In the article the results of simulation and experimental studies of the movement of a four-wheeled mobile platform, taking into account wheel slip have been presented. The simulation results have been based on the dynamics of the four-wheel mobile platform. The dynamic model of the system motion takes into account the relationship between the active and passive forces accompanying the platform motion, especially during wheel slip. The formulated initial problem describing the motion of the system has been solved by the Runge-Kutta method of the fourth order. The proposed computational model including the platform dynamics model has been verified in experimental studies using the LEO Rover robot. The motion parameters obtained on the basis of the adopted computational model in the form of trajectories, velocities and accelerations have been compared with the results of experimental tests, and the results of this comparison have been included in the paper. The proposed computational model can be useful in various situations, e.g., real-time control, where models with a high degree of complexity are useless due to the computation time. The simulation results obtained on the basis of the proposed model are sufficiently compatible with the results of experimental tests of motion parameters obtained for the selected type of mobile robot.

Squeeze film dampers (SFDs) are commonly used in turbomachinery in order to introduce external damping, thereby reducing rotor vibrations and acoustic emissions. Since SFDs are of similar geometry as hydrodynamic bearings, the REYNOLDS equation of lubrication can be utilised to predict their dynamic behaviour. However, under certain operating conditions, SFDs can experience significant fluid inertia effects, which are neglected in the usual REYNOLDS analysis. An algorithm for the prediction of these effects on the pressure build up inside a finite-length SFD is therefore presented. For this purpose, the REYNOLDS equation is extended with a first-order perturbation in the fluid velocities to account for the local and convective inertia terms of the NAVIER-STOKES equations. Cavitation is taken into account by means of a mass conserving two-phase model. The resulting equation is then discretized using the finite volume method and solved with an LU factorization. The developed algorithm is capable of calculating the pressure field, and thereby the damping force, inside an SFD for arbitrary operating points in a time-efficient manner. It is therefore suited for integration into transient simulations of turbo machinery without the need for bearing force coefficient maps, which are usually restricted to circular centralized orbits. The capabilities of the method are demonstrated on a transient run-up simulation of a turbocharger rotor with two semi-floating bearings. It can be shown that the consideration of fluid inertia effects introduces a significant shift of the pressure field inside the SFDs, and therefore the resulting damper force vector, at high oil temperatures and high rotational speeds. The effect of fluid inertia on the kinematic behaviour of the whole system on the other hand is rather limited for the examined rotor.