REDUCTION OF THE ENERGY LOSSES BY APPLICATION OF CONTROLLABLE SQUEEZE FILM DAMPERS

The unbalance induces lateral oscillations of rotors and forces transmitted to the rotor casing. The squeeze film dampers with integrated rolling element bearings represent a technological solution, which enables to reduce their magnitude, and consequently the resistance against the rotor rotation. To achieve optimum performance of the damping devices, their damping effect must be adapable to the current rotor speed. This paper reports a proposal of a controllable squeeze film damper, the damping effect of which is controlled mechanically by shifting its outer ring in the axial direction. The developed mathematical model of the damper is based on assumptions of the classical theory of lubrication and is completed with implementation of a gas cavitation. The results of the computational simulations show that an appropriate control of the damping force enables to reduce the energy losses in a wide range of operating speeds.