Rotordynamic modeling using bond graphs: modeling the Jeffcott rotor

Abstract

Visualizing the complex and counterintuitive phenomenology associated with rotordynamics has been problematic since Rankine first scientifically studied it in the early 1900s. To address this, a simple model capable of allowing visualization of the parameters and problematic aspects associated with an imbalanced rotor (Jeffcott rotor) will be proposed using bond graphs, which provide a structured and unified method for modeling a large class of nonlinear, multienergetic systems. The purpose of this paper is to provide a high-fidelity, experimentally proven bond graph model of the Jeffcott rotor to aid in the design and analysis of high-speed rotational machinery often associated with pulsed energy systems. The intent of the model is the ability to use it as a modular and foundational piece in more complex rotordynamic models.