Experimental observations on rotor-to-stator contact

Abstract

If a flexible rotor contacts its stator, the nonlinearities induced by contact may result in a great variety of vibration phenomena. The motion types reported and analyzed in the literature include rotor synchronous motions, forward and backward whirl, sub- and superharmonic motions, motions including sidebands as well as chaotic motions. This article presents an integral experimental approach based on a modular kit for rotordynamic experiments. The experimental results confirm the motion patterns listed above. The underlying fundamental phenomena are analyzed and discussed based on resonance diagrams from run-up and run-down processes, orbit plots and frequency spectra. Emphasis is put on sensitive system parameters and on existence and stability of the various types of motion.