Saturday 30 November 2013

Basics of Gyroscope



 Gyroscope:

Gyroscope is a mechanical device and can be define as a system containing a heavy metal wheel or rotor, caged in a three rings, which have freedom to move in their axis.


 Outer ring is called Gyroscope frame and other two rings are called "Gimbal". Outer ring is known as  "Outer Gimbal" , inner ring is known as "Inner Gimbal". 
 

 Axis:

 As we discuss in above paragraph that it can moves freely in their axis. It can moves freely in three axis.
 
 Name of Axis and freedom:
 * Spin axis (spring freedom, about an axis perpendicular through its center ), it's also known as axis of spin  and XX1.
 * Tilting axis ( tilting freedom, about a horizontal axis at right angles to the spin axis ), also known as axis of  tilt and YY1.
 * Veering axis ( veering freedom, about a vertical axis perpendicular to both the other axis ), also known as  axis of veer and ZZ1.

 Properties:

 If the rotor spining with high constant speed about 15000 RPM, gyroscope shows two properties one is "Rigidity" and other is "Precession"


* Rigidity:

  " The property, which resists any force tending to change the plane of rotating rotor ".

  
  If we move the gyro or tilt it the rotor plane is always same that's the rigidity.

 It is depend on three factors.
  * The mass of rotor.
  * The speed of rotation.
  * The radius of gyration, (The distance at which the mass acts from the center).

 

 * Precession:

  "The axis of rotation has a tendency to turn at a right angle to the direction of an 
     applied force".
  

 Precession is that the force is applied on one side of the gyro and it shift on the other side (show in above  fig). Iit depends upon the rotation of rotor ( CW or CCW ) and shift angle is 90°.

 
 Precession is also depends on three factors.
 * The strength and direction of the applied force(F).
 * The moment of inertial of the rotor (I).
 * The angualr velocity of the rotor (\boldsymbol \omega).
 
 There are two types of gyroscope are used in various places one is " Vertical Gyroscope" and other one  is " Horizontal Gyroscope"

 * Vertical Gyroscope:

   The gyroscope in which rotor rotates along horizontal axis is known as "Vertical Gyro".

 * Horizontal Gyroscope:

   It is the gyro, in which the rotor rotates along vertical axis.

 * Usage:

 The Gyroscope ia mainly use in aircraft to find out the stability of aircraft and navigation. In old aircraft Pne-  umatic type and Torque motor type gyros were used but now a days LASER gyros are used for better and  precise navigation.


  

                                    THE END