Session: 27-03: Bearings Effects in Rotordynamics

Paper Number: 152732

Integration of a Squeeze Film Damper in the Journal Bearing of a High-Speed Electric Motor 

Squeeze film dampers have shown positive effects on the dynamic behavior of various types of rotating machinery. They are widely used in gas turbines used in aerospace applications and have also been applied in many industrial machines, often as a measure of mitigating unexpectedly high vibration amplitudes. In this paper, we show how a squeeze film damper can be integrated into a state-of-the-art journal bearing used in high-speed electric motors, and its effects on machine vibrations during operation. Our integration concept allows for on-site adaptation of squeeze film damper stiffness and for transmission of thrust forces in combined journal and thrust bearings. In the paper, the test setup in a carefully controlled testbench with well-known operational characteristics is explained, and test run results with and without squeeze film damper and with otherwise identical journal bearings are compared, testing and confirming the applicability of well-established squeeze film damper design formulae to our system. It is shown that a squeeze film damper is particularly well-suited for machines with a large operating range and can enable very low vibrations therein. For high-speed electric motors, this makes journal bearings with squeeze film dampers a valuable alternative to magnetic bearings, with reduced system costs and complexity.

Presenting Author: Christoph Weissbacher Gleitlagertechnik Weissbacher GmbH

Presenting Author Biography: Christoph Weißbacher was born in 1981 in Duisburg, Germany. After graduating in Electrical Engineering at RWTH Aachen University in 2006 and finishing his PhD at Jülich Research Center, Dr. Weißbacher joined GTW in 2010, working in plain bearing design and after sales. His interests include numerical bearing calculation and design, bearing manufacturing and rotordynamics.

Authors:

Christoph Weissbacher Gleitlagertechnik Weissbacher GmbH
Martin Wieschalla Innomotics GmbH
Kevin Bauer Institut für Tribologie und Energiewandlungsmaschinen (ITR)
Hubert Schwarze Institut für Tribologie und Energiewandlungsmaschinen (ITR)