Rotor vibration control via active magnetic bearings and internal actuation

Designing rotor systems for high rotating speeds requires careful consideration of vibration signatures. Active Magnetic Bearings (AMBs) improve the vibration response by removing physical contact between the rotor and the stator. Their performance is, however, limited by magnetic flux saturation and the amplifier switching frequency. This paper develops a rotor bend-control concept with an experimental test rig. It shows that it is possible to reduce the amplitude of oscillation of the demand control current of an AMB under PID control by up to 65% by applying a bend that counteracts the effect of unbalance. The optimal orientation of the bend is found using a phase sweep. It shows that the bend control has promising capabilities to control the vibration level and reduce the synchronous demand from the AMB.