An experimental investigation conducted in order to determine bearing dynamic coefficients of two hydrodynamic bearings using impulse responses

The paper presents the experimental investigation carried out in order to identify bearing dynamic coefficients of two hydrodynamic bearings from impulse responses. In this method the stiffness, damping and mass coefficients of two hydrodynamic bearings were calculated in a single algorithm. For each rotational speed, were obtained 12 dynamic coefficients which enable to fully describe the dynamic state of the rotor. Exciting force signals, applied using an impact hammer were shown. Displacements of the shaft were measured by eddy current sensors. The measurements were carried out at various rotational speeds, including resonance speeds. The vibration amplitude in a resonance case increases significantly with time after the excitation was induced by an impact hammer. Excitations of the rotor with an impact hammer were recorded using a high-speed camera. These unique recordings and simultaneous analysis of the trajectory of the bearing journals depict the contact phenomena that occur during impulse excitation of the rotor.