Thermo-large deflection coupled dynamic characteristics of rotating thickness-varying plates subjected to thermal shock.

Thermal shock load has an important influence on dynamic characteristics of blades in turbomachines. Due to higher level operating thermal shock for improving the efficiency, the damage to the blades has greatly increased. Considering the major effect of variable thickness and large deflection on thermal dynamic behavior of blades, their thermo-large deflection-variable thickness coupled dynamic characteristics are unknown. This paper develops a thermo-large deflection coupled semi-analytical model based on a rotating variable thickness plate under thermal shock. Geometric nonlinear governing equation and an analytical solution of heat transfer equation are derived. Numerical examples of natural frequencies are investigated to validate the proposed model. The non-uniform temperature distribution features of the rotating variable thickness plate are found. Besides, when the thermal shock is serious, the large deflection theory must be considered to analyze thermo-large deflection coupled dynamic characteristics. Based on theoretical and experimental results, deformation characteristic of the cantilever plate subjected to thermal shock is obtained, which is helpful to find the optimal thickness distribution. Finally, the effect of variable thickness on thermo-large deflection coupled dynamics of the rotating plate is demonstrated. The vibration induced by thermal shock can be reduced by thickening the plate on its free side or both fixed–free sides. However, when thickening other positions, the vibration is either intensified or unchanged. Results are helpful to reduce blade's vibrations under thermal shock. • A thermo-large deflection coupled analytical model of rotating variable thickness plates under thermal shock is developed. • The non-uniform temperature distribution due to the plate's variable thickness is obtained under thermal shock. • Thermo-large deflection is divergent as increasing time, and the divergent degree depends on severity of thermal shock. • Thickening on free side or both fixed–free sides weakens thermo-large deflection coupled responses caused by thermal shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]