• Composites Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.8-15
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• 2006

In this study, computational rotor dynamic analyses of a composite roller used for large LCD panel manufacturing process have been conducted. The present computational method is based on the general finite element method with rotating gyroscopic effects of rotor systems. General purpose commercial finite element code, SAMCEF which has special rotordynamics analysis module is applied. For the purpose of numerical verification, comparison study for a benchmark dual rotor model with support bearings is also presented. Detailed finite element models for composite roller with optimized lamination angles are constructed and analyzed considering gravity effect in order to investigate vibration characteristics in actual operation environment. As results of the present study, rotor stability diagrams and mass unbalance responses are presented for different rotating conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.92-97
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• 2006

A critical speed analysis is performed for a 30 ton thrust turbopump considering the casing structural flexibility. A full three-dimensional finite element method including rotor and casing is used to predict rotordynamic behavior. Rotor alone model and rotor-casing coupled model with fixed-fixed and free-free boundary conditions are calculated to investigate the effects of the casing structural flexibility. The stiffness of ball bearings are applied as unloaded and loaded values to consider rotor operating conditions in vacuum and real engine respectively. From the results of the numerical analyses, it is found that the effect of the casing structural flexibility reduces the critical speeds of the turbopump. Especially, the loaded rotor condition with higher bearing stiffness is affected dramatically rather than the unloaded rotor condition with lower bearing stiffness.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2017

In vertical hydro/hydraulic power turbine-generator applications, traditionally, cylindrical turbine guide bearings (TGBs) are widely used to provide turbine runner shafts with smooth rotation guides and supports. All existing cylindrical TGBs with simple plain pads have drawbacks such as having no pressure generation and film stiffness at the no-load condition and in addition, at the low-load/low-eccentricity condition, having very low film stiffness values and lacking design credibility in the stiffness values themselves. In this paper, in order to fundamentally improve the low-load/low-eccentricity performance of conventional cylindrical TGBs and thus enhance their design-application availability and usefulness, we propose to introduce a rotation-directional leading-edge taper to each partitioned pad, i.e., a pad leading-edge taper. We perform a design analysis of lubrication performance on $4-Pad{\times}4-Row$ cylindrical TGBs to verify an engineering/technical usefulness of the proposed pad leading-edge taper. Analysis results show that by introducing the leading-edge taper to each pad of the cylindrical TGB one can expect a constant high average direct stiffness with a high degree of design credibility, regardless of load value, even at the low-load/low-eccentricity condition and also control the average direct stiffness value by exploring the taper height as a design parameter. Therefore, we conclude that the proposed pad leading-edge tapers are greatly effective in more accurately predicting and controlling rotordynamic characteristics of vertical hydro-power turbine-generator rotor-bearing systems to which cylindrical TGBs are applied.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2019

The present study focuses on the effect of staggered integration factor (SIF) on Morton effect simulation results. The Morton effect is a synchronous rotordynamic instability problem caused by the temperature differential across the journal in fluid film bearings. Convection and conduction of heat in the thin film displaces the hot spot, which is the hottest circumferential position in the thin film, from -20 to 40 degrees ahead of the high spot, where the minimum film clearance is experienced. The temperature differential across the journal causes a bending moment and the corresponding thermal bow in the rotating frame acts like a distributed synchronous excitation in the fixed frame. This thermal bow may cause increased vibrations and continued growth of the synchronous orbit into a limit cycle. The SIF is developed assuming that the response of the rotor-lubricant-bearing dynamic system is much quicker than that of the bearing-journal thermal system, and it is defined as the ratio between the simulation time of the thermal system and the rotor-spinning period. The use of the SIF is unavoidable for efficient computing. The value of the SIF is chosen empirically by the software users as a value between 100 and 400. However, the effect of the SIF on Morton effect simulation results has not been investigated. This research produces simulation results with different values of SIF.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.75-83
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• 2018

Microturbomachinery (< 250 kW) using gas foil bearings can function without oil lubricants, simplify rotor-bearing systems, and demonstrate excellent rotordynamic stability at high speeds. State-of-the-art technologies generally use bump foil bearings or leaf foil bearings due to the specific advantages of each of the two types. Although these two types of bearings have been studied extensively, there are very few studies on leaf-bump foil bearings, which are a combination of the two aforementioned bearings. In this work, we illustrate a simple mathematical model of the leaf-bump foil bearing with leaf foils supported on bumps, and predict its static and dynamic performances. The analysis uses the simple elastic model for bumps that was previously developed and verified using experimental data, adds a leaf foil model, and solves the Reynolds equation for isothermal, isoviscous, and ideal gas fluid flow. The model predicts that the drag torques of the leaf-bump foil bearings are not affected significantly by static load and bearing clearance. Due to the preload effect of the leaf foils, rotor spinning, even under null static load, generates significant hydrodynamic pressure with its peak near the trailing edge of each leaf foil. A parametric study reveals that, while the journal eccentricity and minimum film thickness decrease, the drag torque, direct stiffness, and direct damping increase with increasing bump stiffness. The journal attitude angle and cross-coupled stiffness remain nearly constant with increasing bump stiffness. Interestingly, they are significantly smaller compared to the corresponding values obtained for bump foil bearings, thus, implying favorable rotor stability performance.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2018

Cylindrical turbine guide bearings (TGBs) with simple plain pads have conventionally been used in vertical hydro-power turbine-generator applications in order to provide turbine runner shafts with smooth rotation guides and supports. To overcome low-load/low-eccentricity performance drawbacks, such as very low film stiffness and lack of design credibility in the stiffness values themselves, of conventional cylindrical TGBs, the introduction of a rotational-directional leading-edge taper to each partitioned pad, simply pad leading-edge taper, has been found to be very effective in enhancing their design-application availability and usefulness. In this study, we investigate the effects of taper angle and length for given taper heights in detail in order to systematically establish the effectiveness of design on the performance improvement of vertical hydro-power application cylindrical TGBs with pad leading-edge tapers. The analysis results with $4-Pad{\times}1-Row$ cylindrical TGBs show that the lubrication performance of the cylindrical TGBs is optimized with an approximate taper angle ratio of 0.8 and taper length ratio of 0.9. We conclude that the introduction of pad leading-edge tapers along with the optimization of taper designs can be very effective in improving the overall operation reliability of cylindrical TGBs and the rotordynamic characteristics of vertical hydro-power turbine-generator rotor-bearing systems as well, to which the TGBs are applied.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.279-289
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• 2020

In this paper, a method is proposed for establishing an approximate prediction model of rotor-dynamics through modal testing. In particular, the proposed method is applicable to systems that cannot be established according to conventional methods owing to the absence of information regarding the dimensions and material of the rotor-bearing system. The proposed method is demonstrated by employing a motor dynamometer driven by a 1 MW class induction motor without dimension and material information. The proposed method comprises a total of seven steps, wherein an initial model is established by incorporating approximate dimensions and material information, and the model is improved on the basis of the natural frequency characteristics of the system. During model improvement, the modification factor is introduced for adjusting the elastic modulus and shear modulus of the system. Analysis of critical speed and imbalance response indicates that the separation margin is 67% and the maximum vibration amplitude is less than the amplitude limit of 0.032 mm under the API 611 standard, which means that the motor dynamometer can stably operate at a rated speed of 1800 rpm. Hence, the obtained results validate the feasibility of the proposed method. Furthermore, for broad usage, it is necessary to accordingly apply and validate the proposed method for various rotor-bearing systems.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 2012

Superconductor flywheel energy storage system (SFESs) is an electro-mechanical battery with high energy storage density, long life, and good environmental affinity. SFESs have been developed for application to a regenerative power of train, the storage of distributed power sources such as solar and wind power, and a power quality improvement. As superconductor bearing is completely passive, it is not necessary to control a system elaborately but accurate analysis in mechanical properties of the HTS bearing is very important for application to SFESs. Stiffness and damping properties are the main index for evaluation the capacity of HTS bearings and make it possible to adjust rotordynamic properties while operating the rotor-bearing system. The superconductor bearing consists of a stator containing single grain YBCO bulks, a ring-type permanent magnet rotor with a strong magnetic field that can reach the bulk surface, and a bearing support for assembly to SFESs frame. In this study, we investigated the stiffness and damping properties of superconductor bearings in 35 kWh SFESs. Finally, we found that 35 kWh superconductor bearing has uniform stiffness properties depend on the various orientations of rotor vibration. We discovered total damping coefficient of superconductor bearing is affected by not only magnetic damping in superconductor bulk but also external damping in bearing support. From the results, it is confirmed that the conducted evaluation can considerably improve energy storage efficiency of the SFESs, and these results can be used for the optimal capacity of superconductor bearings of the SFESs.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.39-46
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• 2024

The Morton effect (ME) is an instability phenomenon occurring in rotating machineries supported by fluid film bearings and is induced by the thermal deformation of the overhung mass, which is a part of the rotating shaft. Herein, we describe the ME during the high-speed balancing test of a 20 MW class steam turbine. Additionally, to predict the rotating speed at which the ME occurs, we apply the sensitivity vector theory for the steam turbine. During the operation of the steam turbine, we observe a continuous increase in vibration and hysteresis near the rated speed, which is typical of the ME. Increasing the temperature of the lubricating oil supplied to the bearings from 40 to 60℃ suppresses the occurrence of the ME. The rotordynamic analysis for the steam turbine suggests the existence of a mode in which the overhung mass undergoes significant deformation near the rated speed, and we presume that such a mode will increase the occurrence of the ME. The predicted rotating speed of ME occurrence, obtained through the sensitivity vector method, correlates with the test results. Moreover, increasing the temperature of the supplied lubricating oil mitigates the occurrence of ME by reducing the sensitivity between the temperature deviation vector and unbalance mass vector.