Non-linear dynamics and contacts of an unbalanced flexible rotor supported on ball bearings

This study deals with the non-linear dynamic response of a flexible rotor supported by ball bearings. The excitation is due to unbalance force. The finite element rotor system is composed of a shaft with one disk, two flexible bearing supports and a ball bearing element where the non-linearities are due to both the radial clearance and the Herztian contact between races and rolling elements. A numerical analysis is performed to analyze the non-linear behavior of this bearing rotor by using the Harmonic Balance Method with appropriate condensation located only on the non-linear coordinates of the system in order to minimize computer time. The condensation process reduces the original non-linear rotor system by focusing only on the solution of the non-linear equations of the Fourier coefficients associated with the system's non-linear components. In this study, the procedure is developed for the estimation of the harmonic and super-harmonic responses of the complex rotor system. Consequently, the non-linear unbalance responses and the associated orbits of the bearing rotor will be investigated. Moreover, the transition from contact to no-contact states between rolling elements and races, and the associated restoring contact forces are calculated for different speeds of the unbalanced rotor. Finally, hardening-type non-linearity or softening-type non-linearity due to the effects of radial clearance and unbalance mass are examined. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.