Bifurcation and Chaos Analysis of a Relative Short Spherical Air Bearing System via a Novel Hybrid Method

This paper employs a novel hybrid numerical method combining the differential transformation method and the finite difference method to study the bifurcation and chaotic behavior of a flexible rotor supported by a relative short spherical air bearing (RSSAB) system. The analytical results reveal a complex dynamic behavior comprising periodic, sub-harmonic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic responses of the rotor center and the journal center. Furthermore, the results reveal the changes which take place in the dynamic behavior of the bearing system as the rotor mass are increased. The current analytical results are found to be in good agreement with those of other numerical methods. Therefore, the proposed method provides an effective means of gaining insights into the nonlinear dynamics of RSSAB systems.