Control of electro-rheological fluid to achieve rotary balancing

Abstract

Balancing of rotating machinery involves a wide spectrum of applications including low and high speed rotors. Systems which continuously monitor machines for vibration have made it possible to develop other systems that continually correct for instabilities such as unbalance. This research provides an initial examination of the use of an Electro-Rheological Fluid as correction weight to alleviate unbalance in a rotating machine. Vibrations not associated with balancing were dampened by solidifying ER Fluid used as a correction weight in a balancer prototype. However, optimal apportionment of ER Fluid to achieve rotary balancing was not achieved in prototype tests.