Rotary screw compressors utilizing viscous damping for vibration reduction

A system for damping vibrations in a screw compressor, comprising:

• a compressor housing;
• at least one rotor further comprising a helical screw mounted in the compressor housing, the at least one rotor having a shaft with a first axial end and a second axial end;
• radial bearings positioned near each end of the shaft, the radial bearings precisely positioning the at least one rotor in the compressor housing in a radial direction within a first predetermined clearance range;
• a stationary squeeze film damper positioned in parallel to each of the radial bearings and adjacent the radial bearings, the stationary squeeze film damper having a second predetermined clearance range greater than the first predetermined clearance range of the radial bearings with the at least one rotor;
• a damper bearing of the stationary squeeze film damper, wherein the damper bearing is selected from the group of bearings consisting of hydrodynamic bearings and anti-friction bearings, the damper bearing transferring radial movement of the shaft to the stationary squeeze film damper;
• at least one thrust bearing mounted on the shaft of the at least one rotor, the at least one thrust bearing counteracting axial forces on the at least one rotor;
• a lubricant source;
• a conduit from the lubricant source to the stationary squeeze film damper providing lubricant from the lubricant source to the stationary squeeze film damper;
• at least one of a cooler and a pressure pump downstream of the lubricant source and upstream of the stationary squeeze film damper with respect to a flow of the lubricant from the lubricant source to the stationary squeeze film damper, wherein the lubricant provided from the lubricant source is maintained below its bubble point;
• wherein the lubricant provided to the stationary squeeze film damper provides a viscous damping of periodic radial motion of the at least one rotor, the lubricant occupying the second predetermined clearance range within the stationary squeeze film damper between the at least one rotor and a wall of the stationary squeeze film damper.