A MAGNETIC BEARING SYSTEM FOR GAS TURBINE ENGINES

MECHANICAL BEARINGS REQUIRE LUBRICANT, PRODUCE FRICTIONAL HEAT, RESIST STARTING, HAVE SURFACE CHEMISTRY PROBLEMS, AND REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT EQUIPMENT FOR COOLING AND LUBRICANT DELIVERY. DESIGNING BEARINGS FOR EXTENDED OPERATION IN A HIGH-TEMPERATURE ENVIRONMENT IS, AT BEST, DIFFICULT. MAGNETIC BEARINGS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE US ARMY AS AN ENABLING TECHNOLOGY FOR OPERATION OF FUTURE TWO-SPOOL GAS TURBINE ENGINES. MAGNETIC BEARINGS PROVIDE CONTACT-FREE ROTOR SUPPORT USING SERVO-CONTROLLED MAGNETIC FILEDS IN ORDER TO AVOID FRICTIONAL EFFECTS AND ALLOW A SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCTION IN SUPPORT EQUIPMENT. ADVANCEMENTS IN THE CURRENT STATE OF MAGNETIC BEARING TECHNOLOGY ARE REQUIRED DUE TO THE HIGH TEMPERATURE ENVIRONMENT AND THE COMPLEX DYNAMICS OF THE TWO SPOOL SYSTEM. SATCON TECHNOLOGY CORP PROPOSES TO DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED MAGNETIC BEARING SYSTEM AS THE ONLY VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO MECHANICAL BEARINGS IN FUTURE TWOSPOOL GAS TURBINE ENGINES. SATCON TAKES AN OVERALL SYSTEMS APPROACH TO MAGNETIC BEARING SYSTEM DESIGN. KEY COMPONENTS ARE SELECTED FOR OPTIMUM INTEGRATED SYSTEM PERFORMANCE. SATCON HAS OVER 40 RELATED CONTRACTS AND A PROVEN TRACK RECORD IN APPLYING MAGNETIC BEARING SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY. PROFESSOR DAVID G WILSON OF M.I.T. WILL ACT AS A CONSULTANT TO SATCON ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF GAS TURBINE ENGINES. HIS HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH GAS TURBINES WILL AUGMENT SATCON'S ACCUMULATED EXPERTISE IN MAGNETIC BEARING SYSTEM DESIGN.