Nonlinear Dynamic Behavior of Turbocharger Rotor-Bearing Systems With Hydrodynamic Oil Film and Squeeze Film Damper in Series: Prediction and Experiment

Current trends for advanced automotive engines focusing on downsizing, better fuel efficiency, and lower emissions have led to several changes in turbocharger bearing system design and technology. Automotive turbochargers run faster and use engine oils with very low viscosity under high oil inlet temperature and low feed pressure. The development of high performing bearing systems, marrying innovation with reliability, is a persistent challenge. This paper shows progress on the nonlinear dynamic behavior modeling of the rotor-radial bearing system (RBS) incorporating two oil films in series: a hydrodynamic one with a squeeze film damper commonly used in turbochargers. The developed fluid bearing code predicts bearing rotational speed (in the case of fully floating design), operating inner and outer bearing film clearances, effective oil viscosity, taking into account its shear effect, and hydrostatic load. A rotordynamics code uses this input to predict the nonlinear lateral dynamic response of the rotor-bearing system. The model predictions are validated with test data acquired on a high speed turbocharger RBS of a 6.0 mm journal diameter running up to 250,000 rpm (maximum speed), 5W30 oil type, $150°C$ oil inlet temperature, and 4 bar oil feed pressure. The tests are conducted at a rotordynamics technology laboratory using a high performance data acquisition system. Turbochargers with four combinations of inner and outer RBS clearances are tested. Prediction and measured synchronous response and total motion are in good agreement. Both demonstrate the nonlinear character of the RBS behavior, including several subsynchronous frequency components across the operating speed range. The nonlinear predictive model aids the development of high performance and optimized turbocharger RBS with faster development cycle times and increased reliability.