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No description available.

The key objective for this research was to construct an experimental test rig along with a finite element model. Both had to accommodate a certain extent of misalignment and unbalance to provide induced vibrations in the system. Misalignment and unbalance was then varied in magnitude to identify the effect it has on the system. The next variable was the rotor speed and its effects. Finally the experimental and theoretical results were compared and the slight differences have been outlined and described. A rotor supported by two bearings with a disk attached to the middle and a three jaw coupling at the one end was considered for this research. The three jaw coupling consists out of two hub elements with concave jaws and a rubber element that fits in-between the jaws. The rotor-bearing system was subjected to unbalance at the disk and both angular and parallel misalignment at the coupling. Misalignment was achieved by offsetting the centre of rotation of the rotor and the motor shaft. Finite element analysis, along with Lagrange method, was used to model the behaviour of the system. A mathematical model for the three jaw coupling was derived to simulate its behaviour. The second order Lagrange model was reduced to a first order and solved using the Runge-Kutta method. Experimental results were obtained from a test rig and used to validate the theoretical results. Time domain and frequency spectrum were used to display the results. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

The need for better performance of turbomachinery with active magnetic bearings has necessitated a study of such systems for accurate prediction of their vibrational characteristics. This research presents a modification of existing transfer matrix methods for rotor analysis, to predict the response of rotor systems with active magnetic bearings. The position of the magnetic bearing sensors is taken into account and the effect of changing sensor position on the vibrational characteristics of rotor systems is studied. The modified algorithm is validated using a simpler modified Jeffcott model. The effect of changing from a rotating unbalance excitation to a constant excitation in a single plane is also studied. An eight-stage centrifugal compressor rotor is analyzed using the modified transfer matrix code. The results for a two-mass Jeffcott model are presented as plots of critical frequency vs. sensor position and amplitude at critical frequency vs. sensor position. Plots of amplitude vs. frequency and phase angle vs. frequency for different cases of sensor location are also presented. The results obtained by analyzing this two-mass model with the modified transfer matrix method have been compared with the results of the modified Jeffcott analysis for the purpose of verification. Also included are plots of amplitude vs. frequency and phase angle vs. frequency for the eight-stage centrifugal compressor rotor. These plots will demonstrate the significant influence that sensor location has on the critical frequencies and the amplitudes at the critical frequencies of the rotor system. / Master of Science

This thesis evaluates the application of Reynolds equation in calculating fluid film forces (FFFs) in circumferential groove journal bearings (CGJBs) with both balanced and unbalanced rotors. The existing rig was fabricated at UNSW for that purpose. Unfortunately the rig was unsuitable because it was unstable at speeds as low as 500 rpm. This occurred because, when designing the rig, the traditional ??-film cavitation boundary model (CBM) was used. Consequently a modified cavitation boundary model (MCBM) was proposed which correctly predicted the instability threshold of the rig. Using the MCBM, new bearings were installed and the modified rig was stable in the required speed range up to 2400 rpm. Two existing computer programs to calculate bearing stiffness and damping coefficients and FFFs were modified for the purposes of this study. In addition, only dynamic components (AC components) of experimental FFFs could be measured accurately. The vertical mean value (DC component) of experimental FFF was approximated to the vertical reaction force and the horizontal DC component of experimental FFF was approximated to zero at each bearing. This thesis concludes that the numerical solution of Reynolds equation to calculate DC components of FFFs in a CGJB is valid with a proper selection of CBM. The agreement of AC components of the FFFs were good with a balanced rotor, but were poor with an unbalanced rotor. The modified CBM is more accurate than the existing ??-film CBMs. The cavity region is important to obtain accurate numerical results and depends on test conditions, bearing dimensions, etc. To design for critical speeds, cavitation pressure could be either oil vapour pressure or atmospheric pressure; however, to design for stability, cavitation pressure should be oil vapour pressure, or even much lower. Two halves of a CGJB carried different loads because of misalignment and different clearances. In addition, reducing length and increasing clearance significantly increased the stability of the rig. Finally, to obtain perfect agreement between numerical and experimental FFFs, short bearings and a smaller clearance ratio are strongly recommended. A special design to measure cavitation pressure is suggested.

This thesis evaluates the application of Reynolds equation in calculating fluid film forces (FFFs) in circumferential groove journal bearings (CGJBs) with both balanced and unbalanced rotors. The existing rig was fabricated at UNSW for that purpose. Unfortunately the rig was unsuitable because it was unstable at speeds as low as 500 rpm. This occurred because, when designing the rig, the traditional ??-film cavitation boundary model (CBM) was used. Consequently a modified cavitation boundary model (MCBM) was proposed which correctly predicted the instability threshold of the rig. Using the MCBM, new bearings were installed and the modified rig was stable in the required speed range up to 2400 rpm. Two existing computer programs to calculate bearing stiffness and damping coefficients and FFFs were modified for the purposes of this study. In addition, only dynamic components (AC components) of experimental FFFs could be measured accurately. The vertical mean value (DC component) of experimental FFF was approximated to the vertical reaction force and the horizontal DC component of experimental FFF was approximated to zero at each bearing. This thesis concludes that the numerical solution of Reynolds equation to calculate DC components of FFFs in a CGJB is valid with a proper selection of CBM. The agreement of AC components of the FFFs were good with a balanced rotor, but were poor with an unbalanced rotor. The modified CBM is more accurate than the existing ??-film CBMs. The cavity region is important to obtain accurate numerical results and depends on test conditions, bearing dimensions, etc. To design for critical speeds, cavitation pressure could be either oil vapour pressure or atmospheric pressure; however, to design for stability, cavitation pressure should be oil vapour pressure, or even much lower. Two halves of a CGJB carried different loads because of misalignment and different clearances. In addition, reducing length and increasing clearance significantly increased the stability of the rig. Finally, to obtain perfect agreement between numerical and experimental FFFs, short bearings and a smaller clearance ratio are strongly recommended. A special design to measure cavitation pressure is suggested.

M. S.