Nonlinear Identification of Mechanical Parameters in a Squeeze Film Damper With Integral Mechanical Seal

End seals in squeeze film dampers (SFDs) aid to increase their damping capability while maintaining low lubricant flow rates and reducing the severity of air ingestion. This paper presents measurements of the forced response in a SFD integrating a contacting end seal and with closed flow ports, i.e., no lubricant through flow. The system motion is nonlinear due to the dry-friction interaction at the mechanical seal mating surfaces. Single parameter characterization of the test system would yield an equivalent viscous damping coefficient that is both frequency and motion amplitude dependent. Presently, an identification method suited for nonlinear systems allows determining simultaneously the squeeze film damping and inertia force coefficients and the seal dry-friction force. The identification procedure shows similar (within 10%) force coefficients than those obtained with a more involved two-step procedure that first requires measurements without any lubricant in the test system. The identified SFD damping and inertia force coefficients agree well with model predictions that account for end flow effects at recirculation grooves. The overall test results demonstrate that the nonrotating end seal effectively eliminates side leakage and avoids air ingestion, thus maintaining a consistent damping performance throughout the test frequency range. The nonlinear identification procedure saves time and resources while producing reliable physical parameter estimations.