You are here

UCF Digital Collections ยป ETD Collection

The Effect of Magnetic Bearing on the Vibration and Friction of a Wind Turbine

Download pdf | Full Screen View

Date Issued:
2012
Abstract/Description:
Demands for sustainable energy have resulted in increased interest in wind turbines. Thus, despite widespread economic difficulties, global installed wind power increased by over 20% in 2011 alone. Recently, magnetic bearing technology has been proposed to improve wind turbine performance by mitigating vibration and reducing frictional losses. While magnetic bearing has been shown to reduce friction in other applications, little data has been presented to establish its effect on vibration and friction in wind turbines. Accordingly, this study provides a functional method for experimentally evaluating the effect of a magnetic bearing on the vibration and efficiency characteristics of a wind turbine, along with associated results and conclusions.The magnetic bearing under examination is a passive, concentric ring design. Vibration levels, dominant frequency components, and efficiency results are reported for the bearing as tested in two systems: a precision test fixture, and a small commercially available wind turbine. Data is also presented for a geometrically equivalent ball bearing, providing a benchmark for the magnetic bearing's performance. The magnetic bearing is conclusively shown to reduce frictional losses as predicted by the original hypothesis. However, while reducing vibration in the precision test fixture, the magnetic bearing demonstrates increased vibration in the small wind turbine. This is explained in terms of the stiffness and damping of the passive test bearing. Thus, magnetic bearing technology promises to improve wind turbine performance, provided that application specific stiffness and damping characteristics are considered in the bearing design.
Title: The Effect of Magnetic Bearing on the Vibration and Friction of a Wind Turbine.
57 views
26 downloads
Name(s): Vorwaller, Mark, Author
Lin, Kuo-Chi, Committee Chair
Raghavan, Seetha, Committee Member
Gou, Jihua, Committee Member
, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2012
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Demands for sustainable energy have resulted in increased interest in wind turbines. Thus, despite widespread economic difficulties, global installed wind power increased by over 20% in 2011 alone. Recently, magnetic bearing technology has been proposed to improve wind turbine performance by mitigating vibration and reducing frictional losses. While magnetic bearing has been shown to reduce friction in other applications, little data has been presented to establish its effect on vibration and friction in wind turbines. Accordingly, this study provides a functional method for experimentally evaluating the effect of a magnetic bearing on the vibration and efficiency characteristics of a wind turbine, along with associated results and conclusions.The magnetic bearing under examination is a passive, concentric ring design. Vibration levels, dominant frequency components, and efficiency results are reported for the bearing as tested in two systems: a precision test fixture, and a small commercially available wind turbine. Data is also presented for a geometrically equivalent ball bearing, providing a benchmark for the magnetic bearing's performance. The magnetic bearing is conclusively shown to reduce frictional losses as predicted by the original hypothesis. However, while reducing vibration in the precision test fixture, the magnetic bearing demonstrates increased vibration in the small wind turbine. This is explained in terms of the stiffness and damping of the passive test bearing. Thus, magnetic bearing technology promises to improve wind turbine performance, provided that application specific stiffness and damping characteristics are considered in the bearing design.
Identifier: CFE0004452 (IID), ucf:49326 (fedora)
Note(s): 2012-08-01
M.S.M.E.
Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering
Masters
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): Magnetic Bearing -- Vibration Testing -- Friction -- Wind Turbine
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004452
Restrictions on Access: public 2012-08-15
Host Institution: UCF

In Collections