbulence
The NASA Glenn Research Center, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Stirling Technology Company (STC) are developing a highly efficient, long-life, free-piston Stirling convertor for use as an advanced spacecraft power system for future NASA missions, including deep-space and Mars surface applications. As part of this development, four structural dynamic test programs were recently performed on Stirling Technology Demonstration Convertors (TDC's) that were designed and built by STC under contract to the Department of Energy. This testing was performed in Glenn's Structural Dynamics Laboratory and Microgravity Emissions Laboratory. The first test program, in November and December 1999, demonstrated that the Stirling TDC could withstand the harsh random vibration experienced during a typical spacecraft launch and survive with no structural damage or functional power performance degradation. This was a critical step in enabling the use of Stirling convertors for future spacecraft power systems. The most severe test was a 12.3grms random vibration test, with test durations of 3 min per axis. The random vibration test levels were chosen to simulate, with margin, the maximum anticipated launch vibration conditions. The Microgravity Emissions Laboratory is typically used to measure the dynamics produced by operating space experiments and the resulting impact to the International Space Station's microgravity environment. For the second Stirling dynamic test program, performed in January 2001, the Microgravity Emissions Laboratory was used to characterize the structure-borne disturbances produced by the normal operation of a pair of Stirling convertors. The forces and moments produced by the normal operation of a Stirling system must be recognized and controlled, if necessary, so that other nearby spacecraft components, such as cameras, are not adversely affected. The Stirling convertor pair emitted relatively benign tonal forces at its operational frequency and associated harmonics. Therefore, Stirling power systems will not disturb spacecraft science experiments if minimal appropriate mounting efforts are made. The third test program, performed in February and May 2001, resulted in a modal characterization of a Stirling convertor. Since the deflection of the TDC piston rod, under vibration excitation, was of particular interest, the outer pressure shell was removed to allow access to the rod. Through this testing, the Stirling TDC's natural frequencies and modes were identified. This knowledge advanced our understanding of the successful 1999 vibration test and may be utilized to optimize the output power of future Stirling designs. The fourth test program, in April 2001, was conducted to characterize the structural response of a pair of Stirling convertors, as a function of their mounting interface stiffness. The test results provide guidance for the Stirling power package interface design. Properly designed, the interface may lead to increased structural capability and power performance beyond what was demonstrated in the successful 1999 vibration test. Dynamic testing performed to date at Glenn has shown that the Stirling convertors can withstand liftoff random vibration environments and meet "good neighbor" vibratory emission requirements. Furthermore, the future utilization of the information obtained during the tests will allow the corporation selected to be the Stirling system integrator to optimize their convertor and system interfaces designs. Glenn's Thermo-Mechanical Systems Branch provides Stirling technology expertise under a Space Act Agreement with the Department of Energy. Additional vibration testing by Glenn's Structural Systems Dynamics Branch is planned to continue to demonstrate the Stirling power system's vibration capability as its technology and flight system designs progress.
A bearing damper, operating on the support flexure of a pivoted pad in a tilting-pad type gas-lubricated journal bearing, has been designed, built, and tested under externally-applied random vibrations. The NASA Brayton Rotating Unit (BRU), a 36,000 rpm, 10-Kwe turbogenerator had previously been subjected in the MTI Vibration Test Laboratory to external random vibrations, and vibration response data had been recorded and analyzed for amplitude distribution and frequency content at a number of locations in the machine. Based on data from that evaluation, a piston-type damper was designed and developed for each of the two flexibly-supported journal bearing pads (one in each of the two three-pad bearings). A modified BRU, with dampers installed, has been re-tested under random vibration conditions. Root-mean-square vibration amplitudes were determined from the test data, and displacement power spectral density analyses have been performed. Results of these data reduction efforts have been compared with vibration tolerance limits. Results of the tests indicate significant reductions in vibration levels in the bearing gas-lubricant films, particularly in the rigidly-mounted pads. The utility of the gas-lubricated damper for limiting rotor-bearing system vibrations in high-speed turbomachinery has thus been demonstrated.
The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) and Lockheed Martin (LM) performed random vibration testing on a single spring strut development unit to assess its ability to withstand qualification level random vibration environments. Failure of the strut while exposed to random vibration resulted in a follow-on failure investigation, design changes, and additional development tests. This paper focuses on the results of the failure investigations referenced in detail in the NESC final report including identified lessons learned to aid in future design iterations of the spring strut and to help other mechanism developers avoid similar pitfalls.
The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) and Lockheed Martin (LM) performed random vibration testing on a single spring strut development unit to assess its ability to withstand qualification level random vibration environments. Failure of the strut while exposed to random vibration resulted in a follow-on failure investigation, design changes, and additional development tests. This paper focuses on the results of the failure investigations referenced in detail in the NESC final report [1] including identified lessons learned to aid in future design iterations of the spring strut and to help other mechanism developers avoid similar pitfalls.
Commodities are transferred between the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) crew module (CM) and service module (SM) via an external umbilical that is driven apart with spring-loaded struts after the structural connection is severed. The spring struts must operate correctly for the modules to separate safely. There was no vibration testing of strut development units scoped in the MPCV Program Plan; therefore, any design problems discovered as a result of vibration testing would not have been found until the component qualification. The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) and Lockheed Martin (LM) performed random vibration testing on a single spring strut development unit to assess its ability to withstand qualification level random vibration environments. Failure of the strut while exposed to random vibration resulted in a follow-on failure investigation, design changes, and additional development tests. This paper focuses on the results of the failure investigations including identified lessons learned and best practices to aid in future design iterations of the spring strut and to help other mechanism developers avoid similar pitfalls.
Three systems for the control of acoustic testing are compared: a hybrid digital/analog system, a digital vibration system, and the same digital vibration system modified by a software change. The hybrid system was constructed to control the 1/3-octaves from 50 to 1000 Hz. The vibration system was equipped with programs for sine and random vibration tests, shock analysis and synthesis, and signal analysis. For the modified vibration system, the random-vibration control program of the unmodified unit was changed so that acoustic tests could be performed. The performance of the three systems is compared by conducting probability-density and time-history analyses of the proposed test spectrum for the Mariner Jupiter/Saturn 1977 program. The results of the analyses show that the hybrid and modified vibration systems perform almost equally, but the modified vibration system is easier to use and produces better test documentation.
Delivery of Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) to on-orbit destinations such a the International Space Station (ISS) and the Hubble Space Telescope is an important component of the space program. ORUs are integrated on orbit with space assets to maintain and upgrade functionality. For ORUs comprised of sensitive equipment, the dynamic launch environment drives design and testing requirements, and high frequency random vibrations are generally the cause for failure. Vibration isolation can mitigate the structure-borne vibration environment during launch, and hardware has been developed that can provide a reduced environment for current and future launch environments. Random vibration testing of one ORU to equivalent Space Shuttle launch levels revealed that its qualification and acceptance requirements were exceeded. An isolation system was designed to mitigate the structure-borne launch vibration environment. To protect this ORU, the random vibration levels at 50 Hz must be attenuated by a factor of two and those at higher frequencies even more. Design load factors for Shuttle launch are high, so a metallic load path is needed to maintain strength margins. Isolation system design was performed using a finite element model of the ORU on its carrier with representative disturbance inputs. Iterations on the modelled to an optimized design based on flight proven SoftRide MultiFlex isolators. Component testing has been performed on prototype isolators to validate analytical predictions.
In 2016, the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) project office funded research at the NASA Glenn Research Center to evaluate the maturity of the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology and its viability for supporting launch vehicle and space applications. This technology evaluation included vibration, reactant purity, and vacuum exposure sensitivity testing. The evaluation process did not include microgravity testing. This paper discusses the vibration sensitivity testing of two air-independent fuel cell stacks provided by different vendors to assess the ability of currently available fuel cell stack hardware to survive the projected random vibrational environment that would be encountered in an upper stage launch vehicle. Baseline performance testing was utilized to quantify stack performance and overboard leak rate at standard atmospheric conditions in order to provide a reference for post-test comparison. Both fuel cell stacks were tested at a random vibration qualification level of 10.4 grms for five minutes in each axis. Low-level sinusoidal sweeps were conducted before and after each random vibration level run to see if any significant change in resonances were detected. Following vibration facility testing, the baseline performance testing was repeated. Test results demonstrated no measurable change in fuel cell electrochemical or mechanical performance, indicating that the two evaluated PEM fuel cell stacks may be suitable for space applications pending microgravity testing.
An analytical method is presented for determining large-deflection static bending, large-amplitude free and forced vibrations, and large-amplitude random response of a clamped, symmetrically laminated, rectangular, thin plate subjected to a uniformly distributed transverse loading. Both movable and immovable inplane boundary conditions are considered. Numerical results for bending deflections and strains, frequency ratios, mean-square center deflections and mean-square maximum strains are presented showing the parametric effects of plate length-to-width ratio, orientation of layers, and intensities of applied force for both the linear and nonlinear cases. The analytical results for large-deflection random response are verified through comparison with experimental data.
A number of techniques for dealing with important technical aspects of the random vibration control problem are described. These include the generation of pseudo-random and true random noise, the control spectrum estimation problem, the accuracy/speed tradeoff, and control correction strategies. System hardware, the operator-system interface, safety features, and operational capabilities of sophisticated digital random vibration control systems are also discussed.
The vibration testing performed on the Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Spectrometer (CLAES) Instrument, installed on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, is discussed. The tests discussed include random vibration, model verification using random vibration, and structural verification using a low frequency sine burst. Particular attention is given to the use of the sine burst test method to verify the structural integrity. Lessons learned from the program are summarized.
Acoustic excitation and random vibration measurements for Agena vehicle
This slide presentation focuses on the dynamic mechanical response and fatigue behavior in sub-micron thick Au-films deposited onto amorphous Si(sub X)N(sub y) substrates, with spider-web geometry, that were subjected to forced vibration (3-axis random vibration with 2 kHz roll-off frequency). The work is to advance cyrogenic detectors that can operate at 100mK, that is required to create cryogenic detectors that are to search for present day signatures of the big bang.
Rocket engines normally have two primary sources of dynamic excitation. The first source is the injector and the combustion chambers that generate wide band random vibration. The second source is the turbopumps, which produce lower levels of wide band random vibration as well as sinusoidal vibration at frequencies related to the rotating speed and multiples thereof. Additionally, the pressure fluctuations due to flow turbulence and acoustics represent secondary sources of excitation. During the development stage, in order to design/size the rocket engine components, the local dynamic environments as well as dynamic interface loads have to be defined.
Lightweight and high resolution optics are needed for future space-based X-ray telescopes to achieve advances in high-energy astrophysics. The Next Generation X-ray Optics (NGXO) team at NASA GSFC is nearing mission readiness for a 10 arc-second Half Power Diameter (HPD) slumped glass mirror technology while laying the groundwork for a future 1-2 arc-second technology based on polished silicon mirrors. Technology Development Modules (TDMs) have been designed, fabricated, integrated with mirrors segments, and extensively tested to demonstrate technology readiness. Tests include X-ray performance, thermal vacuum, acoustic load, and random vibration. The thermal vacuum and acoustic load environments have proven relatively benign, while the random vibration environment has proven challenging due to large input amplification at frequencies above 500 Hz. Epoxy selection, surface preparation, and larger bond area have increased bond strength while vibration isolation has decreased vibration amplification allowing for space launch requirements to be met in the near term. The next generation of TDMs, which demonstrates a lightweight structure supporting more mirror segments, is currently being fabricated. Analysis predicts superior performance characteristics due to the use of E-60 Beryllium-Oxide Metal Matrix Composite material, with only a modest cost increase. These TDMs will be larger, lighter, stiffer, and stronger than the current generation. Preliminary steps are being taken to enable mounting and testing of 1-2 arc-second mirror segments expected to be available in the future. A Vertical X-ray Test Facility (VXTF) will minimize module gravity distortion and allow for less constrained mirror mounts, such as fully kinematic mounts. Permanent kinematic mounting into a modified TDM has been demonstrated to achieve 2 arc-second level distortion free alignment.
The purpose of this report is to present a qualification level vibration testing performed on the S/N 202, EOS AMSU-A1 Instrument was vibration tested to qualification levels per the Ref. 1 shop order. The instrument withstood the 8 g sine sweep test, the 7.5 Grms random vibration test, and the 18.75 g sine burst test in each of the three orthogonal axes. Some loss of transmissibility, however, is seen in the lower reflector after Z-axis random vibration. The test sequence was not without incidence. Failure of Channel 7 in the Limited Performance Test (LPT) performed after completion of the 1 st (X-axis) axis vibration sequence, required replacement of the DRO and subsequent re-testing of the instrument. The post-vibration comprehensive performance test (CPT) was successfully run after completion of the three axes of vibration with the replacement component installed in the instrument. Passing the CPT signified the successful completion of the S/N 202 A1 qualification vibration testing.
The governing nonlinear equations of motion are derived for a rectangular isotropic plate subjected to a combined thermal-acoustic loading. The thermal loading is taken to be a steady state temperature distribution, and the acoustic loading is considered to be a stationary Gaussian pressure with zero mean and uniform magnitude and phase over the plate surface. With these types of loads, the thermal-acoustic analysis can be separated into two problems: (1) thermal post-buckling; and (2) random vibration of the thermally buckled plate. Since both analyses are nonlinear, iterative techniques are used to solve each. For the random vibration analysis, the method of equivalent linearization is used; both auto- and cross-correlation terms are included. Results obtained using the present formulation are compared with previous classical equivalent linearization results.