Application of a hybrid numerical method to the bifurcation analysis of a rigid rotor supported by a spherical gas journal bearing system

The nonlinear dynamic behavior of a rigid rotor supported by a spherical gas journal bearing system is analyzed using a hybrid method combining the differential transformation method (DTM) and the finite difference method (FDM). The analytical results reveal that the bearing system has a complex dynamic behavior comprising periodic, subharmonic, and quasi-periodic responses of the rotor center. The evolution in the dynamic behavior of the bearing system is systematically examined as the rotor mass and bearing number are increased. The analytical results are found to be in good agreement with those of other numerical methods. Hence, the validity of the proposed hybrid method as a means of gaining insights into the nonlinear dynamics of spherical gas film rotor-bearing systems is confirmed.