Effect of Oil Supply Pressure on the Force Coefficients of a Squeeze Film Damper Sealed With Piston Rings

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung-Hwa Jeung ◽  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Sean Den ◽  
Bonjin Koo
Keyword(s):  
Added Mass ◽  
The Other ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Piston Rings ◽  
Film Pressure ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Supply Pressure ◽  
Flow Demand ◽  
Load Tests

Squeeze film dampers (SFDs) aid to both reduce rotor dynamic displacements and to increase system stability. Dampers sealed with piston rings (PR), common in aircraft engines, are proven to boost damping generation, reduce lubricant flow demand, and prevent air ingestion. This paper presents the estimation of force coefficients in a short length SFD, PR sealed, and supplied with a light lubricant at two feed pressures, Pin-1 ∼ 0.69 barg and Pin-2 ∼ 2.76 barg, i.e., low and high. Two pairs of PRs are installed in the test SFD, one set has flow conductance CS1 = 0.56 LPM/bar, whereas the other pair has CS2 = 0.89 LPM/bar. The second set leaks more as it has a larger slit gap. Dynamic load tests show that both dampers, having seal flow conductances differing by 60%, produce damping and added mass coefficients of similar magnitude, differing by at most 20%. Other experiments quantify the effect of lubricant supply pressure, Pin-1 and Pin-2, on the dynamic film pressure and force coefficients of the PR-SFD. The damper configuration with CS1 and operating with the high Pin-2 shows ∼20% more damping and added mass coefficients compared with test results for the damper supplied with Pin-1. Film pressure measurements show that the air ingestion and oil vapor cavitation coexist for operation at the low Pin-1. Computational predictions accounting for the feed holes in the physical model agree with the experimental coefficients. On the other hand, predictions from classical formulas for an idealized damper geometry, fully sealed at its ends, largely overpredict the measured force coefficients.

Experimental Force Coefficients for Two Sealed Ends Squeeze Film Dampers (Piston Rings and O-Rings): An Assessment of Their Similarities and Differences

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Bonjin Koo ◽  
Sung-Hwa Jeung
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Field ◽  
Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Added Mass ◽  
The Other ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Piston Rings ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Supply Pressure ◽  
Squeeze Film Dampers

Squeeze film dampers (SFDs) in aircraft engines effectively aid to reduce rotor motion amplitudes, in particular when traversing a critical speed, and help to alleviate rotor whirl instabilities. The current work is a long-term endeavor focused on quantifying the dynamic force performance of practical SFDs, exploring novel design damper configurations, and producing physically sound predictive SFD models validated by experimental data. Piston rings (PRs) and O-rings (ORs), commonly used as end seals in SFDs for commercial and military gas turbine engines, respectively, amplify viscous damping in a short physical length and while operating with a modicum of lubricant flow. This paper presents experimental force coefficients (damping and inertia) for two identical geometry SFDs with end seals, one configuration hosts PRs, and the other one ORs. The test rig comprises a stationary journal and bearing cartridge (BC) hosting the SFD and supported on four elastic rods to emulate a squirrel cage. The damper film land length, diameter, and clearance are L = 25.4 mm, D = 5L, and c = 0.373 mm (D/c = 340), respectively. A supply feeds ISO VG 2 oil to the film land at its middle plane through either one hole or three holes, 2.5 mm in diameter, 120 deg apart. In the PRSFD, the lubricant exits through the slit opening at the ring butted ends. The ORs suppress oil leakage; hence, lubricant evacuates through a 1 mm hole at ¼ L near one journal end. The ORs when installed add significant stiffness and damping to the test structure. The ORSFD produces 20% more damping than the PRSFD, whereas both sealed ends SFDs show similar size added mass. For oil supplied at 0.69 bar(g) through a single orifice produces larger damping, 60–80% more than when the damper operates with three oil feedholes. A computational model reproducing the test conditions delivers force coefficients in agreement with the test data. Archival literature calls for measurement of a single pressure signal to estimate SFD reaction forces. For circular centered orbits (CCOs), the dynamic pressure field, in the absence of any geometrical asymmetry or feed/discharge oil condition, “rotates” around the bearing with a speed equal to the whirl frequency. The paper presents force coefficients estimated from (a) measurements of the applied forces and ensuing displacements, and (b) the dynamic pressure recorded at a fixed angular location and “integrated” over the journal surface. The first method delivers a damping coefficient that is large even with lubricant supplied at a low oil supply pressure whereas the inertia coefficient increases steadily with feed pressure. Predictions show good agreement with the test results from measured forces and displacements, in particular the added mass. On the other hand, identified damping and inertia coefficients from dynamic pressures show a marked difference from one pressure sensor to another, and vastly disagreeing with test results from the first method or predictions. The rationale for the discrepancy relies on local distortions in the dynamic pressure fields that show zones of oil vapor cavitation at a near zero absolute pressure and/or with air ingestion producing high frequency spikes from bubble collapsing; both phenomena depend on the magnitude of the oil supply pressure. An increase in lubricant supply pressure suppresses both oil vapor cavitation and air ingestion, which produces an increase of both damping and inertia force coefficients. No prior art compares the performance of a PRSFD vis-à-vis that of an ORSFD. Supplying lubricant with a large enough pressure (flow rate) is crucial to avoid the pervasiveness of air ingestion. Last, the discussion on force coefficients obtained from two distinct methods questions the use of an oversimplifying assumption; the dynamic pressure field is not invariant in a rotating coordinate frame.

Experimental Force Coefficients for Two Sealed Ends Squeeze Film Dampers (Piston Rings and O-Rings): An Assessment of Their Similarities and Differences

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Bonjin Koo ◽  
Sung-Hwa Jeung
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Field ◽  
Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Added Mass ◽  
The Other ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Piston Rings ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Supply Pressure ◽  
Squeeze Film Dampers

Squeeze film dampers (SFDs) in aircraft engines effectively aid to reduce rotor motion amplitudes, in particular when traversing a critical speed, and help to alleviate rotor whirl instabilities. The current work is a long term endeavor focused on quantifying the dynamic force performance of practical SFDs, exploring novel design damper configurations, and producing physically sound predictive SFD models validated by experimental data. Piston rings (PRs) and O-rings (ORs), commonly used as end seals in SFDs for commercial and military gas turbine engines, respectively, amplify viscous damping in a short physical length and while operating with a modicum of lubricant flow. This paper presents experimental force coefficients (damping and inertia) for two identical geometry SFDs with end seals, one configuration hosts PRs, and the other one ORs. The test rig comprises a stationary journal and bearing cartridge (BC) hosting the SFD and supported on four elastic rods to emulate a squirrel cage. The damper film land length, diameter and clearance are L = 25.4 mm, D = 5L, and c = 0.373 mm (D/c = 340), respectively. A supply feeds ISO VG 2 oil to the film land at its middle plane through either one hole or three holes, 2.5 mm in diameter, 120° apart. In the PR-SFD, the lubricant exits thru the slit opening at the ring butted ends. The O-rings suppress oil leakage; hence, lubricant evacuates through a 1 mm hole at ¼ L near one journal end. The O-rings when installed add significant stiffness and damping to the test structure. The ORSFD produces 20% more damping than the PR-SFD, whereas both sealed ends SFDs show similar size added mass. For oil supplied at 0.69 bar(g) through a single orifice produces larger damping, 60% to 80% more than when the damper operates with three oil feedholes. A computational model reproducing the test conditions delivers force coefficients in agreement with the test data. Archival literature calls for measurement of a single pressure signal to estimate SFD reaction forces. For circular centered orbits, the dynamic pressure field, in the absence of any geometrical asymmetry or feed/discharge oil condition, “rotates” around the bearing with a speed equal to the whirl frequency. The paper presents force coefficients estimated from (a) measurements of the applied forces and ensuing displacements, and (b) the dynamic pressure recorded at a fixed angular location and “integrated” over the journal surface. The first method delivers a damping coefficient that is large even with lubricant supplied at a low oil supply pressure whereas the inertia coefficient increases steadily with feed pressure. Predictions show good agreement with the test results, in particular the added mass. On the other hand, identified damping and inertia coefficients from dynamic pressures show a marked difference from one pressure sensor to another, and vastly disagreeing with test results from the first method or predictions. The rationale for the discrepancy relies on local distortions in the dynamic pressure fields that show zones of oil vapor cavitation at a near zero absolute pressure and/or with air ingestion producing high frequency spikes from bubble collapsing; both phenomena depend on the magnitude of the oil supply pressure. An increase in lubricant supply pressure suppresses both oil vapor cavitation and air ingestion which produces an increase of both damping and inertia force coefficients. No prior art compares the performance of a PR-SFD vis-à-vis that of an OR-SFD. Supplying lubricant with a large enough pressure (flow rate) is crucial to avoid the pervasiveness of air ingestion. Lastly, the discussion on force coefficients obtained from two distinct methods questions the use of an oversimplifying assumption; the dynamic pressure field is not invariant in a rotating coordinate frame.

Model and Experimental Verification of the Dynamic Forced Performance of a Tightly Sealed Squeeze Film Damper Supplied With a Bubbly Mixture

2019 ◽  
Vol 142 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Bonjin Koo
Keyword(s):  
Sliding Friction ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Added Mass ◽  
Single Frequency ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Supply Pressure

Abstract Practice and experiments with squeeze film dampers (SFDs) sealed with piston rings (PRs) show the lubricant exits through the PR slit, i.e., the gap made by the PR abutted ends when installed, forced as a jet during the portion of a rotor whirl cycle generating a positive squeeze film pressure. In the other portion of a whirl cycle, a subambient dynamic pressure ingests air into the film that mixes with the lubricant to produce a bubbly mixture. To reduce persistent air ingestion, commercial air breathing engines utilizing PRSFDs demand of a sufficiently large lubricant supply pressure (Ps), and hence a larger flow rate that is proportional to the journal squeeze velocity (vs = amplitude r × frequency of motion ω). The stringent requirement clearly limits the applicability and usefulness of SFDs. This paper presents a computational physics model for a sealed-end SFD operating with a mixture and delivers predictions benchmarked against profuse laboratory test data. The model implements a Reynolds equation adapted for a homogeneous bubbly mixture, includes temporal fluid inertia effects, and uses physics-based inlet and outlet lubricant conditions through feed holes and PR slit, respectively. In the experiments for model validation, a SFD damper, 127 mm in diameter D, film land length L = 25.4 mm (L/D = 0.2), and radial clearance c = 0.371 mm, is supplied with an air in ISO VG2 oil bubbly mixture of known gas volume fraction (GVF), zero (pure oil) to 50% in steps of 10%. The mixture supply pressure varies from Ps = 2.06 bar-g (30 psig) to 6.20 bar-g (90 psig). Located in grooves at the top and bottom of the journal, a PR and an O-ring (OR) seal the film land. The OR does not allow any oil leakage or air ingestion; hence, the supplied mixture discharges through the PR slit into a vessel submerged within a large volume of lubricant. Dynamic load tests with a single frequency ω, varying from 10 Hz to 60 Hz, produce circular centered orbits (CCO) with amplitude r = 0.2c. The measurements record the exerted forces and journal motions and an analysis delivers force coefficients, damping and inertia, representative of the exerted frequency range. The model predicts the pressure field and evolution of the GVF within the film land and, in a simulated process replicating the experimental procedure, delivers representative force coefficients. For all Ps conditions, both predictions and tests show the SFD added mass coefficients significantly decrease as the inlet GVF (βs) increases. The experimentally derived damping coefficients do not show a significant change, except for tests with the largest concentration of air (βs = 0.5). The predicted damping differs by 10% with the test derived coefficient which does not readily decrease as the inlet GVF (βs) increases. The added mass coefficients, test and predicted, decrease with βs, both being impervious to the magnitude of supply pressure. The test PRSFD shows a quadrature stiffness due to the sliding friction between the PR being pushed against the journal. An increase in supply pressure exacerbates this unique stiffness that may impair the action of the squeeze film to dissipate mechanical energy. The comprehensive test results, first of their kind, demonstrate that accurate modeling of SFDs operating with air ingestion remains difficult as the flow process and the paths of its major components (air and liquid) are rather complex.

Damping and Inertia Coefficients for Two Open Ends Squeeze Film Dampers With a Central Groove: Measurements and Predictions

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés
Keyword(s):  
Short Length ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
The Other ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Inertia Force ◽  
Frequency Domain Method ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Squeeze Film Dampers ◽  
Static Eccentricity

Aircraft engine rotors are particularly sensitive to rotor imbalance and sudden maneuver loads, since they are always supported on rolling element bearings with little damping. Most engines incorporate squeeze film dampers (SFDs) as means to dissipate mechanical energy from rotor vibrations and to ensure system stability. The paper quantifies experimentally the forced performance of a SFD comprising two parallel film lands separated by a deep central groove. Tests are conducted on two open ends SFDs, both with diameter D = 127 mm and nominal radial clearance c = 0.127 mm. One damper has film lands with length L = 12.7 mm (short length), while the other has 25.4 mm land lengths. The central groove has width L and depth 3/4 L. A light viscosity lubricant flows into the central groove via three orifices, 120 deg apart and then through the film lands to finally exit to ambient. In operation, a static loader pulls the bearing to various eccentric positions and electromagnetic shakers excite the test system with periodic loads to generate whirl orbits of specific amplitudes. A frequency domain method identifies the SFD damping and inertia force coefficients. The long damper generates six times more damping and about three times more added mass than the short length damper. The damping coefficients are sensitive to the static eccentricity (up to ∼ 0.5 c), while showing lesser dependency on the amplitude of whirl motion (up to 0.2 c). On the other hand, inertia coefficients increase mildly with static eccentricity and decrease as the amplitude of whirl motion increases. Cross-coupled force coefficients are insignificant for all imposed operating conditions on either damper. Large dynamic pressures recorded in the central groove demonstrate the groove does not isolate the adjacent squeeze film lands, but contributes to the amplification of the film lands’ reaction forces. Predictions from a novel SFD model that includes flow interactions in the central groove and feed orifices agree well with the test force coefficients for both dampers. The test data and predictions advance current knowledge and demonstrate that SFD-forced performance is tied to the lubricant feed arrangement.

Model and Experimental Verification of the Dynamic Forced Performance of a Tightly Sealed Squeeze Film Damper Supplied With a Bubbly Mixture

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Bonjin Koo
Keyword(s):  
Sliding Friction ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Added Mass ◽  
Single Frequency ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Supply Pressure

Abstract Practice and experiments with squeeze film dampers (SFDs) sealed with piston rings (PRs) show the lubricant exits through the PR slit, i.e. the gap made by the PR abutted ends when installed, forced as a jet during the portion of a rotor whirl cycle generating a positive squeeze film pressure. In the other portion of a whirl cycle, a sub ambient dynamic pressure ingests air into the film that mixes with the lubricant to produce a bubbly mixture. To reduce persistent air ingestion, commercial air breathing engines utilizing PRSFDs demand of a sufficiently large lubricant supply pressure (Ps), and hence a larger flow rate that is proportional to the journal squeeze velocity (vs = amplitude r × frequency of motion ω). The stringent requirement clearly limits the applicability and usefulness of SFDs. This paper presents a computational physics model for a sealed ends SFD operating with a mixture and delivers predictions benchmarked against profuse laboratory test data. The model implements a Reynolds equation adapted for a homogeneous bubbly mixture, includes temporal fluid inertia effects, and uses physics based inlet and outlet lubricant conditions through feed holes and PR slit, respectively. In the experiments for model validation, a SFD damper, 127 mm in diameter D, film land length L = 25.4 mm (L/D = 0.2), and radial clearance c = 0.371 mm, is supplied with an air in ISO VG2 oil bubbly mixture of known GVF, zero (pure oil) to 50% in steps of 10%. The mixture supply pressure varies from Ps = 2.06 bar-g (30 psig) to 6.20 bar-g (90 psig). Located in grooves at the top and bottom of the journal, a piston ring (PR) and an O-ring (OR) seal the film land. The OR does not allow any oil leakage or air ingestion; hence the supplied mixture discharges thru the PR slit into a vessel submerged within a large volume of lubricant. Dynamic load tests with a single frequency ω, varying from 10 Hz to 60 Hz, produce circular centered orbits with amplitude r = 0.2c. The measurements record the exerted forces and journal motions and an analysis delivers force coefficients, damping and inertia, representative of the exerted frequency range. The model predicts the pressure field and evolution of the gas volume fraction (GVF) within the film land and, in a simulated process replicating the experimental procedure, delivers representative force coefficients. For all Ps conditions, both predictions and tests show the SFD added mass coefficients significantly decrease as the inlet GVF (βs) increases. The experimentally derived damping coefficients do not show a significant change, except for tests with the largest concentration of air (βs = 0.5). The predicted damping differs by 10% with the test derived coefficient which does not readily decrease as the inlet GVF (βs) increases. The added mass coefficients, test and predicted, decrease with βs, both being impervious to the magnitude of supply pressure. The test PRSFD shows a quadrature stiffness due to the sliding friction between the PR being pushed against the journal. An increase in supply pressure exacerbates this unique stiffness that may impair the action of the squeeze film to dissipate mechanical energy. The comprehensive test results, first of their kind, demonstrate that accurate modeling of SFDs operating with air ingestion remains difficult as the flow process and the paths of its major components (air and liquid) are rather complex.

Damping and Inertia Coefficients for Two Open Ends Squeeze Film Dampers With a Central Groove: Measurements and Predictions

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés
Keyword(s):  
Short Length ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
The Other ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Inertia Force ◽  
Frequency Domain Method ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Squeeze Film Dampers ◽  
Static Eccentricity

Aircraft engine rotors are particularly sensitive to rotor imbalance and sudden maneuver loads since they are always supported on rolling element bearings with little damping. Most engines incorporate Squeeze Film Dampers (SFDs) as means to dissipate mechanical energy from rotor vibrations and to ensure system stability. The paper quantifies experimentally the forced performance of a SFD comprising two parallel film lands separated by a deep central groove. Tests are conducted on two open ends SFDs, both with diameter D = 127 mm and nominal radial clearance c = 0.127 mm. One damper has film lands with length L = 12.7 mm (short length), while the other has 25.4 mm land lengths. The central groove has width L and depth 3/4 L. A light viscosity lubricant flows into the central groove via three orifices, 120° apart, and then through the film lands to finally exit to ambient. In operation, a static loader pulls the bearing to various eccentric positions and electromagnetic shakers excite the test system with periodic loads to generate whirl orbits of specific amplitudes. A frequency domain method identifies the SFD damping and inertia force coefficients. The long damper generates six times more damping and ∼three times more added mass than the short length damper. The damping coefficients are sensitive to the static eccentricity (up to ∼0.5c) while showing lesser dependency on the amplitude of whirl motion (up to 0.2c). On the other hand, inertia coefficients increase mildly with static eccentricity and decrease as the amplitude of whirl motion increases. Cross-coupled force coefficients are insignificant for all imposed operating conditions on either damper. Large dynamic pressures recorded in the central groove demonstrate the groove does not isolate the adjacent squeeze film lands but contributes to the amplification of the film lands’ reaction forces. Predictions from a novel SFD model that includes flow interactions in the central groove and feed orifices agree well with the test force coefficients for both dampers. The test data and predictions advance current knowledge and demonstrate SFD forced performance is tied to the lubricant feed arrangement.

A Novel Bulk-Flow Model for Improved Predictions of Force Coefficients in Grooved Oil Seals Operating Eccentrically

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Adolfo Delgado
Keyword(s):  
Test Data ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Hydrodynamic Instability ◽  
Added Mass ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Bulk Flow ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Accurate Estimation ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Process Gas

Oil seals in centrifugal compressors reduce leakage of the process gas into the support bearings and ambient. Under certain operating conditions of speed and pressure, oil seals lock, becoming a source of hydrodynamic instability due to excessively large cross coupled stiffness coefficients. It is a common practice to machine circumferential grooves, breaking the seal land, to isolate shear flow induced film pressures in contiguous lands, and hence reducing the seal cross coupled stiffnesses. Published tests results for oil seal rings shows that an inner land groove, shallow or deep, does not actually reduce the cross-stiffnesses as much as conventional models predict. In addition, the tested grooved oil seals evidenced large added mass coefficients while predictive models, based on classical lubrication theory, neglect fluid inertia effects. This paper introduces a bulk-flow model for groove oil seals operating eccentrically and its solution via the finite element (FE) method. The analysis relies on an effective groove depth, different from the physical depth, which delimits the upper boundary for the squeeze film flow. Predictions of rotordynamic force coefficients are compared to published experimental force coefficients for a smooth land seal and a seal with a single inner groove with depth equaling 15 times the land clearance. The test data represent operation at 10 krpm and 70 bar supply pressure, and four journal eccentricity ratios (e/c= 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7). Predictions from the current model agree with the test data for operation at the lowest eccentricities (e/c= 0.3) with discrepancies increasing at larger journal eccentricities. The new flow model is a significant improvement towards the accurate estimation of grooved seal cross-coupled stiffnesses and added mass coefficients; the latter was previously ignored or largely under predicted.

Identification of Non-Linear Force Coefficients for the Radial Motion of a Squeeze Film Damper

1994 ◽  
Vol 208 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
J X Zhang ◽  
J B Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Linear Model ◽  
Radial Motion ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Static Force ◽  
Fluid Force ◽  
Squeeze Film Damper ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Supply Pressure ◽  
Non Linear

The fluid force generated in a squeeze film damper undergoing large amplitude radial motion is described in terms of non-linear hydrodynamic inertial and damping coefficients, together with afluid static force. Linear-in-the-parameter polynomial forms are introduced to represent the variation of these contributions with radial position. A generalized state variable filter identification method is developed which enables all the parameters in the non-linear model to be estimated from experimental data. The method is validated by processing simulated data and then applied to some new experimental data. Experimental results, relating to the influence of the supply pressure and the operating frequency on the coefficients, are presented and discussed. Comparisons are made with corresponding predictions derived from existing lubrication theory. The parametric non-linear model is found to give a good fit to experimental data over a significant region within the vicinity of the initial static equilibrium position. Through a combination of results, the variation of the fluid force coefficients and the fluid static force with eccentricity, over nearly the whole range of the radial clearance, is obtained. Temporal inertia is found to be more important than convective inertia for motion near the centre of the clearance circle. The existence of a fluid static force, suggested by previous work is confirmed. It is found that this force is linearly proportional to the oil supply pressure.

Experimental Investigation on the Dynamic Pressure and Force Response of a Partially Sealed Squeeze Film Damper

1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Meng ◽  
L. A. San Andres ◽  
J. M. Vance
Keyword(s):  
Rotational Speed ◽  
Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Tangential Force ◽  
Radial Force ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Damping Force ◽  
Film Pressure ◽  
Squeeze Film Damper ◽  
Fluid Forces ◽  
Supply Pressure

Abstract The influence of rotational speed, oil temperature and supply pressure on the squeeze film pressure and fluid forces is investigated experimentally for a partially sealed squeeze film damper (SFD) test rig executing circular centered orbits. Experimental Tesults show that the sealed damper produces higher damping forces than an open end SFD, though it is more prone to produce oil cavitation. As a result, the peak-to-peak pressures and the tangential force (damping force) decrease with increasing rotational speed; while, the radial force (stiffhening force) becomes negative due to the large extent of the cavitation zone. The tangential force decreases and the radial force increases with increasing lubricant temperature. The squeeze film pressure and film force increase as the supply pressure rises. The film cavitation onset is determined by the level of supply pressure and rotational speed.

Identification of Force Coefficients in a Squeeze Film Damper With a Mechanical End Seal—Part I: Unidirectional Load Tests

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 858-864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Adolfo Delgado
Keyword(s):  
Friction Force ◽  
Dry Friction ◽  
Air Entrainment ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Viscous Damping ◽  
Mechanical Seal ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Damping Coefficients ◽  
Load Tests ◽  
Motion Amplitude

Squeeze film dampers (SFDs) with low levels of external pressurization and poor end sealing are prone to air entrapment, thus not generating enough damping capability. Single frequency, unidirectional load tests were conducted on a SFD test rig replicating a commercial jet-engine configuration. The damper journal is 2.54cm in length and 12.7cm in diameter, with nominal clearance of 0.127mm. The SFD feed end is flooded with oil, while the discharge end contains a recirculation groove and four orifice ports, and a mechanical seal ring in contact with the damper journal. A wave spring pushes the ring ensuring tight sealing to prevent gas ingestion. The mechanical seal also serves to contain the lubricant within the squeeze film land for extended periods of time and; while in operation, to prevent contamination of the ball bearing cartridge. The measurements conducted without and with lubricant in the squeeze film lands, along with a frequency domain identification procedure, render the mechanical seal dry-friction force and viscous damping force coefficients as functions of frequency and motion amplitude. The end seal arrangement is quite effective in eliminating side leakage and preventing air entrainment into the film lands. Importantly enough, the dry friction force, arising from the contact forces in relative motion, increases significantly the test element equivalent viscous damping coefficients. The identified system damping coefficients are thus frequency and motion amplitude dependent, albeit decreasing rapidly as the motion parameters increase. Identified squeeze film force coefficients, damping and added mass, agree well with predictions based on the full film, short length damper model.

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