Dynamic Characteristics of a Flexible Coupling

Abstract

Abstract Flexible couplings are used to transmit power between two shafts and accommodate, more realistically, a combination of parallel, axial and angular misalignments, between them. Presence of misalignment of certain degree is considered unavoidable. The coupling also attenuates the transmission of fluctuation of torque and speed from one rotor to the other by flexing itself, and is thus helpful in providing nearly smooth transmission of speed and torque. However, in this process, the dynamic behavior of the rotors is also influenced by the coupling characteristics, as the coupling incorporates a flexible damped intermediate member between the shafts it couples. A detailed literature survey has shown that researchers so far have not attempted to find out the dynamic characteristics, the stiffness and damping of a coupling, and, instead, the effect of misalignment (combination of parallel and angular misalignment) is considered to generate forces independent of the coupling characteristics. This paper attempts to find out an analytical model for the dynamic characteristic of segmented link coupling in terms of suitable non-dimensional coefficients to generate the characteristics of a coupling element which may be used for dynamic analysis of coupled rotor shaft system.