Eccentric Operation and Blade-Loss Simulation of a Rigid Rotor Supported by an Improved Squeeze Film Damper

Abstract

This paper outlines an improved squeeze film damper which reduces significantly the dependence of the stiffness of conventional squeeze film dampers on the vibration amplitudes. This improved damper consists of a conventional squeeze film damper with a flexibility supported outer ring. This secondary flexible support is considered to be massless, and to have a constant stiffness and damping. Assuming the short bearing approximation and the ‘π’ film cavitation model, the performances of this damper in preventing bistable operation and sub-synchronous and nonsynchronous motions are theoretically demonstrated for a rigid rotor supported on a squeeze film damper. Blade-loss simulations are carried out numerically.