How do I calculate the torque needed for a rotating cylinder?

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the torque needed for a rotating cylinder, the moment of inertia (I) and angular acceleration (α) are crucial, with the formula T = Iα. The angular acceleration can be derived from the desired angular velocity and the time taken to reach it, but the primary concern is the torque required to maintain rotation against frictional forces. Friction, including air resistance and internal bearing resistance, significantly impacts the required torque and must be factored in, necessitating knowledge of the coefficient of friction and the normal force. Additional details about the bearings and their characteristics are essential for accurate calculations. Understanding these dynamics is critical for determining the appropriate motor size for the application.
AerospaceEng
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So essentially I'm trying to build a rotating free floating rotating cylinder (like laying a coke can on its side and propping it up so that when it rotates it won't have contact with the ground) I hope this is clear
and I need to figure out what size of motor I need to turn my cylinder by calculating the amount of torque needed

Dimensions of cylinder

m=226.80Kg
radius=0.61m
Length of cylinder=2.44mangular velocity =2.62radians/second
Moment of Inertia=42.14

But I'm not really sure where to go from here, how do I calculate the torque needed? and help is appreciated
 
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AerospaceEng said:
So essentially I'm trying to build a rotating free floating rotating cylinder (like laying a coke can on its side and propping it up so that when it rotates it won't have contact with the ground) I hope this is clear
and I need to figure out what size of motor I need to turn my cylinder by calculating the amount of torque needed

Dimensions of cylinder

m=226.80Kg
radius=0.61m
Length of cylinder=2.44m


angular velocity =2.62radians/second
Moment of Inertia=42.14

But I'm not really sure where to go from here, how do I calculate the torque needed? and help is appreciated

There was just recently a very similar thread. Does it help at all?

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=464235

.
 
Thanks for the post Berkeman that kind of helped, although I know that Torque is

T=I(alpha)

but I don't understand how I can caculate alpha (the angular acceleration) because if you do some math you'll see that my cylinder turns very slowly, it's suppose to turn fairly slowly for long periods of time so I know to find alpha i do

alpha=w(angular velocity)/time

but that's fine whether it takes 10 seconds or a full min to reach its full speed doesn't matter to me its how much torque does it take to keep it rotating?
 
AerospaceEng said:
but that's fine whether it takes 10 seconds or a full min to reach its full speed doesn't matter to me its how much torque does it take to keep it rotating?

That would be determined by the friction that opposes the rotational movement. I.e. air resistance and e.g. resistance within ball-bearings. In other words, a complicated matter that also requires a lot more information.
 
Hi Guys,

I actually have a very similar problem I'm working on at the moment except my cylinder is a lot heavier (2500kg). The dimensions are similar and it only needs to move slowly (30 degrees in 5 minutes).

I've worked out what the resistance due to Inertia is but I'm not sure how to go about accounting for the friction. The cylinder is located on a shaft with bearings at either end; what information do you need to calculate the resistance to rotation due to friction in the bearings.

In it's basic form, friction exerts a force on an object equal to mu.N, where mu = coefficient of friction and N equals the normal force (i.e. weight) of the object. Can the friction due to a bearing be calculated in the same way? Does the diameter of the shaft have any effect on friction force? Or shaft velocity?

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
 
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