Accurate identification of the frequency response functions for the rotor-bearing-foundation system using the modified pseudo mode shape method

In this paper, an identification technique in the dynamic analyses of rotor-bearing-foundation systems called the pseudo mode shape method (PMSM) was improved in order to enhance the accuracy of the identified dynamic characteristic matrices of its foundation models. Two procedures, namely, phase modification and numerical optimisation, were proposed in the algorithm of PMSM to effectively improve its accuracy. Generally, it is always necessary to build the whole foundation model in studying the dynamics of a rotor system through the finite element analysis method. This is either unfeasible or impractical when the foundation is too complicated. Instead, the PMSM uses the frequency response function (FRF) data of joint positions between the rotor and the foundation to establish the equivalent mass, damping, and stiffness matrices of the foundation without having to build the physical model. However, the accuracy of the obtained system's FRF is still unsatisfactory, especially at those higher modes. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented methods, a solid foundation was solved for its FRF by using both the original and modified PMSM, as well as the finite element (ANSYS) model for comparisons. The results showed that the accuracy of the obtained FRF was improved remarkably with the modified PMSM based on the results of the ANSYS. In addition, an induction motor resembling a rotor-bearing-foundation system, with its housing treated as the foundation, was taken as an example to verify the algorithm experimentally. The FRF curves at the bearing supports of the rotor (armature) were obtained through modal testing to estimate the above-mentioned equivalent matrices of the housing. The FRF of the housing, which was calculated from the equivalent matrices with the modified PMSM, showed satisfactory consistency with that from the modal testing.