Experimental Measurement of the Dynamic Pressure Distribution in a Squeeze-Film Bearing Damper Executing Circular-Centered Orbit

Abstract

A review of previous experimental measurements of squeeze-film damper (SFD) forces is given. Measurements by the authors of SFD pressure fields and force coefficients for circular-centered orbits with ϵ = 0.5 are described and compared with computer predictions. For Reynolds numbers over the range 2–6, the effect of fluid inertia on the pressure fields and forces is found to be significant.