A Simple Modeling and Experiment on Dynamic Stability of A Disk Rotating in Air

In this paper, the dynamic stability of a disk rotating in air has been modeled and analyzed numerically as well as observed from experiments. A simple expression on the aerodynamic loading acting on the rotating disk is applied in the modeling, and the dynamic stability results of the disks are evaluated based on the eigenvalues for the vibration modes. The disk critical speeds and the flutter speeds are calculated and compared with the results from experiments, which are conducted on two steel disks with different diameters and thicknesses. The modeling predicts that the rotating disk flutter starts with the mode (0, 3)B, which agrees with the results reported in the literature and the observation in the present experimental study.