Supressing vibrations of shafts using adjustable bearings
AssigneeGeneral Electric Technology GmbH
InventorsAthanasios Chasalevris, Fadi Dohnal
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Abstract
A bearing configured to actively damp vibration of a shaft in a turbine. In one implementation, the bearing can include actuating members that move in a manner that changes properties of fluid, typically a thin film of lubricant, disposed in the bearing to facilitate rotation of the shaft. These changes effectively manipulate the stiffness and damping of the thin film according to a time periodicity that matches a parametric anti-resonance of the bearing. In turn, the resulting interaction of vibrating modes is favorable to damp vibration amplitudes at critical speeds.
Claims20
A bearing, comprising:
- a casing having a center axis;
- a first pad and a second pad disposed in the casing, each forming an arcuate carrying surface and radially moveable in a direction perpendicular to the center axis of the casing;
- and
- an actuator coupled with the first pad and the second pad,
- wherein the actuator is configured to displace the first pad and the second pad harmonically relative to the center axis.
Turbo-machinery, comprising:
- a shaft;
- a bearing system receiving the shaft, the bearing system comprising a first pad and a second pad, each having a carrying surface that circumscribe an annular portion of the shaft, the bearing system further comprising a lubricant disposed between the carrying surface and the shaft, the lubricant forming a thin film;
- an actuator coupled to the first pad and the second pad;
- and
- a controller coupled with the actuator, the controller configured to operate the actuator to vary thickness of the thin film.
A method, comprising:
- flowing lubricant into a rotor-bearing system comprising a bearing and shaft, the lubricant to form a thin film between the shaft and a carrying surface of the bearing;
- and
- actively displacing parts of the bearing in a pattern that causes the carrying surface to displace harmonically in a direction that is perpendicular to the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.