PI Control of HSFDs for Active Control of Rotor-Bearing Systems

Abstract

This paper describes the proportional integral (PI) control of hybrid squeeze film dampers (HSFDs) for active control of vibrations of rotors. Recently it was shown that the automatically controlled HSFD based on feedback of rotor speed can be a very efficient device for active control of rotor vibration when passing through critical speeds. Although considerable effort has been put into the study of steady state vibration control, there are few methods in the literature applicable to transient vibration control of rotor-bearing systems. Rotating machinery may experience dangerously high dynamic loading due to the sudden mass unbalance that could be associated with blade loss. Transient run-up and coast down through critical speeds when starting up or shutting down rotating machinery induces excessive bearing loads at criticals. In this paper, PI control is proposed as a regulator for the HSFD system to attenuate transient vibration for both sudden unbalance and transient run-up through critical speeds. A complete mathematical model of this closed-loop system is simulated on a digital computer. Results show an overall enhanced behavior for the closed-loop rotor system. Gain scheduling of both the integral gain and the reference input is incorporated to the closed-loop system with the PI regulator and results in an enhanced behavior of the controlled system.