Bifurcation analysis of flexible rotor supported by couple-stress fluid film bearings with non-linear suspension systems

This study analyzes the dynamic behavior of a flexible rotor supported by two couple-stress fluid film journal bearings with non-linear suspension systems. The analysis employs a short journal bearing assumption and considers the respective effects on the dynamic response of the system of the lubricant type (i.e. Newtonian or non-Newtonian), the bearing housing suspension system (i.e. linear or non-linear), the rotor speed and the degree of rotor unbalance. The behavior of the system is analyzed by reference to bifurcation diagrams, dynamic trajectory diagrams and Poincaré maps, respectively. In general, the results show that the dynamics of the system are significantly dependent on the rotor speed and the degree of rotor unbalance. Furthermore, it is found that the use of a couple-stress fluid lubricant enhances the dynamic stability of the rotor-bearing system considerably compared to that obtained when using a traditional Newtonian lubricant. Finally, the results show that the common assumption of a linear journal housing suspension system results in a significant underestimation of the vibrational amplitudes of both the rotor and the bearing and should therefore be replaced by a non-linear assumption.