A new method to eliminate the oil whip online is put forward by use ofpassive electromagnetic damper. The damper works contactless and with DC current. Neither sensor norclosed loop control is needed. The dynamic equations of rotor-bearing system are built up bycombining d'Alemdert principle with Rize way, and the nonlinear oil film forces based on unsteadyshort bearing model are coupled to system. Such nonlinear equations are numerically solved byNewmark integration method. The calculated results show that the bifurcation behavior of the systemcan be. changed and the oil whip of the rotor may be well damped by external damping. Thebifurcation diagrams also show that the subharmonic vibration amplitude decreases in motion and thespeed at which the system losses its stability increases obviously by exerting external damping.Then experiments are carried out to demonstrate this phenomenon. It is observed that the complextrajectories of the journal motion are disappeared and the rotor-bearing system became stable whenthe power of passive electromagnetic damper is turned on. The experiments have good repeatability.
