The fluttering characteristics of the upper unloaded pads in a tilting pad journal bearing were
studied experimentally. In order to investigate the fluttering phenomena of the pad, the
absolute vibration of the pad, the relative vibration between the bearing and the shaft, and
the circumferential film thickness/film pressure were measured with the variation of the
supply oil flow rate, the shaft speed, and bearing load. By analyzing the circumferential
distributions of the film thickness, it was identified that the film shape of the upper pad …

The vibration characteristics of the pad fluttering in a fluid film tilting pad journal bearing (4-
pad LBP) have been investigated experimentally under the different values of oil supply flow
rate, bearing load and shaft speed. The vibration characteristics of the pad fluttering are
estimated by measuring the time signal of circumferential distribution of the film thickness
and the cascade plot of the response of the relative displacement between the bearing and
the shaft. It is shown that the vibration frequency of the pad fluttering has a sub-synchronous …