Study of the effect of contact force model on the dynamic response of mechanical systems with dry clearance joints : computational and experimental approaches

The main objective of this work is to present a computational and experimental study on the contact forces developed in revolute clearance joints. For this purpose, a well-known slider-crank mechanism with a revolute clearance joint between the connecting rod and slider is utilized. The intra-joint contact forces that generated at this clearance joints are computed by considered several different elastic and dissipative approaches, namely those based on the Hertz contact theory and the ESDU tribology-based for cylindrical contacts, along with a hysteresis-type dissipative damping. The normal contact force is augmented with the dry Coulomb’s friction force. In addition, an experimental apparatus is use to obtained some experimental data in order to verify and validate the computational models. From the outcomes reported in this paper, it is concluded that the selection of the appropriate contact force model with proper dissipative damping plays a significant role in the dynamic response of mechanical systems involving contact events at low or moderate impact velocities.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Planetary bearing defect detection in a commercial helicopter main gearbox with vibration and acoustic emission

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Helicopter gearboxes significantly differ from other transmission types and exhibit unique behaviors that reduce the effectiveness of traditional fault diagnostics methods. In addition, due to lack of redundancy, helicopter transmission failure can lead to catastrophic accidents. Bearing faults in helicopter gearboxes are difficult to discriminate due to the low signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the presence of gear vibration. In addition, the vibration response from the planet gear bearings must be transmitted via a time-varying path through the ring gear to externally mounted accelerometers, which cause yet further bearing vibration signal suppression. This research programme has resulted in the successful proof of concept of a broadband wireless transmission sensor that incorporates power scavenging whilst operating within a helicopter gearbox. In addition, this paper investigates the application of signal separation techniques in detection of bearing faults within the epicyclic module of a large helicopter (CS-29) main gearbox using vibration and Acoustic Emissions (AE). It compares their effectiveness for various operating conditions. Three signal processing techniques including an adaptive filter, spectral kurtosis and envelope analysis, were combined for this investigation. In addition, this research discusses the feasibility of using AE for helicopter gearbox monitoring

Bacterial community issued from a Chlorophytum plant-microbial fuel cell for electricity generation

Some microorganisms, particularly bacteria, can adhere to conductive surfaces and grow as an electroactive biofilm, on which they communicate electrochemically and generate electricity. Here, a bacterial community isolated from anodic electroactive biofilms of a Microbial Fuel Cell planted with Chlorophytum comosom is studied. Seventeen different bacterial strains were isolated from electroactive biofilms and were identified using the 16S rRNA marker gene. The strains were affiliated to 8 bacteria families and 8 genera (Aeromonas, Enterobacter, Alcaligenes, Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Paraclostridium, Enterococcus and Kurthia spp.). After that, it was demonstrated using electrochemical methods, principally imposed potential chronoamperometry under +0.155 mV/SCE, that the consortium constituted of 17 strains was able to exchange electrons with conductive materials. A maximum current density of 345 µA/cm2 was revealed at 48h of the study, using acetate as the sole carbon source and without any additional external mediator.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Modeling and simulation of joint clearance effects on mechanisms having rigid and flexible links

In this study, kinematic and dynamic characteristics of a planar four-bar mechanism having joint clearance and link flexibility are investigated. Assuming that joint clearance as a virtual massless link, artificial clearances are developed at crank-coupler and coupler-follower joints. Contact model in joints with clearance is established using the nonlinear spring-damper model and the friction effect is considered using the Coulomb friction model. Then the simulation is implemented and the kinematic and dynamic characteristics of model mechanism are investigated. The computational methodology can predict the effects of clearance on planar mechanism having rigid and flexible links. The results are evaluated for the case of stationary phase, and naturally show that extreme values occur in output of the mechanism with clearances. Due primarily to the suspension effect of the flexible link, values of these peaks in the flexible mechanism decrease relative to that of the rigid mechanism. In addition, the flexibility has a significant effect on the vibration response of the mechanism with joint clearance