Adaptive balancing system for low speed rotating systems

Abstract

Extra weights, which is not placed on the rotation axis of shafts, create various of problems. In the meantime, unbalanced weights cause additional unwanted moments on systems. Those moments make difficulties on electrical motor against rotating shaft properly. Furthermore, additional moments cause excessive power consumption. On the other hand, shaft position control is getting harder with extra moment on the system. Moreover, when the required moment is increased, the electrical motor can not be utilized directly on the system. Additional power trains, such as gear, belt systems have to be added to the system to create enough moment by electrical motor. These added power trains come up with a bulky system. Furthermore, as the power transmission path is getting longer and longer, the precise of the system is getting lower and lower. Hence, the center of mass of the shaft is tried to be set on the rotation axis of the shaft with the help of counter weights. Traditionally adding counter weights is the common way to balance the shaft. If the shaft and counter balance weights are considered as a system, the system gets bulky with added extra counter weights. On the other hand, when the shaft consists of more than one pieces, the added counter weights ruin the shaft dynamics and constructions. When the shaft is firstly rotated in clockwise direction, then secondly rotated in counter clockwise direction, the system cannot respond in required sensitivity with counter weights because of the wobble problem. When the rotation axis and the principal inertia axis are different, the wobble problem occurs. Therefore, in this thesis work, the system is tried to be balanced with springs and a linear actuator. The system is tried to be minimized with ejected counter balance weights. On the other hand, when the shaft dynamics are changed by changing mass on the shaft or by changing the position of mass, the required balance moment is also changed. Therefore, if the system is tried to be balanced with counter weights, the counter weights quantity and position have to be changed accordingly. However, if the system is balanced with springs, the acting force on the shaft by the spring can be altered much more easily. The connection point of the spring can be changed to control the spring force. Nonetheless, system working speed have to be considered for proper working of the balanced system when the springs are utilized. Otherwise, the spring could be affected by the resonance and the spring could even increase the unbalance moment on the system. The springs are used to balance system in the literature. However, these springs are generally utilized for balancing extending structures, such as robot arms, telescopes and table lamps. In these systems, generally, there is a limited working range. Therefore, spring balanced systems are utilized for the specific working range. This work tries to balance the system for 360 degrees with the help of a spring.