Balancing device for a rotor including multidirectional balancing tools

• US 10,731,466 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2016
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie SRL (Nuovo Pignone International SRL)
• Original Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie SRL (Nuovo Pignone International SRL)
• Inventors: Mochi, Gianni, Braglia, Giacomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Plumb, Nigel H
• Application Number:
  US15/780,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20180347365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/027 Arrangements for balancing for balancing rotating bodies in general F16F15/32; for compensating unbalance G01M1/36
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/662 Balancing of rotors compensating unbalance G01M1/36
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/15 Load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/32 Correcting- or balancing-weights or equivalent means for balancing rotating bodies, e.g. vehicle wheels suppression of vibrations in rotating systems by using freely rotating masses F16F15/14; compensation of inertia forces F16F15/22; compensating unbalance for testing purposes G01M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/322 the rotating body being a shaft F16F15/34, F16F15/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/36 operating automatically , i.e. where, for a given amount of unbalance, there is movement of masses until balance is achieved damping vibrations of washing machines by displacing, supplying or ejecting a material, e.g. liquid, into or from counterbalancing pockets D06F37/245
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/22 and converting vibrations due to imbalance into electric variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/32 by adding material to the body to be tested, e.g. by correcting-weights

Abstract

A device for balancing a turbomachine rotor having a driver rotor and a driven rotor is provided. The device comprises a base that is coaxially fixable to the turbomachine rotor and configured to transfer torque from the driver rotor to the driven rotor. The device also comprises at least three balancing tools arranged on the base, each balancing tool (i) defining a respective balancing direction along a radial direction of the base and (ii) comprising: a weight moveable along the respective balancing direction, and a motor configured to move the weight along the respective balancing direction to balance the rotor.

Claims

1. A device for balancing a turbomachine rotor comprising a driver rotor and a driven rotor, the device comprising:

a base coaxially fixable to the turbomachine rotor and configured to transfer torque from the driver rotor to the driven rotor; and

at least three balancing tools arranged on the base, each balancing tool (i) defining a respective balancing direction along a radial direction of the base and (ii) comprising;

a weight moveable along the respective balancing direction,

a motor configured to move the weight along the respective balancing direction, and

a worm gear driven by the motor, the weight being slidingly connected to the worm gear and the base so that the worm gear slides with respect to the base when the worm gear is rotated,

wherein the balancing directions of the at least three balancing tools are uniformly angularly spaced relative to each other.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the weights are equal.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the thread of the worm gear has trapezoidal section.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the motor is an electric motor.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the weight of each balancing tool can move radially from and to a position close to a rotation axis of the device along the balancing direction.

6. A turbomachine comprising:

a rotor comprising a driver rotor and a driven rotor;

a device for balancing the rotor according to claim 1 connected to said rotor;

at least a sensor configured to measure a disequilibrium vector of the rotor during its rotation; and

a control unit configured for adjusting the device as a function of the disequilibrium vector.

7. The turbomachine according to claim 6, wherein the device for balancing the rotor is connected between the driver rotor and the driven rotor.

8. A device for balancing a turbomachine rotor comprising a driver rotor and a driven rotor, the device comprising:

a base coaxially fixable to the turbomachine rotor and configured to transfer torque from the driver rotor to the driven rotor; and

at least three balancing tools arranged on the base, each balancing tool (i) defining a respective balancing direction along a radial direction of the base and (ii) comprising;

a weight moveable along the respective balancing direction, and

a motor configured to move the weight along the respective balancing direction; and

sliding contacts for electrically connecting an electric source to the motor of each balancing tool,

wherein the balancing directions of the at least three balancing tools are uniformly angularly spaced relative to each other.

9. A device for balancing a turbomachine rotor comprising a driver rotor and a driven rotor, the device comprising:

a base coaxially fixable to the turbomachine rotor and configured to transfer torque from the driver rotor to the driven rotor; and

at least three balancing tools arranged on the base, each balancing tool (i) defining a respective balancing direction along a radial direction of the base and (ii) comprising;

a weight moveable along the respective balancing direction, and

a motor configured to move the weight along the respective balancing direction; and

a contactless power supply for electrically connecting an electric source to the motor of each balancing tool,

wherein the balancing directions of the at least three balancing tools are uniformly angularly spaced relative to each other.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein the contactless power supply is of the inductive type.

11. A device for balancing a turbomachine rotor comprising a driver rotor and a driven rotor, the device comprising:

a base coaxially fixable to the turbomachine rotor and configured to transfer torque from the driver rotor to the driven rotor; and

at least three balancing tools arranged on the base, each balancing tool (i) defining a respective balancing direction along a radial direction of the base and (ii) comprising;

a weight moveable along the respective balancing direction, and

a motor configured to move the weight along the respective balancing direction,

wherein the motor comprises a blocking device configured to block the motor if electricity is not provided to ensure the weight stays in place, and the balancing directions of the at least three balancing tools are uniformly angularly spaced relative to each other.

12. A turbomachine comprising:

a rotor comprising a driver rotor and a driven rotor;

a device for balancing the rotor, the device comprising;

a base coaxially fixable to the turbomachine rotor and configured to transfer torque from the driver rotor to the driven rotor, and

at least three balancing tools arranged on the base, each balancing tool (i) defining a respective balancing direction along a radial direction of the base and (ii) comprising;

a weight moveable along the respective balancing direction, and

a motor configured to move the weight along the respective balancing direction;

at least a sensor configured to measure a disequilibrium vector of the rotor during its rotation, the at least a sensor comprising a set of vibration detection devices configured to measure components of vibrations according to orthogonal axes;

a control unit configured for adjusting the device as a function of the disequilibrium vector; and

a keyphasor,

wherein the balancing directions of the at least three balancing tools are uniformly angularly spaced relative to each other.

13. The turbomachine of claim 12 wherein the sensor is one or more piezoelectric sensor.