Analysis of the dynamic behaviour of rotating disk-like structures submerged and confined

Resumen

The analysis of the dynamic behaviour of rotating turbomachinery components is of relevant interest to avoid damages or fatigue problems in these parts. To determine the dynamic behaviour of a part of a structure it is necessary to perform an analysis of the free vibration of this part and a study of the excitation characteristic. The free vibration analysis (modal analysis) determines the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the structure. The excitation analysis gives the frequency content and the shape of the excitation. Hydraulic runners are very complex structures that are submerged and confined inside a casing. Particularly pump-turbine runners behave as disk-like structures at their first modes of vibration and they are excited with the well known Rotor-Stator Interaction (RSI) when they are under operation. In order to study the effect of the rotation, the confinement and the excitation on the dynamic behaviour of the structure in a systematic and clear way, a simplified model is needed. For this reason, in this thesis the dynamic behaviour of a rotating disk submerged in water and confined inside a casing has been analyzed analytically, experimentally and contrasted with simulation. Firstly, an analytical model for the analysis of the dynamic behaviour is presented. The natural frequencies and mode shapes of a rotating disk considering the surrounding flow are analytically determined with a simplified model. Also the response of the disk with different excitation patterns that simulates the RSI is analyzed. Finally the transmission from the rotating to the stationary frame is discussed. For the experimental analysis a rotating disk test rig has been developed. It consists of a rotating disk submerged and confined inside a casing. The disk has been excited from the rotating frame with piezoelectric patches (PZT) and with a special impact device. The response of the disk has been measured simultaneously from the rotating and from the stationary frame. The first several natural frequencies and mode shapes of the disk when it rotates in air and in water have been obtained in the rotating frame with miniature accelerometers screwed on the disk and contrasted with the analytical model presented and with a numerical FEM simulation. Only the diametrical modes, which are the most relevant and similar to the real hydraulic runners, have been considered in this study. The disk has been excited with several rotating excitation patterns that simulate the real RSI. The dynamic behaviour of the disk due to these excitation patterns has been determined experimentally and contrasted with the analytical model.