Stress analysis of rotating disks

The equilibrium of a disk with variable thickness, symmetrical with respect to both its axis and its midplane, is analyzed, under the action of centrifugal and thermal loading. Introducing the customary assumption of plane stress, and neglecting the influence of shear stresses, the differential equilibrium equation is integrated, and stress analysis methods are derived. A digital computer program based on these methods is described briefly. Results of a typical numerical problem are presented. The method provides a very useful tool for the rapid investigation of the cost and performance of families of turbo-machines for coolant circulation in gas-cooled power reactors.