Damping lateral vibrations in rotary machinery using motor speed modulation

This paper outlines a new principle for damping lateral vibrations of rotary systems. According to this principle, no changes in the visco-elastic properties of the system to be damped are required. The method is based on the generation of a harmonic additive to the constant speed of rotation that provides significant damping of lateral vibrations at critical speeds of rotation. This concept is validated analytically using the method of averaging and additionally with the help of direct numerical integration. The solution is shown to represent Fourier series containing Bessel functions. Consequently, proper choice of the parameters of the additional harmonic component ensuring that the Bessel functions have minimum values results from a minimization of the solution itself. Thus, the analytical solution and numerical results prove this concept by showing an essential decrease of the amplitudes of lateral vibrations of the damped system compared with those of the undamped system. The physical explanation of this effect is presented.