Effects of Adding a Central Groove to the Squeeze Film Damper Lands

Squeeze film dampers (SFDs) are used in the high speed turbo machinery industry and aerospace industry as a means to reduce vibration amplitude, to provide damping, to improve dynamic stability of the rotor bearing system and to isolate structural components. Past studies have not included effects of variation of the stator geometries in a squeeze film damper. A central groove added to the squeeze film land is hypothesized to provide a uniform flow source which theory predicts will result in forces less than one fourth of that seen in SFDs without a central groove. In the present study, 3D numerical simulations of SFDs with different size central grooves on the squeeze film land are performed to predict the variation of the dynamic pressure profiles. The numerical model and method have been validated via comparison to experimental data for a SFD without a central groove. When a central groove is added to the squeeze film land, the pressures generated are reduced to half of that generated when run without a central groove on the land. The amount of reduction in pressure values depends on the volume of the groove, not on the aspect ratio of the groove. Addition of a central groove reduces the pressures, rigidity developed in squeeze film land, and forces generated by squeeze film damper.