New rotor
An eight-hole, fiber composite rotor that will operate at 60,000 rpm is under development (Spin Analytical). A fiber composite rotor offers three advantages over titanium rotors. First, due to its lower mass and greater strength, fiber composite offers a higher safety margin than titanium. Furthermore, should a rotor failure occur, much less kinetic energy is released by the fiber composite than by a titanium rotor. Second, by using a stainless steel hub, a fiber composite rotor has a lower center of mass and moment of inertia, thus reducing precession and vibration compared to a monolithic titanium rotor. Third, a temperature measurement system may be incorporated directly inside the rotor, thus improving temperature accuracy. The design for the new rotor is shown in Fig. 2c.