Test Response of a Turbocharger Supported on Floating Ring Bearings: Part II — Comparisons to Nonlinear Rotordynamic Predictions

Abstract

Linear and nonlinear analysis results for the operation of a small automotive turbocharger supported on floating ring bearings are presented. A comprehensive fluid film bearing model predicting the forced response of floating ring bearings is also described. The linear rotordynamic model predicts well the rotor free-free modes and onset speed of instability using linearized bearing force coefficients. The nonlinear model incorporating instantaneous bearing reaction forces in the numerical integration of the rotor equations of motion predicts the limit cycle amplitudes with two fundamental sub synchronous whirl frequencies. Comparisons of both models to experimental results follow. The predictions evidence two unstable whirl ratios at approximately 1/2 ring speed and 1/2 ring speed plus 1/2 journal speed. The transient nonlinear responses reveal the importance of rotor imbalance in suppressing the subsynchronous instabilities at large rotor speeds as also observed in the experiments.