M. Tech. (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology), Vaal University of Technology. / Fault diagnosis of a rotor system operating in a fluid is one of the most difficult aspects of rotating machinery. Fluid in machinery plays a significant role in concealing the allowable rubbing stress limit during the impact generated from the rotor-stator rub which may progressively deteriorate the rotating system. Therefore, a numerical and experimental investigation was performed to analyse the influence of the fluid during the rotor-stator contact of a vertical rotor system partially submerged in an incompressible inviscid fluid with a focus on detecting rubbing fault in the presence of axial load. The theoretical model of lateral-torsional rotor consists of a 3-D rub-impact induced parametric excitation, which was assimilated to operate as elastic vertical rotor system by considering the transient vibration of a flexible axial force and energy of the vertical shaft system. The model was established based on Jeffcott rotor, time-varying stiffness and the rotor-stator fluid interaction. The Lagrangian principle was used to establish the governing equation of motion. The hydrodynamic forces acting on the vertical rotor were established and introduced into the system based on the Laplace form of the linearized Navier–Stokes equations under lateral excitation yielding a highly nonlinear 5-DOF system. To evaluate the dynamic response and ensure the accurate acquisition of rubbing features in a fluid, the classical Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and the vibration waveform have been discretised and illustrated through the frequency components. Furthermore, for effective extraction of some hidden features of rub, the nonlinear features embedded in the vibration waveform have been discretised and illustrated through to the lateral deformation of the rotor and the orbit patterns of the shaft. Qualitative numerical analysis suitable for highly nonlinear and non-stationary signal Time-Frequency strategies, Wavelet Synchrosqueezed Transform (WSST) and Instantaneous Frequency (IF) technique were employed to successfully extract the frequency of oscillating modes and the periodic frequency response of the faulted rotor system. It is demonstrated that the coupled lateral-torsional vibration of the submerged vertical rotor system has the potential to enhance the much-unwanted hidden frequencies of vibration that leads to significant instability of the rotor system. In particular, the responses revealed the existence of unstable regimes with respect to the lateral-torsional deflection as well as the angular velocity. High harmonic peaks were also identified at the critical speed, which can be considered as a monitoring index to detect the rubbing in rotating shafts in a fluid. It was found that even at relatively slow rotating speed fluid elastic forces induced by the co-rotating flow surrounding the shaft significantly affect the transverse natural modes of vibration of the shaft. Despite the interaction between the fluid and the rotor generates self-excitation of low frequencies, obtained results indicated that the fluid-rotor interaction reduces the dynamic vibration response of the faulted system running below the second critical speed. It has been analytically demonstrated that the time-varying stiffness induced is the principal cause of the frequency-modification feature of the dynamic response of an unbalance-rub rotor system at the contact region. The model investigated in this study has potential application for drill string-borehole shaft system used in the oil industry.

This thesis describes the test rig and results from a project expanding the field of rotor health monitoring by using Active Magnetic Bearings (AMBs) as actuators for applying a variety of known force inputs to a spinning. Similar to modal analysis and other nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques which apply input signals to static structures in order to monitor responses; this approach allows for the measurement of both input and output response in a rotating system for evaluation. However, unlike these techniques, the new procedure allows for multiple forms of force input signals to be applied to a rotating structure. This technique is used on a rotating shaft supported in conventional bearings with an AMB actuator added to the system. This paper presents the results from this project including shaft rub and notch. An EDM notch was also tested to attempt a breathing scenario similar to breathing cracks. / Master of Science

[pt] Este trabalho pretende demonstrar a possibilidade de usar pinos ativos em máquinas rotativas de forma a reduzir as amplitudes de órbitas em situações críticas através de uma investigação analítica com validação experimental. Os pinos funcionam como medida de segurança quando o rotor se torna instável ou começa a oscilar por qualquer razão. Para este propósito, foi realizado um estudo completo da influência da presença dos pinos dentro do mancal de retenção. Quatro pinos foram posicionados em duas bancadas de testes já existentes no laboratório. A atuação deles provém de motores de passo, que os inserem até um determinado comprimento na parte interna do mancal, isto é, a folga radial entre o rotor e a parede do mancal. Primeiramente, uma análise matemática dos fenômenos envolvidos foi desenvolvida, fornecendo as equações necessárias para as simulações numéricas do sistema. Em seguida, foram realizados testes experimentais nas bancadas e informações relevantes foram adquiridas e comparadas com os resultados das simulações. Eles demonstraram estar consistentes, o que ajudou a validar o conceito de inserção de pinos ativos no mancal de segurança, de modo a evitar possíveis condições perigosas, como atrito, roçamento total e efeitos abrasivos. / [en] This work intends to show the possibility of using active pins in rotating machines to reduce amplitudes of orbits at critical situations through an analytical investigation with experimental validations. The pins shall operate as a safety measure when the rotor becomes unstable or starts to oscillate by any reason. To this purpose a thorough study is made of the influence of the presence of pins inside the retainer bearing. Four pins were installed within two existing test rigs in the laboratory. Their actuation comes from step motors, which insert them until a certain length in the inner side of the retainer bearing, or the gap between the rotor and the bearing wall. First, a mathematical approach of the involved phenomena is developed, providing the equations to perform numerical simulations of the system. Then, experiments where performed in the test rigs and relevant data were collected and compared to the simulation results. They showed positive accordance, which helped to validate the concept of properly inserting active pins inside the retainer bearings to avoid possible hazardous conditions, such as, friction, full annular rubbing, and abrasive effects.

Dans des conditions de conduite dite douce, la bande de roulement de pneumatique présente des faciès d’usure de type cratères d’usure ou bien des rides.Le but de ce travail de thèse était de recréer et d’étudier ces faciès d’usure pour des élastomères renforcés par du noir de carbone ou de la silice sur un tribomètre rotatif afin de pouvoir expliquer leurs mécanismes de formation. Des parallèles ont été établis entre les valeurs de perte de masse, de coefficient de frottement et le type du faciès d’usure tout en prenant en compte les propriétés physico-chimiques des échantillons.L’étude a expliqué les différences entre les types de faciès d’usure générés sur des matériaux renforcés par du noir de carbone et ceux renforcés par de la silice. Les paramètres influant sur a transition cratères d’usure et rides ont également été étudiés. / In soft conditions of driving, wear patterns appear on the tire tread. They are called wear craters and ridges.The aim of this thesis work was to recreate and to study these wear patterns for reinforced elastomers by carbon black or silica on a rotary tribometer in order to explain their mechanisms formation. Parallels were established between the values of mass lost, friction coefficient and the type of wear patterns while taking into account the physico-chemical properties of samples.The study explained the differences between the type of wear patterns generated on reinforced materials by carbon black and those reinforced by silica. Affect parameters on the transition between wear craters and ridges were also studied.

This thesis deals with calculation of THD dependency on signal frequency and calculation of Rub & buzz distortion using MATLAB software. Thesis includes generation of signals suited for THD measurement, playback and recording using sound card and APx series 500 device. The APx device controlling and data acquisition by MATLAB is also addressed. Loudspeaker electric model is discussed for the use of Rub & buzz measurement.

Rotating blades, which are the most critical components of any turbo-machinery, need to be designed to withstand forced vibrations due to accidental tip rub impact against inner surface of casing. These vibrations are typically dependent on operating conditions and geometric parameters. In the current study, a rotor test rig with a maximum tip speed capability of 144 km/hr has been developed for studying the dynamic behavior of representative jet engine compressor blades actuated by the closure of clearance between the tip of a given rotating blade and a sector of the inner lining of the casing. Ten different blade profiles are chosen in the present research. The blades are obtained by lofting NACA GOE123 airfoil cross-section along different stacking axes. Rotor test rigs which simulate transient dynamic events require high frequency data acquisition systems like slip ring arrangement or telemetric transmission. While slip rings introduce noise into the signal, the telemetric transmission works out to be rather expensive. To circumvent the stated shortcomings of data acquisition systems, a novel rotor-mounted data acquisition system has been implemented here which captures dynamic strains in vibrating blades during operation. The current data acquisition system can store data for duration of five seconds with a sampling rate of 35 kHz. It has been calibrated with four standard tests, and provides a simple and efficient mode of data capturing. Three blades with airfoil sections (a flat beam-type blade of uniform rectangular cross-section, a blade with twisted cross-sections stacked along a straight line, and a blade similar to the latter but with a curved stacking axis) are tested under controlled rub conditions at four different speeds. The maximum test speed is restricted to 800 rpm for reasons of safety although the set-up is designed to operate up to a maximum speed of 2000 rpm. For each of the rotor speeds, a blade is tested for three to four different stagger angles in the range of 0o-30o. By plotting the RMS values of measured dynamic responses with respect to stagger angle for a given rotor speed, it has been observed, perhaps for the first time in published literature, that a stagger angle of around 20o yields the maximum RMS value of strain response. A major objective of the current study has been to utilize the data generated in the tip rub impact tests for validating a predictive numerical model of the test set-up using explicit finite element analysis. To this end, a finite element model of the rotor rig inclusive of a rotor with two blades and the static frame structure is developed and analyzed using an explicit LS-DYNA solver. This model is calibrated with the test results of the three blade designs described above. In particular, it has been shown that the frequency contents of the measured dynamic strain responses agree quite well with frequencies obtained from the numerically computed responses. It has been found in the experimental responses that a given blade vibrates with two main frequencies: one corresponding to the first natural frequency of the rotor-blade system during the tip-rubbing phase (which lasts until the blade tip is in contact with the rub element which is a sector of the circular casing), and another corresponding to the first natural frequency of the blade when it vibrates freely without its tip being in contact with the rub-liner of the casing. A shortcoming of the current modeling approach is its inability to realistically represent the damping behaviors observed in the tests. For reasons of computational efficiency and consistent with the fact that there was no perceptible damage in the tested blades, an elastic constitutive behavior is specified for the blades, while the sacrificial PVC rub-liner is assumed to behave elasto-plastically. A limited study has also been carried out by assigning an elasto-plastic constitutive model to one of the blades previously represented with elastic properties only, and although incipient yielding is observed in a highly localized region at the tip of a blade (which can also be a numerical artifact), the responses under the two material behavior considerations (i.e. elastic and elasto-plastic) are found to be nearly same. Finally, this validated modeling approach is applied to the study of blades of ten distinct geometric profiles (including the three configurations already considered) at a speed of 800 rpm and the resonant speed of a given blade. Comparisons are made between the relevant responses (such as time-histories of root strain, shaft torque, blade axial displacement, bearing load and rub force) of nine blades with airfoil cross-sections (leaving aside the results for the first blade of rectangular cross-section which is only of academic interest). Based on this study, of all the blade designs, it has been found that the curve-stacked airfoils exhibit better ‘Rub-tolerant’ behavior. Both experimental and simulation results have predominantly proven the fact that adding curvature to a straight stacked blade through curve-stacked or bow result in reducing the rub induced vibration. While sweep and bow provide some aerodynamic advantages, they are not much helpful in containing the vibrations to a sustainable extent.

No description available.

La résistance bactérienne aux antibiotiques dans les établissements de santé complique la prise en charge thérapeutique et entraîne une surmortalité des patients infectés. L'objectif de ce travail était d'évaluer différentes approches ayant pour finalité la prévention et la maîtrise des infections nosocomiales. Ce travail s'articule autour de trois questions : (i) Existe-t-il une stratégie de promotion d'un juste usage des antibiotiques à privilégier ? (ii) Comment évaluer la performance en matière d'hygiène des mains ? (iii) Quelles mesures pouvons-nous proposer pour limiter la diffusion de P. aeruginosa ?Nous avons d'abord montré que la diffusion de recommandations sous la forme de guides régionaux ou de messages de pharmacovigilance était suivie d'une modification des prescriptions antibiotiques conformes aux recommandations.Ensuite, nous avons évalué le niveau de performance des établissements de santé en matière d'hygiène des mains en étudiant plus particulièrement l'indicateur de consommation de solution hydro-alcoolique (ICSHA). Nous avons ainsi pu montrer que le nombre minimal d'opportunité d'hygiène des mains servant à son calcul, était sous-estime. Dans une autre étude, nous avons été confrontés aux limites liées à sa construction, ces dernières étant en partie responsable de l'absence de relation observée entre cet indicateur et la prévalence des infections associées aux dispositifs invasifs.Enfin, nous avons montré que la charge en soins et la contamination des réseaux d'eau propre des établissements de santé étaient des facteurs de risque contextuels d'acquisition du bacille pyocyanique. Un autre travail a mis en évidence que les réseaux d'eau usée étaient impliqués dans la diffusion extra-hospitalière de souches résistantes. Une étude est actuellement en cours pour évaluer l'intérêt d'une approche globale associant dépistage et précautions complémentaires chez les patients porteurs de P. aeruginosa.En conclusion, si ce travail confirme l'efficacité de certaines actions de prévention tout en mettant en avant les limites d'autres approches, il ne permet pas de privilégier une stratégie particulière. Il apparaît ainsi nécessaire de mettre en place des stratégies globales et transversales allant au-delà des seuls établissements de santé / Bacterial resistance to antibiotics in health care facilities complicates the therapeutic burden and increased mortality of infected patients. The objective of this work was to evaluate different approaches which aim was to prevent and control hospital-acquired infections. This work focuses on three issues: (i) Is there a strategy already in place to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics? (ii) How can we evaluate performance in terms of hand hygiene? (iii) What measures can we implement to limit the spread of P. aeruginosa?We first showed that the distributions of regional guidelines or drug monitoring alerts were followed by a change in the uptake of antibiotic prescriptions in line with such recommandations.Then we evaluated the performance of health care facilities for hand hygiene, focusing especially on the index of consumption of alcohol-base hand-rub solution. We showed that the number of alcohol-based hand-rub is far higher than that defined by the French Ministry of Health. In another study, we were faced with limitations in its construction, the latter being partly responsible for the lack of a relationship between this indicator and the prevalence of invasive devices associated with infections.Finally, we have shown that the burden of care and the contamination of clean water networks of health facilities were contextual risk factors for acquisition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Another study showed that wastewater networks were involved in extra-hospital spread of resistant strains. A study is currently underway to assess the value of a global approach combining screening and additional precautions in patients with P. aeruginosa.In conclusion, this study confirms the effectiveness of some preventive measures while underlining the limitations of other approaches. However it does not promote a particular strategy. Because in terms of BMR, it is necessary to define global and cross-sectorial strategies which go beyond the health care facilities

Private deck of cards created during six-month survey and documentation of daily experiences. The package contains 49 cards and it is inspired by a set of 78 tarot cards. Text content - reverse side of the card was created using diary notes. Face side of the card was chosen as a representation of processes taking place usually in days when the card was read.