Study on the Vibration Reduction Effect of Piezoelectric Actuation on Flexible Tilting Pad Bearings with Different Structural Parameters

To improve the vibration performance of oil-lubricated tilting pad bearing systems, this paper investigates the impact of different structural parameters on the vibration reduction effect of piezoelectric actuators on flexible tilting pad bearings. Four sets of flexible tilting pad bearings were designed and manufactured, including a flexible hinge tilting pad bearing and three sets of double-layer spring-supported flexible tilting pad bearings with different parameters. The radial displacement of the bearing load pad was controlled to varying degrees using a piezoelectric actuator, and semi-active control experiments were conducted on the flexible tilting pad bearings. The experimental results show that appropriately reducing the radial clearance and the stiffness of the bearing’s flexible structure can effectively suppress vibrations, enhance the vibration reduction effect of the piezoelectric actuation, and increase the stability of the bearing-rotor system. This study is of significant importance for the design of flexible tilting pad bearings and the vibration suppression of rotor systems.