Dynamic analysis of a bevel gear system equipped with finite length squeeze film dampers for passive vibration control

Abstract Though finite length squeeze film dampers (FLSFD) are practically and effectively applied to vibration attenuation, they have not been popularly used in bevel gear systems (BGS) due to the limitations of the existing models of FLSFD. The present work proposes a general approach for modeling and calculating the nonlinear oil-film force of FLSFD, which is introduced into system motion equations to model the BGS supported on FLSFD mathematically. Comparisons with conventional methods show the superiorities of the proposed model in terms of computational accuracy and versatility. The damping characteristics of FLSFD are examined by comparing the dynamic behaviors of the BGS with and without FLSFD. Besides, the response sensitivity of the system to different parameters, including the length and radial clearance of FLSFD, is also discussed. The results show that FLSFD can significantly reduce the vibration amplitude passing through the critical speeds and suppress the nonlinear characteristics of the system, such as bistable state responses and jump phenomena. The results also reveal a dependence of the damping performance on the choice of the FLSFD design parameters.