Astronaut Centrifuge Vibration Diagnosis and Solution
Project name: Vibration Anomaly Diagnosis and Solution for Astronaut Centrifuge Training Equipment
During 8G hypergravity training for astronauts, abnormal vibrations occurred in the 5-12 RPM range (triggering 3 emergency stops), causing:
Training interruptions (average 22-minute delay per incident)
Compensatory neck muscle tension in astronauts (Medical Report No. MED-2005-047)
Testing Solution
1. Innovative Test Architecture
Technical Highlights:
First application of wireless strain measurement on rotating arms
Developed RPM-phase locking algorithm (resolving slip ring interference)
2. Key Test Data
| Parameter | Normal Value | Anomaly Value | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gear Mesh Harmonics | ≤3 orders | 7 orders prominent | Acoustic Emission |
| Motor Current Ripple | 5% | 18% | 200kHz Sampling |
| Bearing Radial Clearance | 0.08mm | 0.23mm | Eddy Current Sensor |
Fault Diagnosis
Root Cause Chain:
Primary Factor: Input shaft bearing wear (189% over tolerance)
Secondary Effect: Abnormal gear meshing (42% contact pattern offset)
Resonance: 7th mesh frequency (87.5Hz) coupling with arm bending mode (88.3Hz)
Risk Assessment:
ISO 1940-1 balance grade degraded from G2.5 to G16
Continued use risked gear tooth fracture (<50 cycles remaining)
Solution
1. Hardware Upgrades
Bearing Replacement: Installed hybrid ceramic bearings (SKF HC7014)
Gear Profile Modification: Implemented K-shaped crowning (0.015mm adjustment)
2. Control Optimization
Added 5-12 RPM traversal program (acceleration reduced from 0.5 to 0.2 RPM/s)
Results
| Metric | Before | After | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibration Severity | 8.7mm/s | 1.2mm/s | 86%↓ |
| Emergency Stops | 3/month | 0 (6+ months) | 100%↓ |
| Training Throughput | 5/day | 8/day | 60%↑ |
Technology Transfer
This solution established Q/CASTC-2006 Standard, applied to:
New 10G centrifuge R&D (62% vibration reduction)
Pilot anti-G trainer upgrades (80% failure rate decrease)
