Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Radial Gap and Impeller Blade Exit on Flow-Induced Vibration at the Blade-Passing Frequency in a Centrifugal Pump

It has been recognized that the pressure pulsation excited by rotor-stator interaction in large pumps is strongly influenced by the radial gap between impeller and volute diffusers/tongues and the geometry of impeller blade at exit. This fluid-structure interaction phenomenon, as manifested by the pressure pulsation, is the main cause of flow-induced vibrations at the blade-passing frequency. In the present investigation, the effects of the radial gap and flow rate on pressure fluctuations, vibration, and pump performance are investigated experimentally for two different impeller designs. One impeller has a V-shaped cut at the blade's exit, while the second has a straight exit (without the V-cut). The experimental findings showed that the high vibrations at the blade-passing frequency are primarily raised by high pressure pulsation due to improper gap design. The existence of V-cut at blades exit produces lower pressure fluctuations inside the pump while maintaining nearly the same performance. The selection of proper radial gap for a given impeller-volute combination results in an appreciable reduction in vibration levels

On the contact detection for contact-impact analysis in multibody systems

One of the most important and complex parts of the simulation of multibody systems with contact-impact involves the detection of the precise instant of impact. In general, the periods of contact are very small and, therefore, the selection of the time step for the integration of the time derivatives of the state variables plays a crucial role in the dynamics of multibody systems. The conservative approach is to use very small time steps throughout the analysis. However, this solution is not efficient from the computational view point. When variable time step integration algorithms are used and the pre-impact dynamics does not involve high-frequencies the integration algorithms may use larger time steps and the contact between two surfaces may start with initial penetrations that are artificially high. This fact leads either to a stall of the integration algorithm or to contact forces that are physically impossible which, in turn, lead to post-impact dynamics that is unrelated to the physical problem. The main purpose of this work is to present a general and comprehensive approach to automatically adjust the time step, in variable time step integration algorithms, in the vicinity of contact of multibody systems. The proposed methodology ensures that for any impact in a multibody system the time step of the integration is such that any initial penetration is below any prescribed threshold. In the case of the start of contact, and after a time step is complete, the numerical error control of the selected integration algorithm is forced to handle the physical criteria to accept/reject time steps in equal terms with the numerical error control that it normally uses. The main features of this approach are the simplicity of its computational implementation, its good computational efficiency and its ability to deal with the transitions between non contact and contact situations in multibody dynamics. A demonstration case provides the results that support the discussion and show the validity of the proposed methodology.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

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

A review of friction models in interacting joints for durability design.

This paper presents a comprehensive review of friction modelling to provide an understanding of design for durability within interacting systems. Friction is a complex phenomenon and occurs at the interface of two components in relative motion. Over the last several decades, the effects of friction and its modelling techniques have been of significant interests in terms of industrial applications. There is however a need to develop a unified mathematical model for friction to inform design for durability within the context of varying operational conditions. Classical dynamic mechanisms model for the design of control systems has not incorporated friction phenomena due to non-linearity behaviour. Therefore, the tribological performance concurrently with the joint dynamics of a manipulator joint applied in hazardous environments needs to be fully analysed. Previously the dynamics and impact models used in mechanical joints with clearance have also been examined. The inclusion of reliability and durability during the design phase is very important for manipulators which are deployed in harsh environmental and operational conditions. The revolute joint is susceptible to failures such as in heavy manipulators these revolute joints can be represented by lubricated conformal sliding surfaces. The presence of pollutants such as debris and corrosive constituents has the potential to alter the contacting surfaces, would in turn affect the performance of revolute joints, and puts both reliability and durability of the systems at greater risks of failure. Key literature is identified and a review on the latest developments of the science of friction modelling is presented here. This review is based on a large volume of knowledge. Gaps in the relevant field have been identified to capitalise on for future developments. Therefore, this review will bring significant benefits to researchers, academics and industrial professionals

Modally Tuned Influence Coefficients for Low-Speed Balancing of Flexible Rotors

The need to devise a low-speed balancing method for balancing high-speed rotors was recognized and addressed. In this paper, a scheme that combines both the influence coefficients and modal balancing techniques is presented. The scheme is developed for low-speed balancing of high-speed rotors, and relies on knowledge of the modal characteristics of the rotor. The conditions for applicability of the method were stated in the light of the experientially estimated rotor deflection mode shapes. An experimental test rig of a flexible rotor was constructed to verify the applicability and reliability of the low-speed balancing scheme