Rotordynamic Design Audits of Amb Supported Machinery

Active magnetic bearings (AMBs) are a mature bearing technology that is being applied to many new turbomachines. They have become the bearing of choice for most new turboexpander applications. They are seen as a key enabling technology for compact, high speed, high power density direct-drive generators and turbomachinery. As more and more units are fielded, it will become important that end-users and analysts have the tools and background to evaluate the rotordynamics of AMB supported machinery. This tutorial provides a basic review of AMB subsystems and key issues that need to be considered for a rotordynamic audit. ApplicableAPI and ISO standards are reviewed from the perspective of evaluating the rotordynamic performance of AMB machinery. The tutorial concludes with an example audit of an existing AMB supported machine.