Abstract:
The present invention provides an article cleaning apparatus (1000) comprising an air management mechanism (1), a cleaning basket assembly (2), a fluid regeneration device (7), a working fluid device (6), a clean fluid device (8), and a controller (5). The working fluid device (6) is coupled to the fluid regeneration device (7), the cleaning basket assembly (2), and the air management mechanism (1). The clean fluid device (8) is coupled to the cleaning basket assembly (2) and the fluid regeneration device (7). The controller (5) is coupled to the air management mechanism (1), the cleaning basket assembly (2), the working fluid device (6), the regeneration device (7), and the clean fluid device (8). The controller (5) is configured to control a cleaning process (350). The present invention also provides a method for performing the cleaning process (350).
Abstract:
A gear includes a first gear rim, a second gear rim, and an axial groove. The first gear rim has a first gear rim rotational stiffness and includes a plurality of first gear teeth. The second gear rim has a second gear rim rotational stiffness. The second gear rim includes a plurality of second gear teeth complementing the plurality of first gear teeth defining a plurality of complementary first gear teeth and a plurality of complementary second gear teeth. The axial groove extends between the first gear rim and the second gear rim. The axial groove has an axial groove rotational stiffness that less than at least one of the first gear rim rotational stiffness and the second gear rim rotational stiffness.
Abstract:
A hermetically sealed damper assembly includes a sealed damper housing (256), a plunger (260), and a load transferring member (262) coupled to the plunger. The sealed damper housing includes a body having a cavity and a resistive flow path defined therein. The cavity and resistive flow path are filled with a viscous fluid. The body includes a plurality of springs integrally formed therein. The plunger is disposed within the cavity, and separates the cavity into a first control volume and a second control volume. The resistive flow path provides fluid communication between the first and second control volumes. The plunger is coupled to the damper housing by the plurality of springs such that the springs provide a restorative force to the plunger. The load transferring member is configured to transmit mechanical loads to the plunger.
Abstract:
A journal bearing assembly includes a bearing housing, a plurality of bearing pads (230), and a plurality of bearing pad support assemblies. The bearing housing includes a radial outer wall. The plurality of bearing pads are mounted within the bearing housing, and include at least one of a gas permeable porous media and an array of gas delivery holes (234). The plurality of bearing pad support assemblies are radially interposed between the bearing pads and the radial outer wall. Each of the bearing pad support assemblies includes a spring assembly (246) and a damper assembly (248).
Abstract:
A rotary machine seal assembly (200) includes seal segments (102) configured to circumferentially extend around a rotor (108) between a stator (106) and the rotor (108) of a rotary machine. One or more seal segments include a shoe plate (110, 410, 710, 910), a seal base (112, 412, 712, 912), and at least one intermediate member (114, 414, 714). The shoe plate is disposed along the rotor. The seal base is disposed radially outward of the shoe plate. At least one intermediate member is coupled to and disposed between the seal base and the shoe plate. The at least one intermediate member includes an actuator portion (302, 402, 702, 902) having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and a constrictor portion (304, 404, 704, 904) having a different, second coefficient of thermal expansion. The at least one intermediate member is configured to move the shoe plate from a radially outward position to a radially inward position with respect to the rotorresponsive to the at least one intermediate member undergoing a temperature change.
Abstract:
A bearing includes an inner ring having an outer surface and a cage having both an inner surface and an outer surface. The cage inner surface is positioned to be in opposition to the inner ring outer surface. The bearing further includes an outer ring having both an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer ring inner surface is positioned to be in opposition to the cage outer surface. One or more of the inner ring outer surface, the cage inner surface, the cage outer surface, and the outer ring inner surface defines a non-circular circumferential profile.
Abstract:
A journal bearing 11 for use in an epicyclical gearbox 10 including a journal pin 14, a journal bearing body 25 into which the journal pin 14 is disposed and at least one lubricating fluid inlet. The lubricating fluid inlet is configured to provide for an input of a lubricating fluid in a loaded arc portion proximate at least one high pressure point exerted upon the journal bearing body 25 during a high pressure event, thereby permitting a free flow of a lubricating fluid there between the journal pin 14 and the journal bearing body 25 during the high pressure event. In an embodiment, the journal pin 14 is configured to mimic the shape of the journal bearing body 25 at least at a high pressure point exerted upon the journal bearing body 25 during a high pressure event. An epicyclical gearbox 10 including the journal bearing 11 and method of facilitating a hydrodynamic oil flow in the planet gear journal bearing.
Abstract:
A system and method are provided to monitor the health of a wind turbine gearbox. The system includes a plurality of sensors coupled to the wind turbine gearbox and a controller coupled to the plurality of sensors. The controller is configured to acquire vibration information from a vibration sensor, acquire a tachometer signal, convert the tachometer signal and the vibration information into a cycle domain signal, and perform an order analysis on the cycle domain signal, the order analysis providing information that identifies potential and actual damage within the wind turbine gearbox.