Rotor Dynamics
Rotor dynamics is a major technology strength of the Dynamic Systems Analysis and Simulation Group. Group members have expertise in the areas of rotor dynamic analysis, rotor balancing, rotor design, and rotor suspension matching. This expertise has been applied most recently to support the USEC Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) and has been used in the past for the DOE Advanced Gas Centrifuge Program and in various flywheel applications.
In support of the USEC CRADA, Dynamic Systems Group members have developed the balancing algorithms used to balance the gas centrifuge components as well as fully-assembled rotors. The model-based algorithms used for rotor balancing have been implemented in Visual Basic and the balancing technology has been successfully transferred to the USEC-Babcock and Wilcox-Clinch River rotor balance organization.
In addition to balancing, Dynamic Systems Analysis and Simulation Group members have performed the majority of the rotor dynamic analysis done for the USEC CRADA by using Cylinder, a steady-state rotor dynamics code. Cylinder was originally developed during the former DOE Advanced Gas Centrifuge Program, but has now been extensively modified and used for various parametric studies supporting rotor and suspension design activities. It has also been used to analyze data acquired in the balance stands, gas stands, and test cascades located in Piketon, Ohio.
Dynamic Systems Analysis and Simulation Group members have also been involved in developing transient rotor dynamic codes, full centrifuge machine dynamic codes, and simulation models of the upper and lower suspension assemblies. Dynamic Systems Analysis and Simulations Group members continue to serve as consultants in rotor balance stand operation activities.