A washing machine includes a cabinet, a drum rotatably arranged within the cabinet, an annular recess provided in the drum, and a balancer to offset an unbalanced load caused within the drum during rotation of the drum. The balancer includes a balancer housing mounted to the recess and has an annular channel therein, at least one mass movably disposed in the channel, and at least one ball disposed between the balancer housing and the mass to generate rolling motion.

Compositions for balancing a rotary system are disclosed having hydrophobic particles distributed in thixotropic balancing substance. Further disclosed are methods for balancing a rotary system and rotary systems using the composition.

A load coupling device for a power train including: a rotatable shaft; a first flange on a first end of the shaft, wherein the first flange is adapted to couple to a first rotating shaft of at a torque producing turbine or a torque driven electrical generator; a second flange on an opposite end of the shaft, wherein the shaft is adapted to couple to a second rotating shaft of the other of the turbine and the generator, and an annular ring extending radially outward from the first flange, wherein the mass of the annular ring is selected to shift a torsional natural frequency of the power train away from an operational condition of the power train. Trim masses may be added to make fine adjustments to the torsional natural frequency of the power train.

A centrifugal-pendulum vibration absorbing device disposed within a liquid chamber that stores a liquid, the centrifugal-pendulum vibration absorbing device having a support member coupled to a rotary element that is rotated by power from a drive device; and a mass body supported by the support member so as to be swingable. An order of vibration of the mass body is determined on the basis of an order of vibration to be damped generated by the drive device in consideration of at least a force caused by a centrifugal liquid pressure generated within the liquid chamber along with rotation of the drive device to act on the mass body.