Nonlinear Analysis and Characteristic Variation of Self-Excited Vibration in the Vertical Rotor System Due to the Flexible Support of the Journal Bearing

Various vibration problems occur in rotating machinery. Specifically, the large amplitude vibration may occur in the vertical pump using a journal bearing. In an actual vertical pump, the stator's structure supporting the pump shaft may be relatively flexible. In such a case, rotor's motion such as amplitude of the self-excited vibration is not able to be predicted accurately without considering the nonlinear fluid film force reacting in the relative motion between the shaft and the flexibly supported bearing stator. However, the vibration characteristics in such situations have not been explained theoretically so far. In this paper, the vibration characteristics of a vertical rotating shaft with journal bearing are investigated. The nonlinear steady-state vibration analysis of the self-excited vibration is demonstrated, and the influences of the parameters, such as fluid viscosity, radial clearance, and stiffness and damping coefficients of the flexible support of bearing stator, on the vibration characteristics of the system are explained. Moreover, these theoretical results of the self-excited vibration in the vertical rotating shaft with journal bearing are verified both numerically and experimentally.