Dynamic Analysis and Design of a Balancer for a Three-Column Centrifuge

Abstract

This paper studies dynamics of a three-column centrifuge and tries to design a ball balancer to suppress its vibration and increase its operating speed. At first, two vibration models with and without the balancer are introduced. Then modal analysis of the centrifuge itself is carried out with two isolated natural frequency groups identified. Centrifugal forces acting on the system at the steady state are analyzed and a tip-over phenomenon is discovered and validated through simulations. A ball balancer is adopted in the centrifuge and several potential tip-over phenomena related to the balancer are studied. At last, a comparison between dynamics of the centrifuge before and after the balancer is installed is made with benefits and side effects of the balancer presented.