scholarly journals On-Site Identification of Dynamic Annular Seal Forces in Turbo Machinery Using Active Magnetic Bearings: An Experimental Investigation

Author(s):  
Jonas S. Lauridsen ◽  
Ilmar F. Santos

Significant dynamic forces can be generated by annular seals in rotordynamics and can under certain conditions destabilize the system leading to a machine failure. Mathematical modeling of dynamic seal forces are still challenging, especially for multiphase fluids and for seals with complex geometries. This results in much uncertainty in the estimation of the dynamic seal forces, which often leads to unexpected system behavior. This paper presents the results of a method suitable for on-site identification of uncertain dynamic annular seal forces in rotordynamic systems supported by active magnetic bearings (AMB). An excitation current is applied through the AMBs to obtain perturbation forces and a system response, from which the seal coefficients are extracted by utilizing optimization and a priori information about the mathematical model structure and its known system dynamics. As a study case, the method is applied to a full-scale test facility supported by two radial AMBs interacting with one annular center-mounted test seal. Specifically, the dynamic behavior of a smooth annular seal with high preswirl and large clearance (worn seal) is investigated in this study for different excitation frequencies and differential pressures across the seal. The seal coefficients are extracted and a global model on reduced state-space modal form is obtained using the identification process. The global model can be used to update the model-based controller to improve the performance of the overall system. This could potentially be implemented in all rotordynamic systems supported by AMBs and subjected to seal forces or other fluid film forces.

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-123
Author(s):  
Adis Muminovic ◽  
Sanjin Braut ◽  
Adil Muminovic ◽  
Isad Saric ◽  
Goranka Štimac Rončević

Proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control is the most common control approach used to control active magnetic bearings system, especially in the case of supporting rigid rotors. In the case of flexible rotor support, the most common control is again PID control in combination with notch filters. Other control approaches, known as modern control theory, are still in development process and cannot be commonly found in real life industrial application. Right now, they are mostly used in research applications. In comparison to PID control, PI-D control implies that derivate element is in feedback loop instead in main branch of the system. In this paper, performances of flexible rotor/active magnetic bearing system were investigated in the case of PID and PI-D control, both in combination with notch filters. The performances of the system were analysed using an analysis in time domain by observing system response to step input and in frequency domain by observing a frequency response of sensitivity function.


2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas S. Lauridsen ◽  
Ilmar F. Santos

Proper design of feedback controllers is crucial for ensuring high performance of active magnetic bearing (AMB) supported rotor dynamic systems. Annular seals in those systems can contribute significant forces, which, in many cases, are hard to model in advance due to complex geometries of the seal and multiphase fluids. Hence, it can be challenging to design AMB controllers that will guarantee robust performance for these kinds of systems. This paper demonstrates the design, simulation, and experimental results of model-based controllers for AMB systems, subjected to dynamic seal forces. The controllers are found using H∞ and μ synthesis and are based on a global rotor dynamic model in which the seal coefficients are identified in situ. The controllers are implemented in a rotor-dynamic test facility with two radial AMBs and one annular seal with an adjustable inlet pressure. The seal is a smooth annular type, with large clearance (worn seal) and with high preswirl, which generates significant cross-coupled forces. The H∞ controller is designed to compensate for the seal forces and the μ controller is furthermore designed to be robust against a range of pressures across the seal. In this study, the rotor is nonrotating. Experimental and simulation results show that significant performance can be achieved using the model-based controllers compared to a reference decentralized proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller and robustness against large variations of pressure across the seal can be improved by the use of robust synthesized controllers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clément Jarroux ◽  
Jarir Mahfoud ◽  
Benjamin Defoy ◽  
Thomas Alban

Abstract The stability of rotating machinery is a major challenge for the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units such as steam turbines or centrifugal compressors. The use of active magnetic bearings (AMBs) in turbomachines enables high operating speeds, active mechatronic system for the diagnostics, and the control and enables downsizing of the whole installation footprint. In case of strong base motions, the rotor can contact its touchdown bearings (TDBs) which are used as emergency and landing bearings. The aim of this study is to assess the stability of a rotating machine supported on AMBs during severe foundation excitation. The combined effect of unbalance forces, base motion excitation, and contact non-linearity on a rotor–AMB system response is analyzed focusing on the capacity of an augmented proportional-integral-derivative controller to maintain the system stable. An academic scale test rig was used for the experimental investigations. The controller was efficient and able to maintain the system stable during and after the application of the excitation, but the dynamic capacity of the AMBs was largely oversized with respect to the studied system. In order to check the capacity of the AMBs, when they are designed as a function of the rotor weight and expected excitation, numerical simulations were carried out (downsized). A finite element (FE) model was developed to model the on-board rotor–AMB system. Predicted and measured responses due to impulse excitation applied on the foundations were compared. The capacity of the controller to maintain the system stability is then discussed.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5249
Author(s):  
Karel Kalista ◽  
Jindrich Liska ◽  
Jan Jakl

Verification of the behaviour of new designs of rotor seals is a crucial phase necessary for their use in rotary machines. Therefore, experimental equipment for the verification of properties that have an effect on rotor dynamics is being developed in the test laboratories of the manufacturers of these components all over the world. In order to be able to compare the analytically derived and experimentally identified values of the seal parameters, specific requirements for the rotor vibration pattern during experiments are usually set. The rotor vibration signal must contain the specified dominant components, while the others, usually caused by unbalance, must be attenuated. Technological advances have made it possible to use magnetic bearings in test equipment to support the rotor and as a rotor vibration exciter. Active magnetic bearings allow control of the vibrations of the rotor and generate the desired shape of the rotor orbit. This article presents a solution developed for a real test rig equipped with active magnetic bearings and rotor vibration sensors, which is to be used for testing a new design of rotor seals. Generating the exact shape of the orbit is challenging. The exact shape of the rotor orbit is necessary to compare the experimentally and numerically identified properties of the seal. The generalized notch filter method is used to compensate for the undesired harmonic vibrations. In addition, a novel modified generalized notch filter is introduced, which is used for harmonic vibration generation. The excitation of harmonic vibration of the rotor in an AMB system is generally done by injecting the harmonic current into the control loop of each AMB axis. The motion of the rotor in the AMB axis is coupled, therefore adjustment of the amplitudes and phases of the injected signals may be tedious. The novel general notch filter algorithm achieves the desired harmonic vibration of the rotor automatically. At first, the general notch filter algorithm is simulated and the functionality is confirmed. Finally, an experimental test device with an active magnetic bearing is used for verification of the algorithm. The measured data are presented to demonstrate that this approach can be used for precise rotor orbit shape generation by active magnetic bearings.


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