Synopsis:
In many applications of engineering (electric mobility etc.) engine downsizing and up-speeding can be observed as a general trend and rotors reach critically high energy contents. Burst containments and housings are safety critical parts und even if numerical methods are available, the designs need to be validated empirically. However, empirical investigation (burst or over-speed tests) of rotors in conjunction with the respective burst containments is costly and – if at all – usually only one single test is performed to validate the design. Within the Burst Rig Project, a low-cost test setup was developed which allows detailed investigation of various burst containments and housings with respect to safety during rotor failure. The results are being used to validate numerical models and gain a deeper understanding of the mechanics behind rotor burst kinematics and the energy absorbing role of the containments.
