Stability Analysis of an Industrial Gas Compressor Supported by Tilting-Pad Bearings Under Different Lubrication Regimes

Author(s):  
Alejandro Cerda Varela ◽  
Ilmar Ferreira Santos

This work is aimed at theoretically study the dynamic behavior of a rotor-tilting pad journal bearing system under different lubrication regimes, namely thermohydrodynamic (THD), elastohydrodynamic (EHD) and hybrid lubrication regime. The rotor modeled corresponds to an industrial compressor. Special emphasis is put on analyzing the stability map of the rotor when the different lubrication regimes are included into the TPJB modeling. Results show that, for the studied rotor, the inclusion of a THD model is more relevant when compared to an EHD model, as it implies a reduction on the instability onset speed for the rotor. Also, results show the feasibility of extending the stable operating range of the rotor by implementing a hybrid lubrication regime.

Author(s):  
Alejandro Cerda Varela ◽  
Ilmar Ferreira Santos

This work is aimed at a theoretical study of the dynamic behavior of a rotor-tilting pad journal bearing (TPJB) system under different lubrication regimes, namely, thermohydrodynamic (THD), elastohydrodynamic (EHD), and hybrid lubrication regime. The rotor modeled corresponds to an industrial compressor. Special emphasis is put on analyzing the stability map of the rotor when the different lubrication regimes are included into the TPJB modeling. Results show that, for the studied rotor, the inclusion of a THD model is more relevant when compared to an EHD model, as it implies a reduction on the instability onset speed for the rotor. Also, results show the feasibility of extending the stable operating range of the rotor by implementing a hybrid lubrication regime.


2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 348-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guang Qiao ◽  
Liping Wang ◽  
Tiesheng Zheng

This paper describes a mathematical model to study the linear stability of a tilting-pad journal bearing system. By employing the Newton-Raphson method and the pad assembly technique, the full dynamic coefficients involving the shaft degrees of freedom as well as the pad degrees of freedom are determined. Based on these dynamic coefficients, the perturbation equations including self-excited motion of the rotor and rotational motion of the pads are derived. The complex eigenvalues of the equations are computed and the pad critical mass identified by eigenvalues can be used to determine the stability zone of the system. The results show that some factors, such as the preload coefficient, the pivot position, and the rotor speed, significantly affect the stability of tilting-pad journal bearing system. Correctly adjusting those parameter values can enhance the stability of the system. Furthermore, various stability charts for the system can be plotted.


Author(s):  
Nuntaphong Koondilogpiboon ◽  
Tsuyoshi Inoue

Abstract In this paper, an efficient numerical method consisting of the real mode component mode synthesis (CMS) model reduction, shooting method with parallel computing, and Floquet analysis was developed for nonlinear rotordynamics analysis of a flexible rotor supported by a 4-lobe flexure pivot tilting pad journal bearing (FPTPJB) in load-on-pad (LOP) and load-between-pad (LBP) orientations in comparison to a fixed profile journal bearing (JB) of the same pad geometry. The method used the rotor's finite elements and bearing forces obtained from directly solving the Reynolds equation to determine the limit cycles and Hopf bifurcation types. For the investigated rotor and bearing parameters, the numerical results indicated that the onset speed of instability (OSI) of FPTPJB is considerably higher than that of JB of the same orientation. Also, FPTPJB in LOP orientation yielded higher OSI than the LBP one, whereas the OSI of JB in LOP orientation was substantially higher than the LBP counterpart. Nonlinear calculation results indicated that all bearing types and orientations gave subcritical Hopf bifurcation. The FPTPJB in LOP orientation produced the largest stable operating region, whereas the JB in LBP configuration yield the smallest one. The experiment showed subcritical Hopf bifurcation occurred at speed close to the calculated OSI in all cases except FPTPJB in LOP orientation that the OSI is higher than the maximum test rig speed. The whirling orbit had the same frequency as the first critical speed and precessed in the direction of shaft rotation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39
Author(s):  
Subrata Das ◽  
Sisir Kumar Guha

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of turbulence on the stability characteristics of finite hydrodynamic journal bearing lubricated with micropolar fluid. Design/methodology/approach The non-dimensional transient Reynolds equation has been solved to obtain the non-dimensional pressure field which in turn used to obtain the load carrying capacity of the bearing. The second-order equations of motion applicable for journal bearing system have been solved using fourth-order Runge–Kutta method to obtain the stability characteristics. Findings It has been observed that turbulence has adverse effect on stability and the whirl ratio at laminar flow condition has the lowest value. Practical implications The paper provides the stability characteristics of the finite journal bearing lubricated with micropolar fluid operating in turbulent regime which is very common in practical applications. Originality/value Non-linear stability analysis of micropolar fluid lubricated journal bearing operating in turbulent regime has not been reported in literatures so far. This paper is an effort to address the problem of non-linear stability of journal bearings under micropolar lubrication with turbulent effect. The results obtained provide useful information for designing the journal bearing system for high speed applications.


2011 ◽  
Vol 18 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 45-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiayang Ying ◽  
Yinghou Jiao ◽  
Zhaobo Chen

The nonlinear dynamics theory is increasingly applied in the dynamics analysis of tilting pad journal bearing-rotor system. However, extensive work on system dynamics done previously neglects the influence caused by the moment of inertia of the pad. In this paper, a comparison is made between the responses of the rotor in the bearings with and without pad inertia effect. Taking the Jeffcott rotor system as an example, the characteristics of bearing-rotor system, such as bifurcation diagram, cycle response, frequency spectrum, phase trajectories, and Poincaré maps, were attained within a certain rotation rate range. The pivotal oil-film force of tilting pad journal bearing was calculated by database method. The results directly demonstrate that considering the influence of the pad moment of inertia, system dynamics characteristics are found more complicated when rotor-bearing system works around natural frequency and system bifurcation is observed forward when rotor-bearing system works on high-speed range.


2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junho Suh ◽  
Alan Palazzolo

This paper is focused on a new modeling method of three-dimensional (3D) thermo-elasto-hydro-dynamic (TEHD) cylindrical pivot tilting-pad journal bearing (TPJB). Varying viscosity Reynolds equation and 3D energy equation are coupled via lubricant temperature and viscosity relationship. Three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) is adopted for the analysis of: (1) heat conduction in shaft and bearing pad, (2) thermal deformation of shaft and pad, (3) flexible bearing pad dynamic behavior, and (4) heat conduction, convection, and viscous shearing in thin lubricant film. For the computational efficiency, modal coordinate transformation is utilized in the flexible pad dynamic model, and pad dynamic behavior is represented only by means of modal coordinate. Fluid film thickness is calculated by a newly developed node based method, where pad arbitrary thermal and elastic deformation and journal thermal expansion are taken into account simultaneously. The main goal of this research is to provide more accurate numerical TPJB model than developed before so that the designers of rotating machinery are able to understand the bearing dynamic behavior and avoid unpredicted problem by selection of physical parameters.


1979 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Marsh ◽  
J. E. L. Simmons

In the design of a rotor-bearing system, information is usually available on the steady-state performance of the bearing. The designer can estimate the eccentricity ratio and attitude angle for any operating condition, but there is often little or no information which can be used to predict whether or not this is a stable operating condition. This paper describes the basic theory of bearing stability and shows how this can be used to help in the design of a novel apparatus for determining the stability parameters of any journal-bearing system.


2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 469-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. Balbahadur ◽  
R. G. Kirk

Atheoretical model has been developed for a synchronous thermal instability that is caused by differential viscous shearing in bearings of overhung rotors. This model employs an unbalance threshold criterion for instability instead of utilizing a traditional frequency-domain stability analysis. The current model will be used to investigate several case studies for both plain and tilting pad journal bearing rotors in the second part of this article.


2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunxing Gu ◽  
Xianghui Meng ◽  
Di Zhang ◽  
Youbai Xie

In this paper, a mixed lubrication model is presented to analyze the tribological behavior of the textured journal bearings operating from mixed to hydrodynamic lubrication regimes. In particular, the effects of fluid piezoviscosity and the non-Newtonian fluid behavior are also considered. The presented model solves the hydrodynamic lubrication problem by a mass-conserving formation of the Reynolds equation, whereas the metal–metal contact is considered by using the Greenwood and Tripp (GT) contact model which is linked with the hydrodynamic model based on the concept of Johnson's load sharing. As a result, the performance of the textured journal bearing system under different lubrication regimes, including boundary lubrication regime, mixed hydrodynamic lubrication regime, and hydrodynamic lubrication regime, can be evaluated. Using the journal bearing systems operated under the start-up condition as examples, prediction demonstrates the influences of texture distributions on friction and wear. It is found that the friction reducing effect induced by texturing is influenced by the distribution of the texturing zones. In particular, the hydrodynamic friction can be reduced when the eccentricity ratio is changed from high to low. Moreover, it appears that the shear-thinning effect of lubricant cannot be neglected in the transient analysis of journal bearing system.


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