Today's modern internal combustion engines are increasingly focused on downsizing, high fuel efficiency and low emissions, which requires appropriate design and technology of turbocharger bearing systems. Automotive turbochargers operate faster and with strong engine excitation; vibration management is becoming a challenge and manufacturers are increasingly focusing on the design of low vibration and high-performance balancing technology. This paper discusses the synchronous vibration management of the ball bearing cartridge turbocharger on high-speed balancer and it is a continuation of papers [1–3]. In a first step, the synchronous rotordynamics behavior is identified. A prediction code is developed to calculate the static and dynamic performance of “ball bearing cartridge-squeeze film damper”. The dynamic behavior of balls is modeled by a spring with stiffness calculated from Tedric Harris formulas and the damping is considered null. The squeeze film damper model is derived from the Osborne Reynolds equation for incompressible and synchronous fluid loading; the stiffness and damping coefficients are calculated assuming that the bearing is infinitely short, and the oil film pressure is modeled as a cavitated π film model. The stiffness and damping coefficients are integrated on a rotordynamics code and the bearing loads are calculated by converging with the bearing eccentricity ratio. In a second step, a finite element structural dynamics model is built for the system “turbocharger housing-high speed balancer fixture” and validated by experimental frequency response functions. In the last step, the rotating dynamic bearing loads on the squeeze film damper are coupled with transfer functions and the vibration on the housings is predicted. The vibration response under single and multi-plane unbalances correlates very well with test data from turbocharger unbalance masters. The prediction model allows a thorough understanding of ball bearing turbocharger vibration on a high speed balancer, thus optimizing the dynamic behavior of the “turbocharger-high speed balancer” structural system for better rotordynamics performance identification and selection of the appropriate balancing process at the development stage of the turbocharger.

Current trends for advanced automotive engines focusing on downsizing, better fuel efficiency, and lower emissions have led to several changes in turbocharger bearing systems design, and technology. Automotive turbochargers are running faster under high engine vibration level. Vibration control is becoming a real critical issue and turbocharger manufacturers are focusing more and more on new and improved balancing technology. This paper deals with turbocharger synchronous vibration control on high speed balancers. In a first step the synchronous rotordynamics behavior is identified. The developed fluid bearing code predicts bearing rotational speed (in case of fully floating design), operating inner and outer bearing film clearances and bearing force coefficients. A rotordynamics code uses this input to predict the synchronous lateral dynamic response of the rotor-bearing system by converging with bearing eccentricity ratio. The rotor-bearing system model is validated by shaft motion test data on high speed balancer (HSB). It shows that only one of the peaks seen on the synchronous G level plot collected in a high speed balancer can be explained by rotordynamics physics. A step-by-step structural dynamics model and analysis validated by experimental frequency response functions provides robust explanations for the other G level peaks.The synchronous vibration response of the system "turbocharger-HSB fixture" is predicted by integrating the predicted rotordynamics rotational bearing loads on the structural dynamics model. Numerous test data show very good correlation with the prediction, which validates the developed analytical model. The "rotordynamics-structural dynamics model" allows deep understanding of turbocharger synchronous vibration control, as well as optimization of the high speed balancer tooling.

Current trends for advanced automotive engines focusing on downsizing, better fuel efficiency and lower emissions have led to several changes in turbocharger bearing systems design and technology. Automotive turbochargers are running faster under high engine vibration level. Vibration control is becoming a real critical issue and turbocharger manufacturers are focusing more and more on new and improved balancing technology. This paper deals with turbocharger synchronous vibration control on high speed balancers. In a first step the synchronous rotordynamics behavior is identified. The developed fluid bearing code predicts bearing rotational speed (in case of fully-floating design), operating inner and outer bearing film clearances and bearing force coefficients. A rotordynamics code uses this input to predict the synchronous lateral dynamic response of the rotor-bearing system by converging with bearing eccentricity ratio. The rotor-bearing system model is validated by shaft motion test data on high speed balancer (HSB). It shows that only one of the peaks seen on the synchronous G level plot collected in a high speed balancer can be explained by rotordynamics physics. A step-by-step structural dynamics model and analysis validated by experimental frequency response functions provides robust explanations for the other G level peaks. The synchronous vibration response of the system “turbocharger-HSB fixture” is predicted by integrating the predicted rotordynamics rotational bearing loads on the structural dynamics model. Numerous test data show very good correlation with the prediction, which validates the developed analytical model. The “rotordynamics – structural dynamics model” allows deep understanding of turbocharger synchronous vibration control as well as optimization of the high speed balancer tooling.