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At least 19 records

Actively suspended counter-rotating machine

A counter-rotating machine, such as a positive displacement pump having a pair of meshed, non-contacting helical screws (10,12), subjects its rotating members to axial and radial thrust forces when used for such purposes as compression of liquid or gaseous phase fluids while transporting them through a pump cavity (11,13). Each helical screw (10,12) has a shaft (17,17') which is actively suspended at opposite ends (11a,11b) of the pump cavity by a servo-controlled magnetic bearing assembly (19) and a servo-controlled rotary drive motor (20). Both bearing assemblies and drive motors are mounted on the outside of the pump cavity (11,13). Opto-electric angular position sensors (250) provide synchronization between radial orientation of the drive motors. The bearing assemblies and drive motors conjugately provide axial stabilization and radial centering of the helical screws during volumetric compression of aspirated liquid or gaseous phase fluids.

Studer, Philip A.

Application of advanced materials to rotating machines

In discussing the application of advanced materials to rotating machinery, the following topics are covered: the torque speed characteristics of ac and dc machines, motor and transformer losses, the factors affecting core loss in motors, advanced magnetic materials and conductors, and design tradeoffs for samarium cobalt motors.

Triner, J. E.

Feasibility of vibration monitoring of small rotating machines for the environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) of the NASA advanced space craft

The application of vibration monitoring to the rotating machinery typical of ECLSS components in advanced NASA spacecraft was studied. It is found that the weighted summation of the accelerometer power spectrum is the most successful detection scheme for a majority of problem types. Other detection schemes studied included high-frequency demodulation, cepstrum, clustering, and amplitude processing.

Milner, G. Martin

Why have hydrostatic bearings been avoided as a stabilizing element for rotating machines

The advantages are discussed of hydrostatic, high pressure bearings as providers of higher margin of stability to the rotor/bearing systems. It is apparent that deliberate use of hydrostatic bearing high pressure lubricated (any gas or liquid) can easily be used to build higher stability margin into rotating machinery, in spite of the thirty years bias against high pressure lubrication. Since this supply pressure is controllable (the Direct Dynamic Stiffness at lower eccentricity is also controllable) so that within some rotor system limits, the stability margin and dynamic response of the rotor system is more readily controllable. It may be possible to take advantage of this effect in the various seals, as well as the bearings, to assist with stability margin and dynamic response of rotating machinery. The stability of the bearing can be additionally improved by taking advantage of the anti-swirling concept. The high pressure fluid supply inlets should be located tangentially at the bearing circumference and directed against rotation. The incoming fluid flow creates stability by reducing the swirling rate.

Bently, D. E.

High Efficiency Megawatt Machine Rotating Cryocooler Conceptual Design

Some of the challenges associated with developing electric aircraft propulsion systems include developing powertrain components that are both efficient and light-weight. In particular, electric motors must simultaneously achieve high efficiency by minimizing electrical and mechanical losses while also achieving high specific power by increasing the torque and/or speed. Normally increasing torque or speed will increase electrical and mechanical losses. The High Efficiency Megawatt Machine (HEMM) minimizes electrical losses by incorporating a superconductor to enable increased current on the rotor. And the rotor spins in a vacuum to minimize thermal and mechanical losses. Some organizations have been developing superconducting rotors for similar reasons using either cryogenic fluid transfer systems, fully immersed cryogenic cooling, and in a few cases utilized built-in cryogenic cooling on the rotor using a Brayton or Stirling system but the implementation was too large or inefficient for effective motor integration. Instead, a new approach for cryogenically cooling the superconducting rotor coil with an embedded rotating cryocooler is presented that fits completely within the rotating shaft.

Dyson, Rodger W.

High Efficiency Megawatt Machine Rotating Cryocooler Conceptual Design

Some of the challenges associated with developing electric aircraft propulsion systems include developing powertrain components that are both efficient and light-weight. In particular, electric motors must simultaneously achieve high efficiency by minimizing electrical and mechanical losses while also achieving high specific power by increasing the torque and/or speed. Normally increasing torque or speed will increase electrical and mechanical losses. The High Efficiency Megawatt Machine (HEMM) minimizes electrical losses by incorporating a superconductor to enable increased current on the rotor. And the rotor spins in a vacuum to minimize thermal and mechanical losses. Some organizations have been developing superconducting rotors for similar reasons using either cryogenic fluid transfer systems, fully immersed cryogenic cooling, and in a few cases utilized built-in cryogenic cooling on the rotor using a Brayton or Stirling system but the implementation was too large or inefficient for effective motor integration. Instead, a new approach for cryogenically cooling the superconducting rotor coil with an embedded rotating cryocooler is presented that fits completely within the rotating shaft.

Dyson, Rodger W.

Gravity related features of plant growth behavior studied with rotating machines

Research in plant physiology consists mostly of studies on plant growth because almost everything a plant does is done by growing. Most aspects of plant growth are strongly influenced by the earth's gravity vector. Research on those phenomena address scientific questions specifically about how plants use gravity to guide their growth processes.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology

The parameters and measurements of the destabilizing actions of rotating machines, and the assumptions of the 1950's

The measurability of destabilizing actions is demonstrated for a rotor built to produce a forward circular, self excited malfunction (gas whip). It is argued that the continued use of past modeling technqiues is unfortunate in that it has led to the use of inappropriate words to express what is happening and a lack of full understanding of the category of forward circular whip instability mechanisms.

Bently, D. E.

Neural-net Processed Electronic Holography for Rotating Machines

This report presents the results of an R&D effort to apply neural-net processed electronic holography to NDE of rotors. Electronic holography was used to generate characteristic patterns or mode shapes of vibrating rotors and rotor components. Artificial neural networks were trained to identify damage-induced changes in the characteristic patterns. The development and optimization of a neural-net training method were the most significant contributions of this work, and the training method and its optimization are discussed in detail. A second positive result was the assembly and testing of a fiber-optic holocamera. A major disappointment was the inadequacy of the high-speed-holography hardware selected for this effort, but the use of scaled holograms to match the low effective resolution of an image intensifier was one interesting attempt to compensate. This report also discusses in some detail the physics and environmental requirements for rotor electronic holography. The major conclusions were that neural-net and electronic-holography inspections of stationary components in the laboratory and the field are quite practical and worthy of continuing development, but that electronic holography of moving rotors is still an expensive high-risk endeavor.

Decker, Arthur J.

Rotating Drive for Electrical-Arc Machining

Rotating drive improves quality of holes made by electrical-arc machining. Mechanism (Uni-tek, rotary head, or equivalent) attached to electrical-arc system. Drive rotates electrode as though it were mechanical drill, while an arc disintegrates metal in workpiece, thereby creating hole. Rotating electrode method often used in electric-discharge machining. NASA innovation is application of technique to electrical-arc machining.

Fransen, C. D.

Rotor/bearing system dynamic stiffness measurements

Sweep perturbation testing as used in Modal Analysis when applied to a rotating machine has to take into consideration the machine dynamic state of equilibrium at its operational rotative speed. This stands in contrasts to a static equilibrium of nonrotating structures. The rotational energy has a significant influence on rotor dynamic characteristics. The best perturbing input for rotating machines is a forward or reverse rotating, circular force applied directly to the shaft. Determination of Dynamic Stiffness Characteristics of the rotor bearing system by nonsynchronous perturbation of a symmetric rotating shaft supported in one relatively rigid and one oil lubricated bearing.

Muszynska, A.

Design Implications of Rotordynamics and Mass Balancing on a 1.4 MW Partially Superconducting Machine

To ensure that rotating machines operate without excessive bearing loads, vibration, and dynamic stresses, their design must consider rotordynamic response and provisions for mass balancing of rotors, even when their rotational speeds are modest. This paper presents a rotordynamics design study for a 1.4 MW, partially superconducting electric machine proposed for electrified aircraft propulsion – NASA’s High Efficiency Megawatt Motor (HEMM). The study includes the selection of mass balancing grade and mount and bearing stiffnesses to yield satisfactory critical speeds, deflection, and unbalance force, and predictions of the expected mass unbalance caused by the superconducting rotor coils. The impact of the machine’s number of rotor poles on expected mass unbalance is also quantified. Design decisions and lessons learned are discussed.

hybrid electric aircraft

Design Implications of Rotordynamics and Mass Balancing on a 1.4 MW Partially Superconducting Machine

To ensure that rotating machines operate without excessive bearing loads, vibration, and dynamic stresses, their design must consider rotordynamic response and provisions for mass balancing of rotors, even when their rotational speeds are modest. This paper presents a rotordynamics design study for a 1.4 MW, partially superconducting electric machine proposed for electrified aircraft propulsion – NASA’s High Efficiency Megawatt Motor (HEMM). The study includes the selection of mass balancing grade and mount and bearing stiffnesses to yield satisfactory critical speeds, deflection, and unbalance force, and predictions of the expected mass unbalance caused by the superconducting rotor coils. The impact of the machine’s number of rotor poles on expected mass unbalance is also quantified. Design decisions and lessons learned are discussed.

hybrid electric aircraft

A New Apparatus for Measuring the Temperature at Machine Parts Rotating at High Speeds

After a brief survey of the available methods for measuring the temperatures of machine parts at high speed, in particular turbine blades and rotors, an apparatus is described which is constructed on the principle of induction. Transmission of the measuring current by sliding contacts therefore is avoided. Up-to-date experiments show that it is possible to give the apparatus a high degree of sensitivity and accuracy. In comparison with sliding contact types, the present apparatus shows the important advantage that it operates for any length of time without wear, and that the contact difficulties, particularly occurring at high sliding speeds,are avoided.

Gnam, E.

Demonstration of various rotor instabilities (exhibit of Bently Rotor Dynamics Research Corporation Laborator rigs at symposium on instability in rotaing machinery)

The operation of rotor rigs used to demonstrate various instability phenomena occurring in rotating machines is described. The instability phenomena demonstrated included oil whirl/whip antiswirl, rub, loose rotating parts, water-lubricated bearing instabilities, and cracked shaft. The rotor rigs were also used to show corrective measures for preventing instabilities. Vibrational response data from the rigs were taken with modern, computerized instrumentation. The rotor nonsynchronous perturbation rig demonstrated modal identification techniques for rotor/bearing systems. Computer-aided data acquisition and presentation, using the dynamic stiffness method, makes it possible to identify rotor and bearing parameters for low modes. The shaft mode demonstrator presented the amplified modal shape line of the shaft excited by inertia forces of unbalance (synchronous perturbation). The first three bending modes of the shaft can be demonstrated. The user-friendly software, Orbits, presented a simulation of rotor precessional motion that is characteristic of various instability phenomena. The data presentation demonstration used data measured on a turbine driven compressor train as an example of how computer aided data acquisition and presentation assists in identifying rotating machine malfunctions.

Muszynska, A.

Influence of rubbing on rotor dynamics, part 1

The results of analytical and experimental research on rotor-to-stationary element rubbing in rotating machines are presented. A characterization of physical phenomena associated with rubbing, as well as a literature survey on the subject of rub is given. The experimental results were obtained from two rubbing rotor rigs: one, which dynamically simulates the space shuttle main engine high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFTP), and the second one, much simpler, a two-mode rotor rig, designed for more generic studies on rotor-to-stator rubbing. Two areas were studied: generic rotor-to-stator rub-related dynamic phenomena affecting rotating machine behavior and applications to the space shuttle HPFTP. An outline of application of dynamic stiffness methodology for identification of rotor/bearing system modal parameters is given. The mathematical model of rotor/bearing/seal system under rub condition is given. The computer program was developed to calculate rotor responses. Compared with experimental results the computed results prove an adequacy of the model.

Muszynska, Agnes