Control Moment Gyroscope Gimbal Motor Torque

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the mechanics of Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) and their gimbal motor torque. Max, a Mechanical Engineer, questions how a CMG can apply torque to a static table without the gimbal motor generating torque. The response clarifies that the CMG applies torque through the conservation of angular momentum, where the difference in angular momentum vectors results in torque transfer to the controlled body. This phenomenon is explained as "torque amplification," where small gimbal rates lead to significant torque effects.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs)
  • Familiarity with angular momentum concepts
  • Knowledge of torque equations and dynamics
  • Basic principles of rotational motion
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the conservation of angular momentum in mechanical systems
  • Explore torque amplification in Control Moment Gyroscopes
  • Review dynamics equations related to gimbal motors
  • Investigate practical applications of CMGs in aerospace engineering
USEFUL FOR

Mechanical engineers, aerospace engineers, and students studying dynamics and control systems will benefit from this discussion, particularly those interested in the application of Control Moment Gyroscopes in various technologies.

Viroos
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Hi !
My name is Max and I'm a Mechanical Engineer.
I'm working on Control Moment Gyroscope project, but because for a long time I didn't deal with theory, I'm stuck at some very basic dynamics problem.
In this article
http://www. spacecraft research.com/files/BrownPeck_JGCD2009
the author writes that the total CMG torque is
{\tau _{cmg}} = \dot \phi \hat g \times {h_r} (eq. 8)
and the gimbal motor torque is
{\tau _g} = {I_{cmg}}\ddot \phi + {I_{cmg}}{\mathop \omega \limits^B ^{B/N}} \cdot \hat g + ({\omega ^{B/N}} \times {h_r}) \cdot \hat g (eq. 9)
But what happens practically if I mount the CMG at the top of a static table at my room, connect both motors (flywheel and gimbal) to power and wait for some steady state ?
In the first equation we get some constant torque that CMG applies to the table, because \dot \phi is some constant value, but on the other side, the gimbal motor torque, {\tau _g} has to be zero, because there is no angular acceleration: \ddot \phi = 0<br />, and the table is static, that is, {\mathop \omega \limits^B ^{B/N}} = 0 and {\mathop \omega \limits^{B/N}} = 0. That is, we need torque only to accelerate the gimbal.
My question is how the CMG can to apply torque to the controlled body (table, satellite etc), actually without torque at a gimbal motor ?
Many thanks in advance,
Max
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Its torque is applied through conservation of angular momentum.

Let h_1 equal the angular momentum stored in the flywheel of the CMG. As the CMG rotates there is a new momentum, h_2 of the same magnitude but a different direction.

The vector difference in h_2 and h_1 represents the integral of a torque applied to the CMG, therefore an equal and oposite torque had to have been transferred to the test stand, satellite, etc.

That's why "torque amplification" exists. Small torques induce gimbal rates, which in turn create huge torques in the form of conservation of angular momentum.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Replies
8
Views
3K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
1K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
9K
Replies
5
Views
4K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K