Rotordynamic Analysis of Automotive Turbochargers Supported on Ball Bearings and Squeeze Film Dampers in Series : Effect of Squeeze Film Damper Design Parameters and Rotor Imbalances

Modern high-performance automotive turbochargers (TCs) implement ceramic hybrid angular contact ball bearings in series with squeeze film dampers (SFDs) to enhance transient responses, thereby reducing the overall emission levels. The current study predicts the rotordynamic responses of the commercial automotive TCs (compressor wheel diameter = ~53 mm, turbine wheel diameter = ~43 mm, and shaft diameter at the bearing locations = ~7 mm) supported on ball bearings and SFDs for various design parameters of SFDs, including radial clearance, axial length, lubricant viscosity, and rotor imbalance conditions (i.e., amplitudes and phase angles) while increasing rotor speed up to 150 krpm. This study validates the predictive rotor finite element model against measurements of mass, polar and transverse moments of inertia, and free-free mode natural frequencies and mode shapes. A nonlinear rotordynamic model integrates nonlinear force coefficients of SFDs to calculate the transient responses of the TC rotor-bearing system. The predicted results show that SFD radial clearances, as well as phase angles of rotor imbalances, have the paramount effect on the dynamic responses of TC shaft motions