A Brief Discussion Regarding Types of Cavitation in Squeeze Film Dampers and Cavitation Effects

摘要

Squeeze film dampers (SFD) are probably the most used shaft control devices in aircraft jet engines; SFDs consist in oil films, elastic elements and various antirotational devices that tune the stiffness and damping of the shafts’ supports and consequently adjust the lateral dynamics of the shaft. Fluid layers in SFDs are usually thin, hence the modeling can often be done using the Reynolds’ theory,; however, some of the main features of the film, namely the behavior of the fluid in the divergent, negative squeeze area, where discontinuities may appear in the liquid, are still subject to intense research. This paper will discuss some aspects regarding the types of cavitation that appear in squeeze film dampers and some of the effects of cavitation on the SFDs.