Bearings of three-bearing shafts are usually treated as ideally-rigid articulated supports. In literature, the reactions of supports and bending moments of multibearing shafts are calculated taking into consideration only shaft elasticity. In fact, also deformation is present in these bearings, and it changes the shaft bending line. The deformation thus influences distribution of bending moment and reaction of supports. It is the most important difference when comparing two-bearing with three-bearing shafts.

Moreover, in most types of bearings, a reactive bending moment is the response of bearing to unparallel position of inner bearing rings in relation to outer rings, that is to the tilt angle. As a result, real loads of rolling elements differ from theoretical ones.

The aim of the paper is to develop a method of calculating generalized loads in rolling bearings of a three-bearing shaft taking into consideration shaft deformation, deformations in bearings and reactive moments of bearings caused by tilt angle.

A strip yield model implementation by the present authors is applied to predict fatigue crack growth observed in structural steel specimens under various constant and variable amplitude loading conditions. Attention is paid to the model calibration using the constraint factors in view of the dependence of both the crack closure mechanism and the material stress-strain response on the load history. Prediction capabilities of the model are considered in the context of the incompatibility between the crack growth resistance for constant and variable amplitude loading.

Recent investigations of micro engines have documented the problem of low efficiency of steady compression devices [2]. As a solution, the application of unsteady processes has been proposed [1, 6, 17-20]. Closer investigations have shown the applicability of pure unsteady devices for gas compression, but it is also shown that they are practically not applicable for torque generation [21]. A new concept of the wave engine has to be developed.

This paper presents such a new concept and numerical investigation of the hybrid wave engine. A hybrid wave engine combines in a single machine components realizing unsteady compression, steady expansion, and mixed unsteady and steady scavenging due to the centrifugal force action. MEMS technology requires or prefers a flat geometry. Therefore, the use of a radial type of wave compression device for air compression is proposed. A numerical, two-dimensional complete model of this device was built, and several numerical simulations of engine operations were performed. The numerical model includes the simplified model of the combustion chamber closing the flow loop between the high-pressure compressed air port and the high-pressure hot exhaust gas port. The model represents the complete flow scheme of the hybrid wave engine. A special type of turbine in radial configuration with serial flow layout is used for torque generation.

The paper concerns simulation of fully developed and axially-symmetrical turbulent flow of coarse-dispersive slurry if all solid particles have similar size and shape with particles diameter from 1 mm to 5 mm, solid density from 1045 kg/m^3 to 3000 kg/m^3, and solid concentration by volume from 20% to 40%. The author examines the influence of particle diameter on additional shear stress due to the ‘particles-wall’ interactions for moderate and high solid concentration. The mathematical model was developed using Bagnold's concept, [26] and assumes that the total wall shear stresses are equal to the sum of ‘liquid-wall’ and ‘particles-wall’ shear stresses. The mathematical model was successfully verified with own measurements of frictional head loss in vertical coarse - dispersive slurry flow, named: ‘sand-water’, ‘polystyrene-water’ and ‘pvc-water’, [10], [26]. The mathematical model can predict ‘particles-wall’ shear stress, pressure drop and friction factor for coarse-dispersive turbulent slurry flow in a pipe, [10].

The aim of the paper is to present qualitative and quantitative dependence of solid particle diameter, solid particle density, solid concentration, and Reynolds number for carrier liquid phase on the ‘particles-wall’ shear stress. It is demonstrated that the solid particle diameter plays crucial role in its dependence on the ‘particles-wall’ shear stress. It was proved that in particular flow conditions the ‘particles-wall’ shear stress is much higher compared to the carrier liquid wall shear stress.

The paper presents the results of simulation method for prediction of helicopter H-V zone envelope in the case of engine power loss. Depending on the loss rate of available power, the emergency maneuver for flight continuation is calculated, or the autorotation landing is predicted. The realization of an airborne device with in-built calculating procedure and graphic presentation of H-V zone predicted limits can improve safety level of helicopter flight, and can cue the pilot to make proper decision in emergency conditions. The results of emergency maneuver simulation were verified by comparing them with flight tests of Mi-2Plus helicopter for partial power unit failure, and with records of SW-4 helicopter autorotation landing. The operation of measurement-recording module, which consists of GPS receiver, inertial measurement unit and a computer of PC-104 standard, was checked during flight tests of a radio-controlled helicopter model.