Active Lubrication: Feasibility and Limitations on Reducing Vibration in Rotating Machinery

In the present work, experimental results show the feasibility of reducing the amplitude of resonance peaks in rotor-bearing test rig, in the frequency domain, by using active lubricated bearings. The most important consequence of this vibration reduction in rotating machines is the feasibility of increasing their operational range. As a result, one achieves intelligent machines that are more flexible to operate in a fast-changing demand environment. Some limitations of the active lubrication are also discussed based on experimental data, where the response of the servo valves and the supply pressure play an important role: the eigenfrequency of the servo valves establishes the operational frequency range of the active lubrication, whereas the supply pressure establishes the amplitude of vibration reduction achieved with the active lubrication.