Linear stability analysis of finite length journal bearings in laminar and turbulent regimes

View/ Open
Date
2017-02Type
ArticleAuthor
Miraskari, Mohammad
Hemmat, Farzad
Alqaradawi, Mohamed
Gadala, Mohamed S.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Dynamic coefficients of a finite length journal bearing are numerically calculated under laminar and turbulent regimes based on Ng–Pan–Elrod and Constantinescu models. Linear stability charts of a flexible rotor supported on laminar and turbulent journal bearings are found by calculating the threshold speed of instability associated to the start of instable oil whirl phenomenon. Local journal trajectories of the rotor-bearing system were found at different operating conditions solely based on the calculated dynamic coefficients in laminar and turbulent flow. Results show no difference between laminar and turbulent models at low loading while significant change of the size of the stable region was observed by increasing the Reynolds number in turbulent models. Stable margins based on the laminar flow at relatively low Sommerfeld numbers S≤0.05S≤0.05 were shown to fall inside the unstable region and hence rendering the laminar stability curves obsolete at high Reynolds numbers. Ng-Pan turbulent model was found to be generally more conservative and hence is recommended for rotor-bearing design.