Unbalance response and stability of a rotating system with viscoelastically supported bearings

Dynamic analysis of a rotating system, with bearings supported on viscoelastic suspensions, has been given using the finite element method. Unbalance response studies relating to a rotor system with journal or rolling element bearings, are reported and the effect of stiffness and damping parameters of the viscoelastic supports for the unbalance response reduction is analysed. In order to incorporate the frequency dependent effect of viscoelastic material characteristics and to study the stability behaviour of the system with hydrodynamic journal bearings, a four element type model is assumed. It is shown that with a suitable choice of support characteristics, unbalance response may be reduced and instability of the system eliminated