Effects of design parameters on the noise of rotor-bearing systems

The purpose of the present paper is to investigate the effects of design parameters on the noise produced by rotor-bearing systems supported by oil lubricated journal bearings. To do this, the effects of radial clearance and the width of the bearing, lubricant viscosity, and mass eccentricity of the rotor on the noise of the bearing are investigated, and the numerical results are presented through the graph of the A-weighted sound pressure level of the bearing for various rotational speeds of the rotor. The results show that the A-weighted sound pressure level of the bearing is markedly influenced by the mass eccentricity of the rotor and the radial clearance and the width of the bearing. High viscosity of the lubricant slightly decreases the noise of the bearing, but its effect is relatively low at high speed. The results of the paper could aid in the design of low-noise rotor-bearing systems supported by oil lubricated journal bearings.