Structural Damping of Self-Acting Compliant Foil Journal Bearings

This paper describes an experimental investigation into the dynamic characteristics of corrugated foil (bump foil) strips used in compliant surface foil journal bearings and dampers. In the experimental method described herein, a test facility with a journal supported by a compliant foil journal bearing was built. The nonrotating journal was driven by two shakers which were used to simulate dynamic forces acting on bump foil strips. The dynamic structural stiffness and equivalent viscous damping coefficients are calculated based on the experimental measurements for a wide range of operating conditions. The results are compared to the analytical predictions obtained by a theoretical model developed earlier.