Dynamics of multilayer, multidisc viscoelastic rotor - An operator based higher order classical model

Inherent material damping plays a very significant role on dynamic behaviour of rotors. The material damping in a spinning rotor produces a tangential force along the whirl direction and its magnitude being proportional to spin speed. After certain value of spin speed, decided by the characteristic of the system, the tangential force becomes strong enough to throw the rotor centre out of the whirl orbit by inflating it progressively. This leads to destabilization of the system and corresponding speed is known as stability limit of spin speed. Stability limit of spin speed for Jeffcott rotor, by using viscous form of material damping model is straight forward and has been reported by several researchers, however the same analysis for viscoelastic material characteristics is not reported much. This analysis is very relevant for industrial requirements to replace bulky and heavy metal rotor by light but strong rotors. This is achieved either by reinforcing fibre or multi layering arrangements. Both of which are represented by viscoelastic constitutive behaviour. This paper gives mathematical derivation of equations of motion for multi-disc, multi-layered rotor-shaft-system. Both lumped mass and discretized approach (finite element) are presented here mathematically and numerical simulation results are compared. The lumped mass approach gives a concise yet acceptable accuracy of the results.