A Unified Approach to Analyze Vibration of Rotating Flexible Structures

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

Title: A Unified Approach to Analyze Vibration of Rotating Flexible Structures Rotating machines appear everywhere in our daily life. They could range from high-tech applications (e.g., jet engines) to ordinary household appliances (e.g., washing machines). For the past decade, rapid technology advances in various industries call for more accurate vibration analysis for rotating machines. For example, high-speed, high-density hard disk drives (HDD) require accurate geometric design of rotors and housings to meet stringent vibration specs. The purpose of this project is to develop a unified approach to analyze vibration of rotating machines with arbitrary geometry, complexity, and axisymmetry of the rotors and the stators. The proposed research consists of three parts. The first part is mathematical development of the unified approach integrating finite element analysis and gyroscopic effects. The second part is to verify the unified formulation experimentally for axisymmetric and asymmetric rotors. The third part is to extend the unified formulation to systems that employ multiple rotating components, such as multi-stage turbines and network storage devices hosting dozens of HDD. This research is novel and revolutionary, because it applies to rotating machines with arbitrary geometry and complexity. For the society, this research will help many industries produce faster and quieter rotating machines with higher reliability and efficiency. Also, this research will enhance education through an informal intern program, an effective technology transfer through industrial short courses, active participation of underrepresented students, and improved research infrastructure (e.g., disclosure of software tools, patents, and test facilities).