An electric machine coupled to rotating machinery includes a rotor and a stator, and the method of control of an electric machine and an electric machine control system. The method includes sensing one or more parameters indicative of one or more resonance conditions of the rotating machinery, and comparing the sensed parameter to a predetermined threshold to determine whether the rotating machinery is operating at the resonance condition. Where the rotating machinery is determined to be operating at the resonance condition, adjusting a magnetic field of one or both of the rotor and the stator to provide a predetermined torque to the rotating machine, to modulate the stiffness of the rotational machinery, and thereby move the resonance condition away from the current rotating machinery conditions.

What is disclosed are embodiments of magnetic torque transfer devices utilizing torque transfer by magnetic induction in which an induction cylinder fabricated from an electrical conductor is interposed into the gap between a pair of magnetically coupled primary and secondary rotors. Rotation of the induction cylinder relative to the coupled rotors evokes magnetic torque transfer in accordance with Lenz's Law. The primary rotor rotates within a toroid shaped stator. The stator may be configured for rolling biphasic coil control. The secondary rotor is attached to a propeller. The device may function as a turbine when fluid is directed to flow over the propeller. The device may function as a pump when AC power is supplied to the stator. Rolling biphasic motor control includes dividing motor coils into increments, then configuring groups of contiguous increments into virtual coils, which revolve in tandem with the primary rotor so to achieve continuous and optimal torque transfer with minimum torque ripple.

A turbomachine system includes a turbomachine provided with a turbomachine rotor. The turbomachine rotor is comprised of a turbomachine shaft with a first shaft end and a second shaft end. The turbomachine shaft is supported by active magnetic bearings for rotation in a turbomachine casing. The turbomachine system further includes a rotary machine drivingly coupled to the first shaft end, and a first closed cooling circuit adapted to circulate a cooling fluid therein and fluidly coupled to the active magnetic bearings to remove heat therefrom. The closed cooling circuit includes a cooling fluid impeller mounted on the turbomachine shaft for rotation therewith and adapted to circulate the cooling fluid in the closed cooling circuit. The closed cooling circuit further includes a heat exchanger adapted to remove heat from the cooling fluid. A method of operating a turbomachine system is further disclosed.

A controller for a rotary machine includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory is configured to store operating modes of the controller. The operating modes include a normal operating mode and a fault tolerant operating mode. The controller is configured to receive a signal from at least one sensor and determine an operating state of the rotary machine based on the signal. The controller is also configured to switch the operating modes based on the determined operating state of the rotary machine and regulate at least one electromagnetic bearing and at least one flow control device. The controller is further configured to adjust at least one of the at least one electromagnetic bearing and the at least one flow control device in the fault tolerant operating mode.

A system comprising a turbomachinery provided with a casing and having a rotor mounted on a shaft supported for rotation in the casing; the shaft is associated to a plurality of active magnetic bearings adapted to support the shaft in the casing and associated to a control system through a plurality of wires wherein the control system is housed in a control system compartment external to the casing and located in proximity thereto.

A method of operating a rotary machine. The method includes rotating a rotor; receiving current at at least one electromagnetic bearing supporting the rotor; detecting an operating characteristic of the rotary machine; determining, using a controller, an operating state of the rotary machine based on the detected operating characteristic; retrieving operating modes stored in a memory of the controller, the operating modes including a normal operating mode and a fault tolerant operating mode; switching between the normal operating mode and the fault tolerant operating mode, using the controller, based on the determined operating state of the rotary machine; regulating, using the controller, at least one of a magnetic force and a position of the at least one electromagnetic bearing; and regulating, using the controller, at least one of a position and an opening of at least one fluid flow control device.

Clearance control systems with electromagnetic actuators are disclosed. An example electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system for a gas turbine engine comprises an electromagnetic coil coupled to a first end of a facesheet, the electromagnetic coil to generate a magnetic field in response to a connection of a power supply, a ferromagnetic sheet coupled to a second end of the facesheet, the ferromagnetic sheet drawn radially-inward toward the electromagnetic coil when the magnetic field is generated, a first end of the ferromagnetic sheet coupled to a first compression spring and a second end of the ferromagnetic sheet coupled to a second compression spring, the first and second compression springs to compress in response to the ferromagnetic sheet being drawn radially-inward.

A turbine engine is provided that includes a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, a flowpath, a first rotating structure, a second rotating structure and a bearing system. The flowpath extends through the compressor section, the combustor section and the turbine section from an inlet to an exhaust. The combustor section includes a combustor. The first rotating structure includes a first compressor rotor within the compressor section and a first turbine rotor within the turbine section. The second rotating structure includes a second turbine rotor within the turbine section. The first turbine rotor is between the combustor and the second turbine rotor along the flowpath. The bearing system rotatably supports the first rotating structure. The bearing system includes an active magnetic bearing and a foil bearing.

A turbomachine has a housing, a rotor shaft centered on an axis, and a plurality of bearings supporting the shaft in the housing for rotation about the axis. At least one of the bearings is an active magnetic bearing. An impeller is fixed on the rotor shaft. A copper layer is fixed to a surface of the rotor shaft and rotatable therewith. A sensor fixed in the housing adjacent the shaft surface can detect the copper layer and generate an output corresponding to a position of the layer from the sensor fixed in the housing. A controller connected between the sensor means and the active magnetic bearing shifts the rotor in the housing in accordance with the output.

A turbocharger system for an engine includes a rotor, a primary bearing system arranged to axially and radially support the rotor to rotate on a central rotational axis, a compressor coupled to a rotor to rotate with the rotor, a turbine coupled to the rotor to rotate with the rotor, and an electromagnetic actuator adjacent to the rotor. The electromagnetic actuator selectively acts on the rotor and supplements the axial support of the primary bearing system by applying a magnetic force on the rotor in a direction parallel to the central rotational axis of the rotor.