Vibration Control of a Rotor Using Smart Bearings with Magneto-Rheological Elastomer Supports

Abstract

AbstractSmart materials are frequently used for vibration control of rotor bearing systems at critical speeds. This paper focuses on the control of vibration of a rotor-bearing system using bearings with magneto-rheological elastomers (MRE) supports which are a new class of smart materials whose dynamics properties such as the stiffness and the damping coefficient can be controlled by a magnetic field intensity. The magneto-rheological elastomer support is modelled using the four-parameter viscoelastic model. Based on the Rayleigh beam theory, the rotor bearing system is modelled using the finite element method including the gyroscopic effect and the shaft’s internal damping. The vibration amplitudes at the disk of the rotor bearing system with and without MRE supports is studied. Also, the effect of the application of the magnetic field intensity on the vibration amplitude and the first critical speed is investigated. Simulation results show the capability of the MRE supports in reducing the rotor vibration response at the disk in the steady-state condition and in shifting the first critical speed. It has also been shown that the application of a magnetic field intensity decreases the first critical speed while increasing the unbalance vibration response of the rotor bearing system at the resonant speed.KeywordsControl of vibrationRotor-bearing systemIntelligent bearingsMagneto rheological elastomersCritical speed