Browsing by Subject "Rotordynamics"
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Item An Analysis of the Impact of Flexible Coupling Misalignment on Rotordynamics(2011-10-21) Avendano Ovalle, Raul DavidMisalignment in turbomachinery has been commonly known to produce twotimes- running-speed (2N) response. This project aimed to investigate the source of the 2N vibration response seen in misaligned vibrating machinery by simulating misalignment through a coupling. Three flexible disc-pack couplings (4-bolt, 6-bolt, and 8-bolt coupling) were modeled, and parallel and angular misalignments were simulated using a finite element program. The stiffness terms obtained from the coupling simulations had 1N, 2N, and 3N harmonic components. The 4-bolt coupling had large 1N reaction components under angular and parallel misalignment. The 6-bolt coupling model only had a 1N reaction component under angular misalignment, and both cases of parallel misalignment showed a strong 2N reaction component, larger than both the 1N and 3N components. The 8-bolt coupling model under angular misalignment produced large 1N reaction components. Under parallel misalignment, it produced 1N, 2N, and 3N components that were similar in magnitude. All the couplings behaved linearly in the range studied. A simple model predicted that the 2N frequency seen in the response is caused by the harmonic (1N) term in the stiffness. The amplitude of the 2N component in the response depends on the amplitude of the 1N term in the stiffness compared to the average value of the stiffness and the frequency ratio. The rotordynamic response of a parallel and angular misaligned system was completed in XLTRC2. When the frequency ratio was 0.5, the system response with the 4-bolt and 6-bolt coupling had a synchronous 1N component that was much larger than the 2N component. The response did not have a 2N component when the 8-bolt coupling was used but the response did have a 1.6N component that was considerably larger than the 1N component. When the frequency ratio was 2, the system response with the 4-bolt and 6-bolt coupling had a synchronous 1N component and a relatively small ? frequency component. The response with the 8-bolt coupling had a 0.4N component that was larger than the 1N component. A 5-tilting pad journal bearing was also tested to better understand its behavior under misalignment because some experts attribute the 2N response to the nonlinear forces produced by bearings with high unit loads. The response of the 5-tilting pad bearing did not produce any 2N components while the bearing was subjected to unit loads of up to 34.5 bars.Item Analysis of side end pressurized bump type gas foil bearings: a model anchored to test data(2009-05-15) Kim, Tae HoComprehensive modeling of gas foil bearings (GFBs) anchored to reliable test data will enable the widespread usage of GFBs into novel turbomachinery applications, such as light weight business aircraft engines, hybrid fuel cell-turbine power systems, and micro-engines recharging battery packs for clean hybrid electric vehicles. Pressurized air is often needed to cool GFBs and to carry away heat conducted from a hot turbine in oil-free micro turbomachinery. Side end pressurization, however, demonstrates a profound effect on the rotordynamic performance of GFBs. This dissertation presents the first study that devotes considerable attention to the effect of side end pressurization on delaying the onset rotor speed of subsynchronous motions. GFB performance depends largely on the support elastic structure, i.e. a smooth foil on top of bump strips. The top foil on bump strips layers is modeled as a two dimensional (2D), finite element (FE) shell supported on axially distributed linear springs. The structural model is coupled to a unique model of the gas film governed by modified Reynolds equation with the evolution of gas flow circumferential velocity, a function of the side end pressure. Predicted direct stiffness and damping increase as the pressure raises, while the difference in cross-coupled stiffnesses, directly related to rotor-bearing system stability, decreases. Prediction also shows that side end pressurization delays the threshold speed of instability. Dynamic response measurements are conducted on a rigid rotor supported on GFBs. Rotor speed-up tests first demonstrate the beneficial effect of side end pressurization on delaying the onset speed of rotor subsynchronous motions. The test data are in agreement with predictions of threshold speed of instability and whirl frequency ratio, thus validating the model of GFBs with side end pressurization. Rotor speed coastdown tests at a low pressure of 0.35 bar evidence nearly uniform normalized rotor motion amplitudes and phase angles with small and moderately large imbalance masses, thus implying a linear rotor response behavior. A finite element rotordynamic model integrates the linearized GFB force coefficients to predict the synchronous responses of the test rotor. A comparison of predictions to test data demonstrates an excellent agreement and successfully validates the rotordynamic model.Item Bulk-Flow analysis for force and moment coefficients of a shrouded centrifugal compressor impeller(Texas A&M University, 2005-08-29) Gupta, Manoj KumarAn analysis is developed for a compressible bulk-flow model of the leakage path between a centrifugal compressor's impeller shroud and housing along the front and back side of the impeller. This is an extension of analysis performed first by Childs (1989) for a shrouded pump impeller and its housing considering an incompressible fluid, and then later by Cao (1993) using a compressible bulk flow model for the shroud of a cryogenic fluid pump. The bulk-flow model is used to develop a reaction force and moment model for the shroud of a centrifugal compressor by solving the derived governing equations and integrating the pressure and shear stress distribution. Validation is done by comparing the results to published measured moment coefficients by Yoshida et al. (1996). The comparison shows that the shroud casing clearance flow and the fluid force moment can be simulated by the bulk flow model fairly well. An Iwatsubo-based labyrinth seal code developed by Childs and Scharrer (1986) is used to calculate the rotordynamic coefficients developed by the labyrinth seals in the compressor. Tangential force and transverse moment components acting on the rotor are found to have a destabilizing influence on the rotor for a range of precession frequencies. Rotordynamic coefficients are derived for a single stage of a multistage centrifugal compressor, and a comparison is made to stability predictions using Wachel's coefficient using the XLTRC (rotordynamic FEA code). For the model employed, Wachel's model predicts a slightly lower onset speed of instability. The results also show that leakage that flows radially inwards on the back shroud has a greater destabilizing influence than leakage flow that is radially outwards. Seal rub conditions are simulated by increasing the clearance and simultaneously decreasing the tooth height, which increased the leakage and the swirl tothe eye seal inlet; and therefore reduced stability. Calculated results are provided for different seal clearances and tooth height, for seal and shroud forces and moments.Item Identification of force coefficients in flexible rotor-bearing systems - enhancements and further validations(Texas A&M University, 2005-11-01) Balantrapu, Achuta Kishore Rama KrishnaRotor-bearing system characteristics, such as natural frequencies, mode shapes, stiffness and damping coefficients, are essential to diagnose and correct vibration problems during system operation. Of the above characteristics, accurate identification of bearing force parameters, i.e. stiffness and damping coefficients, is one of the most difficult to achieve. Field identification by imbalance response measurements is a simple and often reliable way to determine synchronous speed force coefficients. An enhanced method to estimate bearing support force coefficients in flexible rotor-bearing systems is detailed. The estimation is carried out from measurements obtained near bearing locations from two linearly independent imbalance tests. An earlier approach assumed rotordynamic measurements at the bearing locations, which is very difficult to realize in practice. The enhanced method relaxes this constraint and develops the procedure to estimate bearing coefficients from measurements near the bearing locations. An application of the method is presented for a test rotor mounted on two-lobe hydrodynamic bearings. Imbalance response measurements for various imbalance magnitudes are obtained near bearing locations and also at rotor mid-span. At shaft speeds around the bending critical speed, the displacements at the rotor mid-span are an order of magnitude larger than the shaft displacements at the bearing locations. The enhanced identification procedure renders satisfactory force coefficients in the rotational speed range between 1,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm. The amount of imbalance mass needed to conduct the tests and to obtain reliable shaft displacement measurements influences slightly the magnitude of the identified force coefficients. The effect of increasing the number of rotor sub-elements in the finite-element modeling of the shaft is noted. Sensitivity of the method and derived parameters to noise in the measurements is also quantified.Item Impact of Rotor Surface Velocity, Leakage Models and Real Gas Properties on Rotordynamic Force Predictions of Gas Labyrinth Seals(2010-07-14) Thorat, Manish R.Rotordynamic coefficients of a gas labyrinth seal are assumed to be frequency independent. However, this assumption loses its validity as rotor surface velocity approaches Mach 1. The solution procedure of 1CV model by Childs and Scharrer which assumes frequency independent force coefficients is modified to allow for calculating frequency dependent force coefficients. A comparative study of the impact of using frequency-dependent model and the original frequency-independent model on stability analysis is made. The results indicate that frequency dependency of force coefficients should be accounted for in stability analysis as rotor surface velocity approaches a significant fraction of Mach number. The bulk flow rotordynamic analysis model by Childs and Scharrer is modified to investigate the impact of leakage-flow models on predictions. A number of leakage models are incorporated in the one-control volume model, and a comparative study is made. Kinetic energy carryover factor of a leakage equation is one of the dominant factors in seal cross-force generation. A leakage equation based on a model proposed by Gamal which uses Hodkinson?s kinetic energy carryover factor is found to improve predictions of direct damping and cross-coupled stiffness. A test case is implemented to study the impact of variation of seal axial radial clearance on stability characteristics. The 1CV model by Childs and Scharrer and subsequent bulk flow models are based on the assumption of isothermal flow across the labyrinth seal. The 1CV model by Childs and Scharrer is modified to include energy equation, and the flow process is assumed to be adiabatic. However, predicted cross-coupled stiffness and direct damping coefficients using the new model do not compare well with the experimental results by Picardo as compared to the isothermal model. The impact of using real gas properties on static and rotordynamic characteristics of the seal is studied.Item Leakage and rotordynamic effects of pocket damper seals and see-through labyrinth seals(2009-05-15) Gamal Eldin, Ahmed MohamedThis dissertation discusses research on the leakage and rotordynamic characteristics of pocket damper seals (PDS) and see-through labyrinth seals, presents and evaluates models for labyrinth seal and PDS leakage and PDS force coefficients, and compares these seals to other annular gas seals. Low-pressure experimental results are used alongside previously-published high-pressure labyrinth and PDS data to evaluate the models. Effects of major seal design parameters; blade thickness, blade spacing, blade profile, and cavity depth; on seal leakage, as well as the effect of operating a seal in an off-center position, are examined through a series of non-rotating tests. Two reconfigurable seal designs were used, which enabled testing labyrinth seals and PDS with two to six blades. Leakage and pressure measurements were made with air as the working fluid on twenty-two seal configurations. Increasing seal blade thickness reduced leakage by the largest amount. Blade profile results were more equivocal, indicating that both profile and thickness affected leakage, but that the influence of one factor partially negated the influence of the other. Seal leakage increased with increased eccentricity at lower supply pressures, but that this effect was attenuated for higher pressure drops. While cavity depth effects were minor, reducing depths reduced leakage up to a point beyond which leakage increased, indicating that an optimum cavity depth existed. Changing blade spacing produced results almost as significant as those for blade thickness, showing that reducing spacing can detrimentally affect leakage to the point of negating the benefit of inserting additional blades. Tests to determine the effect of PDS partition walls showed that they reduce axial leakage. The pressure drop was found to be highest across the first blade of a seal for low pressure drops, but the pressure drop distribution became parabolic for high pressure drops with the largest drop across the last blade. Thirteen leakage equations made up of a base equations, a flow factor, and a kinetic energy carryover factor were examined. The importance of the carryover coefficient was made evident and a modified carryover coefficient is suggested. Existing fullypartitioned PDS models were expanded to accommodate seals of various geometries.Item Measurements versus predictions for rotordynamic coefficients and leakage rates for a novel hole-pattern gas seal(Texas A&M University, 2007-04-25) Seifert, Brent AlanResults are presented for measured and predicted rotordynamic coefficients and leakage for hole-pattern seals with a hole depth that varies axially along the seal. Testing was done to discover how pressure ratio, inlet preswirl, and rotor speed affect the seals?????? rotordynamic characteristics and leakage. The results were compared to a constant hole depth hole-pattern seal. Experimental results show that the seals?????? rotordynamic characteristics are not strongly influenced by pressure ratio. There were three preswirl conditions tested, each separated by a 6.9 bar (100 psi) difference in inlet pressure. Therefore, normalized preswirl results were compared. The normalized results indicate that introducing inlet fluid preswirl affects the crosscoupled stiffness and effective damping coefficients. Inlet preswirl increases the magnitude of cross-coupled stiffness. Effective damping decreases with inlet preswirl, as well as the effective damping cross-over frequency increasing. These results indicate that swirl brakes would be of great value. Rotor speed had a significant effect on the cross-coupled coefficients; both increased with speed. Experimental results were compared to results for a constant hole depth holepattern seal. The variable hole-depth seal has higher direct damping. The crosscoupled stiffness and cross-coupled damping coefficients were very similar. The direct stiffness was always lower at lower frequencies and higher at higher frequencies for the variable hole depth hole-pattern seal. This was also the case for effective stiffness. The effective damping of the variable hole-depth seal was not only larger than for the constant hole depth seal, it also had a drastically lower cross-over frequency. The difference in cross-over frequency was 40 percent on average. Experimental results for rotordynamic characteristics and leakage were compared to theoretical predictions by ISOTSEAL 2, a modified version of ISOTSEAL. Both cross-coupled stiffness and damping are reasonably predicted. Direct damping is always under-predicted. ISOTSEAL 2 does a poor job of predicting direct stiffness. Direct stiffness is over-predicted at lower frequencies and under-predicted at higher frequencies. This is also the case for effective stiffness. ISOTSEAL 2 under-predicts the direct damping, but does an excellent job of predicting the direct damping crossover frequency. Seal leakage is well predicted by ISOTSEAL 2.Item Metal Mesh Foil Bearings: Prediction and Measurement for Static and Dynamic Performance Characteristics(2012-12-10) Chirathadam, ThomasGas bearings in oil-free micro-turbomachinery for process gas applications and for power generation (< 400 kW) must offer adequate load capacity and thermal stability, reliable rotordynamic performance at high speeds and temperatures, low power losses and minimal maintenance costs. The metal mesh foil bearing (MMFB) is a promising foil bearing technology offering inexpensive manufacturing cost, large inherent material energy dissipation mechanism, and custom-tailored stiffness and damping properties. This dissertation presents predictions and measurements of the dynamic forced performance of various high speed and high temperature MMFBs. MMFB forced performance depends mainly on its elastic support structure, consisting of arcuate metal mesh pads and a smooth top foil. The analysis models the top foil as a 2D finite element (FE) shell supported uniformly by a metal mesh under-layer. The solution of the structural FE model coupled with a gas film model, governed by the Reynolds equation, delivers the pressure distribution over the top foil and thus the load reaction. A perturbation analysis further renders the dynamic stiffness and damping coefficients for the bearing. The static and dynamic performance predictions are validated against limited published experimental data. A one-to-one comparison of the static and dynamic forced performance characteristics of a MMFB against a Generation I bump foil bearing (BFB) of similar size, with a slenderness ratio L/D=1.04, showcases the comparative performance of MMFB against a commercially available gas foil bearing design. The measurements of rotor lift-off speed and drag friction at start-up and airborne conditions are conducted for rotor speeds up to 70 krpm and under identical specific loads (W/LD =0.06 to 0.26 bar). The dynamic force coefficients of the bearings are estimated, in a ?floating bearing? type test rig, while floating atop a journal spinning to speeds as high as 50 krpm and with controlled static loads (22 N) applied in the vertical direction. The parameter identification is conducted in the frequency range of 200-400 Hz first, and then up to 600 Hz using higher load capacity shakers. A finite element rotordynamic program (XLTRC2) models a hollow rotor and two MMFBs supporting it and predict the synchronous rotor response for known imbalances. The predictions agree well with the ambient temperature rotor response measurements. Extensive rotor response measurements and rotor and bearing temperature measurements, with a coil heater warming up to 200 ?C and placed inside the hollow rotor, reveal the importance of adequate thermal management. The database of high speed high temperature performance measurements and the development of a predictive tool will aid in the design and deployment of MMFBs in commercial high-speed turbomachinery. The work presented in the dissertation is a cornerstone for future analytical developments and further testing of practical MMFBs.Item Performance of an Open Ends Squeeze Film Damper Operating with Large Amplitude Orbital Motions: Experimental Analysis and Assessment of the Accuracy of the Linearized Force Coefficients Model(2013-08-22) Jeung, Sung HwaSqueeze Film Dampers (SFDs) aid to suppress rotor vibrations and enhance the stability of high-speed rotor-bearing systems. A SFD is a simple oil lubricated film between a stationary housing and a precessing (whirling) journal. Aircraft engines use SFDs as the only means to provide damping to otherwise rigid ball bearing supports. This thesis presents experimental results for the dynamic forced performance of a test open ends SFD operating with large amplitude whirl motions, centered and off centered within the bearing clearance. The test rig comprises of an elastically supported bearing with a damper section having two parallel film lands separated by a feed groove. A film land is 25.4 mm long, with diameter 127 mm and nominal radial clearance c=0.251 mm. Two orthogonally placed shakers apply dynamic loads on the bearing to induce circular orbit motions at prescribed whirl frequencies. A static loader, 45? away from each shaker, pulls the bearing to a static eccentric position. Circular orbit tests were performed (10 ? 100 Hz frequency range) for eight increasing orbit amplitudes (r=0.08c to ~0.71c) and under four static eccentricities (es=0.0c to ~0.76c). An identification method estimates the test damper force coefficients from transfer functions in the frequency domain. The analysis shows that the SFD damping force coefficients increase with the static eccentricity (es) increase. On the other hand, the damper inertia coefficients decrease as the orbit amplitude (r) becomes large and also increase modestly with the static eccentricity (es). Predictions from a physical model show good agreement with the test dynamic force coefficients. The accuracy of the linearized SFD force coefficients (K, C, M)SFD is evaluated from comparing the differences in mechanical work performed by actual and linear SFD reaction forces. The difference in mechanical work (Ediff) increases with increasing static eccentricity (es) and orbit amplitude (r). However, for most test conditions (r/c?0.4,es/c?0.25), Ediff is less than ~5%, thus showing the linearized SFD force coefficients represent well the forced response of the actual test SFD system. The test and predicted force coefficients as well as the analysis of the pressure fields contribute to a better understanding of the kinetics of SFDs operating with moderate tolarge amplitude size whirl motions, centered and off-centered.Item Rotordynamic force coefficients of pocket damper seals(Texas A&M University, 2005-11-01) Ertas, Bugra HanThe present work describes experiments conducted on several pocket damper seal (PDS) designs using a high pressure annular gas seal test rig. Both rotating and non-rotating tests were conducted for a 12, 8, and 6 bladed PDS. The objective of the tests was to determine the rotordynamic force coefficients and leakage for the different PDS while varying parameters such as: (1) clearance ratio, (2) rotor surface speed, (3) PDS pressure differential, and (4) excitation frequency. Two different methods were used to determine frequency dependent force coefficients: (1) the impedance method, which involved using a baseline subtraction and (2) the dynamic pressure response method, which comprised of measuring seal cavity dynamic pressure and phase relationship to vibration. Both methods were used to determine coefficients, but the dynamic pressure response method revealed insights to the dynamics of the PDS that were the first of its kind and allowed the comparison to the damper seal theory at the most fundamental of levels. The results indicated that the conventional PDS possessed high positive damping, negative and positive stiffness, and same sign cross-coupled coefficients. Another objective of the work is to investigate a new fully partitioned PDS design and accompany experimental results with the development of a modified damper seal theory. The new fully partitioned PDS design was shown to give twice as much damping as the conventional design and revealed the ability to modify direct stiffness without degradation in direct damping. Finally, both the conventional theory and the newly proposed theory predictions are compared to experimentally determined force coefficients. The last objective was to evaluate the leakage characteristics of the different designs and to investigate the effect of blade profile on seal leakage. Results showed that beveled tooth blade profiles yield higher mass flow leakage compared to rectangular blade profiles.Item Test versus predictions for rotordynamic coefficients and leakage rates of hole-pattern gas seals at two clearances in choked and unchoked conditions(Texas A&M University, 2004-09-30) Wade, Jonathan LeighThis thesis documents the results of high pressure testing of hole-pattern annular gas seals conducted at the Texas A&M University's Turbomachinery Laboratory. The testing conditions were aimed at determining the test seals sensitivity to pressure ratio, inlet fluid preswirl, rotor speed, and rotor to seal clearance. The rotordynamic coefficients showed only small changes resulting from the different pressure ratios tested. Only the damping terms at the lower frequencies showed some influence. One other notable result from the testing of different pressure ratios is that the seals were tested in a choked flow condition, and there was not a significant change in the seal behavior when the seals transitioned to the choked condition. The inlet fluid preswirl only had a notable effect on the cross-coupled stiffness in the larger clearance tests. These results lead to the conclusion that a swirl brake could have some rotordynamic value, but only if the seals have sufficiently large clearance. Conversely this also means that if hole-pattern seals are being implemented with a small clearance, then a swirl brake would not be an effective way to improve the rotordynamic stability of the system. The only significant effect that the rotor speeds had on the rotordynamic coefficients were that the cross-coupled coefficients increased as the rotor speed increased. This is the expected result because as the rotor speed increases there is a greater shear force on the gas as it passes through the seal resulting in more fluid circumferential velocity, which results in stronger cross-coupled coefficients. The changes in clearance resulted in drastic changes in the magnitude of the coefficients. The smaller clearance yielded much higher coefficients than the larger clearance. All of the rotordynamic coefficients were predicted well by ISOTSEAL. The code was found to do a good job predicting the seal leakage as well. This gives more credence to the coefficients and leakage that ISOTSEAL predicts.