System and method for damping narrow band axial vibrations of a rotating device
AssigneeSatCon Technology Corporation
InventorsBruce G. Johnson, Richard Hockney, David Eisenhaure, Ralph Fenn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for damping narrow band axial vibrations of a rotating device in which a reaction mass is coupled to the rotating device and a reaction mass actuator is employed to move the reaction mass axially along the rotating device. An effect of vibrations on the rotating device is then measured, and in response the reaction mass is moved axially to damp the effect of vibrations and so the vibrations.
Claims21
A method of damping axial vibrations of a rotating device, comprising:
- coupling a reaction mass in a manner in which it has an effect on vibrations of the rotating device;
- providing means for moving said reaction mass to counter vibrations from the rotating device;
- measuring an effect of vibrations from the rotating device;
- and
- moving said reaction mass in response to said measured effect to damp the effect and the vibrations.
The method of claim I in which measuring an effect includes determining the axial acceleration of the rotating device.
The method of claim I in which measuring an effect includes determining the force between the rotating device and a fixed surface.
The method of claim I further including determining the rotational velocity of the rotating device, in which moving the reaction mass is also responsive to the determined velocity.
The method of claim I in which the reaction mass is coupled to a fixed member in mechanical contact with the rotating device.
A method of damping axial vibrations of a rotating shaft, comprising:
- coupling a reaction mass to the shaft, said reaction mass including a permanent magnet and back iron constrained radially and movable axially in relation to the shaft;
- coupling windings to the shaft for selectively providing a magnetic field for interacting with the field from said permanent magnet to move the reaction mass axially along the shaft;
- determining the shaft rotational velocity;
- measuring an effect of vibrations on the shaft;
- and
- selectively providing current to the windings in response to the shaft rotational velocity and the measured effect to move the reaction mass to damp the effect and the vibrations.
A lorentz force vibration damping system for cancelling rotating shaft axial vibrations, comprising:
- a reaction mass elastically coupled to the shaft;
- means for measuring the shaft rotational velocity and an effect of vibrations on the shaft;
- and
- a lorentz force reaction mass actuator, responsive to said means for measuring, for selectively moving said reaction mass axially along the shaft to suppress shaft axial vibrations.
A rotational shaft axial vibration damping system, comprising:
- a reaction mass coupled to the shaft;
- means for measuring an effect of shaft axial vibrations;
- and
- means, responsive to said means for measuring, for axially moving said reaction mass to damp the measured effect and the vibrations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.