The operating characteristics of rotor-bearing system with fluid lubrication are influenced by the stiffness and damping characteristics of the rotor which are functions of rotor material and rotor dimension, and the pressure distribution in the bearing. Since the unstable operation of rotor-bearing system is induced frequently from the pressure gradient generated by journal rotation, one method for stable operation of rotor-bearing system is the pressure redistribution to decrease pressure gradient, which is possible by the compliant bearings with flexible surface being locally deformed by pressure in the bearing film.
In this study, a composite rotor-bearing system composed of a composite shaft and composite shell air journal bearings was designed and manufactured. The composite shell air journal bearing was designed through the coupled analysis of the lubrication analysis using FDM (finite difference method) and the structural analysis using FEM (finite element method). The composite shaft was designed both through the vibrational analysis and the static analysis considering bending, thermal and centrifugal force. The dynamic characteristics of manufactured composite rotor-bearing system were analyzed through dynamic transient analysis, and tested through modal test and running test. Finally, design guidelines for the composite rotor-bearing system were suggested.
