Force Coefficients for a Centrally Grooved Short Squeeze Film Damper

Abstract

A centrally grooved short squeeze film damper (SFD), together with its lubricant supply mechanism (LSM), is analyzed, using an integrated theoretical model. It is shown that the traditional analysis for such a damper, where the effects of the central groove and the LSM are ignored, can lead to a seven-fold underestimation of the magnitude of the hydrodynamic force coefficients. The new theory gives predictions for the damping coefficients which are in good agreement with corresponding experimental results. Moreover, a five-fold improvement is obtained for both the temporal and convective inertia coefficients, at low values of eccentricity. The new model leads to the prediction of a nonzero fluid static force which, in conformity with experimental results, is linearly related to the supply pressure. The existence of this static force has not been explained by previous theoretical work on SFDs.