Extended Finite Element Analysis of Journal Bearing Dynamic Forced Performance to Include Fluid Inertia Force Coefficients

Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés

Reynolds equation governs the generation of hydrodynamic pressure in oil lubricated fluid film bearings. The static and dynamic forced response of a bearing is obtained from integration of the film pressure on the bearing surface. For small amplitude journal motions, a linear analysis represents the fluid film bearing reaction forces as proportional to the journal center displacements and velocity components through four stiffness and four damping coefficients. These force coefficients are integrated into rotor-bearing system structural analysis for prediction of the system stability and the synchronous response to imbalance. Fluid inertia force coefficients, those relating reaction forces to journal center accelerations, are routinely ignored because most oil lubricated bearings operate at relatively low Reynolds numbers, i.e., under slow flow conditions. Modern rotating machinery operates at ever increasing surface speeds to deliver more power in smaller size units. Under these operating conditions fluid inertia effects need to be accounted for in the forced response of oil lubricated bearings, as recent experimental test data also reveal. The paper presents a finite element formulation to predict added mass coefficients in oil lubricated bearings by extending a basic formulation that already calculates the bearing stiffness and damping force coefficients. That is, a small amplitude perturbation analysis of the lubrication flow equations keeps the temporal fluid inertia effects and develops a set of equations to obtain the bearing stiffness, damping and inertia force coefficients. The method does not impose on the cost of the original formulation which makes it very attractive for ready implementation in existing software. Predictions of the computational model are benchmarked against archival test data for an oil-lubricated pressure dam bearing supporting large compressors. The comparisons show fluid inertia effects cannot be ignored for operation at high rotor speeds and with small static loads.

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sina Hamzehlouia ◽  
Kamran Behdinan

This work represents a pressure distribution model for finite length squeeze film dampers (SFDs) executing small amplitude circular-centered orbits (CCOs) with application in high-speed turbomachinery design. The proposed pressure distribution model only accounts for unsteady (temporal) inertia terms, since based on order of magnitude analysis, for small amplitude motions of the journal center, the effect of convective inertia is negligible relative to unsteady (temporal) inertia. In this work, the continuity equation and the momentum transport equations for incompressible lubricants are reduced by assuming that the shapes of the fluid velocity profiles are not strongly influenced by the inertia forces, obtaining an extended form of Reynolds equation for the hydrodynamic pressure distribution that accounts for fluid inertia effects. Furthermore, a numerical procedure is represented to discretize the model equations by applying finite difference approximation (FDA) and to numerically determine the pressure distribution and fluid film reaction forces in SFDs with significant accuracy. Finally, the proposed model is incorporated into a simulation model and the results are compared against existing SFD models. Based on the simulation results, the pressure distribution and fluid film reaction forces are significantly influenced by fluid inertia effects even at small and moderate Reynolds numbers.


1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 234-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Zirkelback ◽  
Luis San Andre´s

Currently, the herringbone groove journal bearing (HGJB) has important applications in miniature rotating machines such as those found in the computer information storage industry. Grooves scribed on either the rotating or stationary member of the bearing pump the lubricating fluid inward thus generating support stiffness and improving its dynamic stability when operating concentrically. The narrow groove theory (NGT), traditionally adopted to model the concentric operation of these bearings, is limited to bearings with a large number of grooves. A finite element analysis is introduced for prediction of the static and rotordynamic forced response in HGJBs with finite numbers of grooves. Results from this analysis are then compared to available experimental data as well as to estimates from the NGT. A bearing geometry parametric study is then conducted to determine optimum rotordynamic force coefficients. A discussion on the temporal variation of the bearing reaction forces and force coefficients for a rotating journal with a small number of grooves is also presented. These changes can be significant at high operating eccentricities, possibly inducing a parametric excitation in rotating systems employing this type of bearing.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (2) ◽  
pp. 292-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andre´s ◽  
Oscar De Santiago

Experimentally derived damping and inertia force coefficients from a test squeeze film damper for various dynamic load conditions are reported. Shakers exert single frequency loads and induce circular and elliptical orbits of increasing amplitudes. Measurements of the applied loads, bearing displacements and accelerations permit the identification of force coefficients for operation at three whirl frequencies (40, 50, and 60 Hz) and increasing lubricant temperatures. Measurements of film pressures reveal an early onset of air ingestion. Identified damping force coefficients agree well with predictions based on the short length bearing model only if an effective damper length is used. A published two-phase flow model for air entrainment allows the prediction of the effective damper length, and which ranges from 82% to 78% of the damper physical length as the whirl excitation frequency increases. Justifications for the effective length or reduced (flow) viscosity follow from the small through flow rate, not large enough to offset the dynamic volume changes. The measurements and analysis thus show the pervasiveness of air entrainment, whose effect increases with the amplitude and frequency of the dynamic journal motions. Identified inertia coefficients are approximately twice as large as those derived from classical theory.


Author(s):  
Shujuan Huang ◽  
Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc ◽  
John A. Tichy

Squeeze film damping in systems employing micro-plates parallel to a substrate and undergoing small normal vibrations is theoretically investigated. In high-density fluids, inertia forces may play a significant role affecting the dynamic response of such systems. Previous models of squeeze film damping taking inertia into account do not clearly isolate this effect from viscous damping. Therefore, currently, there is no simple way to distinguish between these two hydrodynamic effects. This paper presents a simple solution for the hydrodynamic force acting on a plate vibrating in an incompressible fluid, with distinctive terms describing inertia and viscous damping. Similar to the damping constant describing viscous losses, an inertia constant, given by ρL 3 W / h (where ρ is fluid density, L and W are plate length and width, respectively, and h is separation distance), may be used to accurately calculate fluid inertia for small oscillation Reynolds numbers. In contrast with viscous forces that suppress the amplitude of the oscillation, it is found that fluid inertia acts as an added mass, shifting the natural frequency of the system to a lower range while having little effect on the amplitude. Dimensionless parameters describing the relative importance of viscous and inertia effects also emerge from the analysis.


1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. San Andre´s ◽  
J. M. Vance

The effects of fluid inertia and turbulence on the force coefficients of squeeze film dampers are investigated analytically. Both the convective and the temporal terms are included in the analysis of inertia effects. The analysis of turbulence is based on friction coefficients currently found in the literature for Poiseuille flow. The effect of fluid inertia on the magnitude of the radial direct inertia coefficient (i.e., to produce an apparent “added mass” at small eccentricity ratios, due to the temporal terms) is found to be completely reversed at large eccentricity ratios. The reversal is due entirely to the inclusion of the convective inertia terms in the analysis. Turbulence is found to produce a large effect on the direct damping coefficient at high eccentricity ratios. For the long or sealed squeeze film damper at high eccentricity ratios, the damping prediction with turbulence included is an order of magnitude higher than the laminar solution.


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 659-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis A. San Andres

A novel analysis for the dynamic force response of a squeeze film damper with a central feeding groove considers the dynamic flow interaction between the squeeze film lands and the feeding groove. For small amplitude centered motions and based on the short bearing model, corrected values for the damping and inertia force coefficients are determined. Correlations with existing experimental evidence is excellent. Analytical results show that the grooved-damper behaves at low frequencies as a single land damper. Dynamic force coefficients are determined to be frequency dependent. Analytical predictions show that the combined action of fluid inertia and groove volume—liquid compressibility affects the force coefficients for dynamic excitation at large frequencies.


Author(s):  
Feng He ◽  
Paul E. Allaire ◽  
Saeid Dousti ◽  
Alexandrina Untaroiu

Squeeze film dampers play an important role in the dynamics of modern turbomachinery by improving vibrational response and stability. The present paper develops an effective tool for evaluating the forced response of these systems under parametric changes. A flexible rotor with multiple masses supported on a squeeze film damper at one end is investigated. The forced response of this asymmetrically supported system is obtained using the harmonic balance method with a predictor-corrector procedure. This response is examined with various parameters including unbalance forces with and without fluid inertia effects, unidirectional loads, stiffness of centering spring of the damper and the gyroscopic effects of the disks. The developed tool predicts the nonlinear jump phenomenon of the damper with large unbalance forces, indicates the present of multiple harmonics within the response with high damper eccentricity and shows the insensitivity of the damper to surrounding gyroscopic variation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adolfo Delgado ◽  
Luis San Andrés

Squeeze film damper (SFD) designs typically implement supply grooves to ensure adequate lubricant flow into the film lands. Oil seal rings, of land film clearance c, also incorporate short and shallow grooves (length≤30c,depth≤15c) to reduce cross-coupled stiffnesses, thus promoting dynamic stability without a penalty in increased leakage. However, extensive experimental results in the archival literature demonstrate that grooves do not reduce the force coefficients as much as theory predicts. A common assumption is that deep grooves do not influence a damper or oil seal ring forced response. However, unexpected large added mass coefficients, not adequately predicted, appear to be common in many tested SFD and oil seal configurations. In the case of oil seals, experiments demonstrate that circumferential grooves do reduce cross-coupled stiffnesses but to a lesser extent than predictions would otherwise indicate. A linear fluid inertia bulk-flow model for analysis of the forced response of SFDs and oil seal configurations with multiple grooves is advanced. A perturbation analysis for small amplitude journal motions about a centered position yields zeroth and first-order flow equations at each flow region (lands and grooves). At a groove region, a groove effective depth dη, differing from its actual physical value, is derived from qualitative observations of the laminar flow pattern through annular cavities. The boundary conditions at the inlet and exit planes depend on the actual seal or SFD configuration. Integration of the resulting first-order pressure fields on the journal surface yields the force coefficients (stiffness, damping, and inertia). Current model predictions are in excellent agreement with published test force coefficients for a grooved SFD and a grooved oil seal. The results confirm that large added mass coefficients arise from the flow interactions between the feed/discharge grooves and film lands in the test elements. Furthermore, the predictions, benchmarking experimental data, corroborate that short length inner-land grooves in an oil seal do not isolate the pressure fields of adjacent film lands and hence contribute greatly to the forced response of the mechanical element.


1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuichi Sato

The effects of centrifugal force on the load capacity of inwardly and outwardly spherical spiral groove bearings, operated in laminar regime and lubricated with incompressible fluid, have been investigated. The narrow groove theory has been generalized to include the centrifugal effect of lubricant. The analysis demonstrates that the fluid inertia force reduces the load capacity of an inwardly pumping bearing, whereas it increases the load capacity of an outwardly pumping bearing. The theoretical results are compared with the experimental ones.


Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Sean Den ◽  
Sung-Hwa Jeung

Gas turbine aircraft engine manufacturers push for simple squeeze film damper (SFD) designs, short in length, yet able to provide enough damping to ameliorate rotor vibrations. SFDs employ orifices to feed lubricant directly into the film land or into a deep groove. The holes, acting as pressure sources (or sinks), both disrupt the film land continuity and reduce the generation of squeeze film dynamic pressure. Overly simple predictive formulations disregard the feedholes and deliver damping (C) and inertia (M) force coefficients not in agreement with experimental findings. Presently, to bridge the gap between simple theory and practice, the paper presents measurements of the dynamic forced response of an idealized SFD that disposes of the feedholes altogether. The short-length SFD, whose diameter D = 127 mm, has one end submerged (flooded) within a lubricant bath and the other end exposed to ambient. ISO VG 2 lubricant flows by gravity through the film land of length L = 25.4 mm and clearance c = 0.122 mm. From dynamic load tests over excitation frequency range 10–250 Hz, experimental damping coefficients (CXX, CYY) from the flooded damper agree well with predictions from the classical open ends model with a full film for small amplitude whirl motions (r/c ≪ 1), centered and off-centered. Air ingestion inevitably occurs for large amplitude motions (r/c > 0.4), thus exacerbating the difference between predictions and tests results. For reference, identical tests were conducted with a practical SFD supplied with lubricant (Pin = 0.4 bar) via three orifice feedholes, 120 deg apart at the film land midplane. A comparison of test results shows as expected that, for small amplitude (r/c ∼ 0.05) orbits, the flooded damper generates on average 30% more damping than the practical configuration as the latter's feedholes distort the generation of pressure. For large amplitude motions (r/c > 0.4), however, the flooded damper provides slightly lesser damping and inertia coefficients than the SFD with feedholes whose pressurized lubricant delivery alleviates air ingestion in the film land. The often invoked open ends SFD classical model is not accurate for the practical engineered design of an apparently simple mechanical element.


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