Dynamic response of a rotating disk submerged and confined. Influence of the axial gap

In this paper, the natural frequencies and mode shapes of a rotating disk submerged and totally confined inside a rigid casing, have been obtained. These have been calculated analytically, numerically and experimentally for different axial gaps disk-casing. A simplified analytical model to analyse the dynamic response of a rotating disk submerged and confined, that has been used and validated in previous researches, is used in this case, generalised for arbitrary axial gaps disk-casing. To use this model, it is necessary to know the averaged rotating speed of the flow with respect to the disk. This parameter is obtained after an analytical discussion of the motion of the flow inside the casing where the disk rotates, and by means of CFD simulations for different axial positions of the disk. The natural frequencies of the rotating disk for the different axial confinements can be calculated following this method. A Finite Element Model has been built up to obtain the natural frequencies by means of computational simulation. The relative velocity of the flow with respect to the disk is also introduced in the simulation model in order to estimate the natural frequencies of the rotating disk. Experimental tests have been performed with a rotating disk test rig. A thin stainless steel disk (thickness of 8 mm, (h/r