Biaxial force transducer for the measurement of rotating shaft radial loads

Short description

CNR-INSEAN has developed a novel biaxial force transducer to quantify radial forces acting on a rotating shaft. It is designed to be mounted as shaft’s frame and it converts shaft’s loads into forces measurement, using sensitive plates equipped with strain gages. Scalability and sensitivity can be changed in a wide range just modifying main body dimensions or sensitive parts’ thickness.
Since failure of shaft's bearings due to radial loads is typical of ship propulsion system too, CNR-INSEAN has already successfully applied the device to measure propeller’s bearing loads on a scaled ship model.

Links

http://www.diitet.cnr.it/index.php/it/proprieta-intellettuale/video-brevetti?layout=edit&id=86

http://www.diitet.cnr.it/brevetti/libro_ricerca_per_%20l'innovazione_2015/libro_ricerca_per_
%20l'innovazione_2015.html#p=58

References

"Investigation of the radial bearing force developed during actual ship operations. Part 1: Straight ahead sailing and turning maneuvers",
Ocean Engineering, Volume 94, 15 January 2015, Pages 67-87, Fabrizio Ortolani, Salvatore Mauro, Giulio Dubbioso

"Investigation of the radial bearing force developed during actual ship operations. Part 2: Unsteady maneuvers",
Ocean Engineering, Volume 106, 15 September 2015, Pages 424-445
Fabrizio Ortolani, Salvatore Mauro, Giulio Dubbioso

Main technical features

The transducer is a pass through-hole device and its operating principle is the conversion of the deflection of sensitive beams, caused by loads on the shaft, into a voltage signal using strain gauges.

Innovative aspects

The transducer is composed of independent structures, machined in order to decouple the force components and eliminate effects due to bending moments. Working both as a frame and as measuring device, the transducer perform measurements in a real operative condition providing actual bearing loads. The transducer, it being fixed with respect to the rotating shaft, provides the direct measurements of the radial load with respect to a fixed frame; therefore, it does not require any temporal synchronization with the angular position of the shaft.

Applications

Preliminary experimental activity focused on the evaluation and measurement of bearing loads on a scaled model of a turbine, in order to obtain a reliable estimation of loads in different operative conditions. Refitting of the known technology to wind or hydro turbine at real scale to provide a time accurate measurement and a continue monitoring of actual loads.

Type of partner sought

Companies,Research organizations

Tasks to be performed by the partner you are looking for.

CNR-INSEAN is looking for a company or start-up that can demonstrate the technology in the field in close collaboration. Commercialisation is the next step.