CAUSES OF VIBRATION

GENERAL
There are many causes of vibration, and an accurate analysis must be made in order to find the
stimulus before attempting to perform any corrective action. Some of the most common causes
of vibration are as follos!
". Rubbing
#. $isalignment
%. &il 'hip
(. Thermal )nstability
*. +ouble ,re-uency .ibration
/. 0ore .ibration
1. &ther 0auses of Generator .ibration
2. $echanical 3nbalance
Let us loo4 at each cause and determine the course of action to ta4e if the situation occurs on a
turbine5generator that you are or4ing on.
R366)NG
Rubbing occurs hen the rotating element comes in contact ith the stationary element. )n a
turbine, the rotating element is the rotor hile the stationary elements are usually the oil
deflectors and steam and7or diaphragm pac4ing. 8ac4ing and7or oil deflector rubs cause locali9ed
heating on the shaft surface. 0ircumferential temperature gradients develop because the rub is
usually more severe on one side of the shaft and the rotor gradually bos toard the high spot.
The effects of rubs on vibration are more severe hen the rotor is operating close to, or belo,
the first critical speed than hen the shaft is rotating far above it. &ne reason for this severe
effect is the "2:; movement of the <igh Spot =point of hardest rub> through the critical speed
range. This interesting effect is illustrated in ,igure ".
,igure ". $ovement of <igh Spot as the Result of a Rub
5 " 5
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
As the rotor accelerates, it develops a high spot in line ith the unbalance, or center of mass =see
,igure ">. This is called <S". As it gradually approaches a ma?imum and the angle approaches
<S#, the rate of change of the angle advances to a ma?imum at the critical speed. The rub angle
is the high spot angle =as ell as the hot spot>, and moves against rotation. The center of mass
assumes an intermediate position hich is somehere beteen its original location and the
location caused by the effect of the bo. This changes <S", <S#, and <S%, through some
countercloc4ise angle, to <S"@ <S#@ and <S%@ respectively.
,rom this illustration e can easily see that rubs occurring at speeds that are far belo critical
speeds are self stimulating, and can rapidly accelerate in intensity until the rotor becomes
destructively eccentric. This happens because the rotor tends to bo into its on rub. Rubs
occurring at speeds near the critical are partially self5limiting because the rub angle is A:; from
the bo induced by the rub. <oever, the effect of this limiting factor is small compared to the
e?panding effect of high vibration amplitudes at critical speed. Therefore, 4eep in mind that rubs
hich occur at the critical speeds can also be very destructive.
Rubs that occur at speeds far above the critical tend to be self5limiting because the rub angle
approaches a point that is "2:; from the resulting bo, and because the amplifying effect due to
resonance is no longer present. )n other ords, hen operating far above the critical speeds, the
center of the rotor tends to run about the center of mass hile the ends of the rotor vibrate a little
at the bearings.
The same phenomenon occurs at higher critical speeds, but the effects and amplitudes for unit
stimulus are less pronounced and the rotor deflections assume different shapes =i.e., # loop, %
loop, etc.>. <oever, the stimulus per unit of unbalance is proportional to the s-uare of the speed
and therefore larger at succeeding critical speeds.
This discussion indicates that light rubbing in the turbine can be very serious at speeds beteen :
rpm and the first critical. At speeds above the first critical, it re-uires very hard rubs to produce
strong vibration symptoms. +uring high load and high steam flo conditions, the effects of
rubbing are further minimi9ed by the hot spot cooling effects due to the high flos involved.
Rubbing ill ultimately provide the increased clearances re-uired for smooth operation. The
important thing here is to minimi9e shaft deflections during the rubbing period in order to
minimi9e! clearance increases and the resulting efficiency losses, and the possibility of serious
e-uipment damage. There is very little value in attempting to balance a unit hich is rubbing.
Tight 8ac4ing 0learances
Tight pac4ing clearances are normally found on ne machines and on machines that had ne
pac4ing installed during an inspection. +ue to alignment and tight clearances, normal rotor
rotation ill often result in some rubs. Therefore, before normal turbine operation is achieved,
there is usually some Brubbing outC of the pac4ing re-uired. This is accomplished easier ith
B<i5LoC pac4ing than it is ith Bslant toothC pac4ing. Slant tooth pac4ing does not Brub outC
easily due to the material content and the fact that the tooth area increases as it is rubbed. ,actory
engineering has recently increased the slant tooth pac4ing radial clearances to .:#*C for %/::
rpm machines, and .:(:C for "2:: rpm L. 8. rotors in order to alleviate this condition.
any reason, open the bypass valve sloly in order to prevent rapid hood cooling, hich can also
cause rubs.
5 # 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
Steam Temperature .ariation
,luctuating steam temperatures can cause a rub because of stationary component distortion. This
is especially true in a reheat section. The customer@ s steam temperature monitoring e-uipment
ill generally indicate this condition as ell as the turbine metal temperature recorders. The
logical corrective measure is to 4eep the steam temperature from varying too much.
Rapid E?haust <ood <eating or 0ooling
E?haust hoods heat rapidly during lo load and steam flo conditions and can be a source of
rubs. The hood spray system helps to alleviate this condition and should be operated in the
automatic mode. lf you have to bypass the automatic regulator for any reason, open the bypass
valve sloly in order to prevent rapid hood cooling, hich can also cause rubs.
<ot Turbine Starts ith 0old Steam
'hen a hot turbine is started ith relatively cold steam, it is very difficult to eliminate the
ensuing rapid decreases in metal temperature. There are units that have never e?perienced
pac4ing rubs until this situation occurred. )f a hot turbine is started the rub conditions can be
somehat alleviated by adDusting the boiler conditions to minimi9e the steam5metal mismatch.
'ater 0arryover
'ater induction from steam leads or e?traction systems ill -uench the turbine shell. As the
shell -uenches, a large temperature differential ill e?ist beteen the upper and loer shells.
0onse-uently, the shell ill BhumpC, or bo. This subDect is very important and is ell treated
separately from this article. )t is sufficient to say that ater is to be 4ept out of the turbine at all
costs.
A steam seal system that does not operate properly can lead to large temperature variations and
or ater induction via improper valving. )f this condition e?ists, fi? the steam seal regulator
immediately.
8oor Alignment
8oor alignment of steam and diaphragm pac4ing along ith oil deflectors can lead to turbine
rubs. This condition can often be eliminated by diligently adhering to a careful realignment
program during an inspection.
,aulty Steam Seal System &peration
A faulty steam seal system and diaphragm pac4ing along ith oil deflectors can lead to turbine
rubs. This condition can often be eliminated by diligently adhering to a careful realignment
program during and inspection.
$)SAL)GN$ENT
Turbine5generator misalignment should be suspected as a cause of vibration hen there is
evidence of oil hipping, vibration instability, apparent change in critical speed range, unusual
and e?ceptionally high critical speed variation, or here the critical speed vibration varies over a
ide range of machine rpm =over *:: rpm>. Also, abnormal bearing metal temperatures may
indicate misalignment in the unit.
5 % 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
$isalignment by itself produces little vibration stimulus unless it is severe enough to unload
bearings to the point here oil hip occurs. )f this happens, very large lo fre-uency shaft
vibration amplitudes ill clearly identify the hip. $isalignment may also significantly change
the response characteristics to the e?isting unbalance stimulus. ,or e?ample, in some instances
the stationary vibration levels of the last turbine bearing have improved mar4edly due to small
alignment changes to the generator hich did not affect either the stimulus or the shaft vibration.
$odern calculation procedures produce a Bfle?ibility inde?C hich permits a rapid estimation of
sensitivity to misalignment. This inde? can be made available to field engineers by consulting
Turbine Engineering if misalignment is suspected as a cause or contributor to unit vibration. )f
maDor alignment alterations are re-uired, Turbine Engineering should be consulted before the
changes are made. There is very little value in using a balance program to reduce vibration that is
caused by misalignment.
&)L '<)8
&il hip is caused by an unstable oil stimulus in the bearing oil film. )t develops as a comple?
function of Dournal peripheral speed, oil viscosity, bearing shape, radial bearing load, and Dournal
attitude angle. $isalignment can contribute to the hip condition by changing the bearing
loading.
The oil hip ill usually appear and disappear suddenly as operating conditions change. The
resulting shaft vibration amplitude is generally very high =":5"* mils> and most of the
displacement ill occur at appro?imately half operating speed fre-uency. 'hip conditions have
been clearly observed at fre-uencies that vary from "(:: to ##:: cycles per minute for different
types of %/:: rpm rotors.
&il hip instability develops hen the high pressure oil edge =,igure #> creates a lifting force
that is greater than the Dournal eight causing the Dournal to momentarily lift for relief. Repeated
periodically, this effect amplifies, especially in the presence of a rotor resonance that is close to
the oil hip fre-uency. )n these cases, the resonant fre-uency ill often determine hip
fre-uency.
,igure #. 6earing &il 'edge
5 ( 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
0orrective action for oil hip includes the folloing!
". Additional Dournal loading by an alignment change
#. Reduce oil edge pressure by additional drainage or lea4age area
%. Loer oil viscosity
(. 3se of special bearings that add to unit stability
The design details of these special bearings are outside the scope of this section. <oever, the
to principal types of bearings used to increase stability are the shortened =or grooved> elliptical
and the tilting pad bearing.
T<ER$AL )NSTA6)L)TE
There are many causes of thermal instability in turbine and generator rotors. The folloing are
the most prominent!
". Shaft heat sensitivity
#. 'ater or oil in the shaft bore
%. 3neven heat transfer beteen rotor parts
(. Loose heels or pin bushings
*. &ther loose or poorly fitted parts =i.e., buc4ets>
/. 3nsymmetrical ventilation
1. Short circuited turns in field coils
)t may be generally said that thermal instability is characteri9ed by mar4ed changes in vibration
levels as operating conditions vary. These vibrations ill almost alays e?ist in operating speed
fre-uency.
0hanges in load, steam conditions, field temperature, ater and steam seal adDustments, along
ith other variables may cause a gradual change in overall vibration level. )f there are large
variations in operating conditions, ma4e one correctional move at a tileF evaluate the move and
ma4e another if re-uired. This is the best ay to properly diagnose these phenomena. 3sually,
the responsible factory engineering group is consulted before underta4ing an e?tensive study of
this nature.
The magnitude of vibration changes caused by certain forms of thermal instability may
sometimes be reduced by balance or4. The important concept here is to reach a compromise
beteen the various conditions that cause thermal instability and produce acceptable vibration
levels during all normal operating conditions. The apparent changes in vibration level -uite often
become smaller as the balance refinement progresses.
)f step changes in vibration levels are itnessed hen inlet steam conditions are altered, it may
be the signal that something drastic has happened to the turbine. 0rac4ed rotors have been
indicated in this manner.
5 * 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
+&36LE ,REG3EN0E .)6RAT)&N
+ouble fre-uency vibration =vibration at tice operating fre-uency> sometimes occurs on to
pole generators because the generator rotor cross5section is unsymmetrical. This situation can@t
be eliminated by balance or4. <oever, in such cases the operational5speed fre-uency
vibration can be balanced out in order to improve overall vibration amplitudes.
+ouble fre-uency vibration can sometimes be the result of crac4s ithin a turbine rotor. Along
ith step changes in vibration levels due to load changes, this situation may be a clue to crac4
propagation.
0&RE .)6RAT)&N
A generator ill occasionally develop obDectionable vibration levels due to magnetic forces
acting on loose portions of the core. This vibration occurs at tice operating fre-uency and may
be transmitted from the core to the stator frame. 0ore vibration is often accompanied by a
noticeable bu99ing sound hich can be readily identified because the sound ill -uic4ly
disappear hen the field current is removed hile the unit is at synchronous speed. 6alance
or4 has no effect on this type of vibration. This problem is rare because of the use of spring
mounted 4ey bars and cutting cross slots on the generator pole faces =# pole fields>.
&ther sources of core vibration stimuli include irregular Dournals and periodic steam or electrical
forces. 'hile these and other special cases have a high degree of importance, their effects are
self5evident and ill not be discussed here.
&T<ER 0A3SES &, GENERAT&R .)6RAT)&N
)f you see an increasing trend in generator vibration, the problem may lie in the turbine and not
the generator. &ccasionally, the force of a pac4ing rub in the L8 turbine may be transmitted to
the generator. This often happens, especially ith a G# type turbine.
)nstances have occurred here vibration as attributed to insufficient cooling ater to the
hydrogen coolers. The coolers ere valved out and grossly unbalanced hydrogen temperatures
e?isted.
An inade-uate cooling ater supply can also be traced to vibration problems in the alterre? as
ell.
$E0<AN)0AL 3N6ALAN0E AN+ 6ALAN0E 8R&GRA$S
GENERAL
.ibration is the product of a periodic driving stimulus and the response of the associated rotors
and structures. Reduced vibration is achieved by reducing the stimulus or the response.
$echanical unbalance, the most common vibration stimulus, may be reduced by implementing
balance programs. Rotors are considered to be unbalanced hen they are forced to rotate around
centers hich are not coincident ith the center of mass. Therefore, in order to have a rotor that
operates smoothly, every effort must be made to bring the center of mass as close to the center of
rotation as is humanly possible. This process is 4non as balancing, and is accomplished by
5 / 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
adding small eights to the rotor. These eights change the location of the center of mass in
order to ma4e it coincide ith the center of rotation. )n the folloing paragraphs e ill find out
ho to obtain, interpret, and plot accurate balance data. Also, e ill discuss the methods of
calculating a balance shot using the Bone shotC and the Bmeasured effectC techni-ues.
A ord of arning should be mentioned here. 6e 5fore beginning any balance program, it is
e?tremely essential that the cause of vibration is correctly identified as a mechanical unbalance
condition that can be corrected by adding balance eights. <ence, balance personnel must be
able to recogni9e the types of vibration that cannot be reduced by balance or4.
8L&TT)NG .)6RAT)&N +ATA
)t is generally desirable to confer ith colleagues, the district office, or Turbine Engineering
before placing a balance shot in a rotor. ,or these discussions, an established convention must be
used throughout the balance program in order to avoid confusion.
8olar coordinate graph paper that is similar to General Electric ,orm ,N5"/% is used to plot the
vibration data. Heep in mind that the convention plots phase angles as they are on the rotor.
<ence, the angles ill increase against the direction of rotation. Since the unit is vieed from the
generator end of the turbine, these angles ill increase in a countercloc4ise direction =the
direction of rotation is cloc4ise>. The right side of the hori9ontal a?is is designated :;, the top
vertical a?is is A:;, and so on. $agnitude is mar4ed on any convenient linear scale beginning
ith 9ero hich is located at the cross section of the hori9ontal and vertical a?es. See ,igure %.
,igure %. 8olar Graph 8aper 8lotting 0onventions
A separate sheet of polar graph paper should be used to plot data obtained for each rotor. )f these
angular conventions are used, the effect of a eight move plotted on the graph paper ill be in
the same direction as a eight move on the shaft. Thus, eight rotation on paper coincides ith
eight rotation on the rotor.
'hen plotting data for a particular balance run, the average of four consecutive readings that
ere obtained after the unit had reached steady state conditions is used. This value is mar4ed on
the appropriate sheet in the form of a small arro that points radially outard from the center of
5 1 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
the graph paper. The bearing number and shot number are mar4ed near the tip of the arro in the
folloing manner! I":, I"", I"#, etc.
)NTER8RET)NG +ATA
'hen performing any balance program it is very important to correctly set up the balance
instrument, ta4e accurate readings at the right time and location, and record and plot the data in a
neat and accurate manner. <aving done this, many balance programs can be analy9ed -uite
easily. <ence, the art of Bcalling a shotC is not mysterious, but becomes a rational, analytical
procedure.
)f a good set of data for a B9eroC run has been recorded, the first problem to solve is, Bhich
rotor ta4es the first corrective shotJ BShould the vibration levels on one rotor be noticeably
higher than the others, that rotor is normally selected. <oever, further balance or4 may
possibly sho that this as an incorrect decision. )f more than one rotor indicates appreciable
vibration levels at the bearings, the rotor ith the largest mass should probably be selected.
The ne?t choice facing balance personnel concerns the type of correction re-uired. )t is usually a
static pair or couple. 0areful observation of the unit as it passes through critical speeds and speed
vibration curves often provides important information as to the type of correction needed.
,urther information may be obtained from the angular readings of the balance instrument. A
static correction is indicated if the angular readings from each end of the rotor are appro?imately
the same value. )f the angular readings differ by appro?imately "2:;, a couple correction is
indicated. Angular readings that differ by about A:; ith vibration levels greater at one end of
the rotor than the other, indicate that both types of correction may be re-uired.
This phase angle method of analysis is particularly valid for rotors here to bearings per span
largely isolate the vibrational effect of one rotor from the other. )t allos each rotor to behave
more li4e a theoretical model.
Rotors that are symmetrical, or nearly so, should alays be balanced by using static pairs and7or
couples. Single eights may be used on non5symmetrical rotors =usually the massive end of
single flo turbine rotors>.
After the rotor and type of correction has been selected, the eight si9e must be determined. The
unit si9e, speed. amount of unbalance, and location of unbalance determine the amount of
corrective eight needed. ,inally, the angular location of the eight must be ascertained. This
can be accomplished by using the previously discussed high spot theory along ith the
e-uipment phase angle. A high spot number and eight sensitivity chart contains this
information for most large steam turbines. =See addendum.>
The obDective of balance or4 is to properly locate corrective eights on a rotor so as to nullify
the unbalanced condition. After the original shot is installed, another balance run is made and the
effect of the shot is measured. ,urther changes in angular position and amount of eight can be
deduced from this data if they are re-uired. After corrections have been made and ma?imum
benefits gained, other corrections of another type may be implemented, or another rotor in the
combination can be improved.
5 2 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
.E0T&R RES&L3T)&N &, +ATA
'hen operating at their rated speed, the vibration levels of most turbine rotors are influenced by
to critical speeds. Therefore, the data recorded during operation is resolved into static and
couple components and plotted on polar graph paper. See ,igure (.
E?ample!
The folloing readings are recorded!
BAC bearing = (./ mils at *:;
B6C bearing = #.2 mils at "":;
.ectors &A

and &6

represent the unbalanced condition. This data is resolved into static and
couple components by completing the parallelogram :5A50565& =see ,igure (>. This is done by
draing 60

and A0

e-ual and parallel to &A

and &6

, respectively. 60

and A0

intersect at 0 and therefore complete the parallelogram. Ne?t, dra the diagonals of the
parallelogram vectors &0

and A6

. These to vectors, or diagonals, bisect each other at point

+.
.ector &0

represents the total static unbalance in this e?ample. )t is e-ual to /.( mils at 1#;.
Since many rotors are balanced in to planes =near the Dournal bearings>, vector &+

represents
the static unbalance effect at each bearing and e-uals %.# mils at 1#;.
.ector A6

represents the couple component. To measure and locate this component, transpose
A6

so that it intersects point : and call it E,

. Note that vector +A

is e-ual and parallel to

&E

, and vector is e-ual and parallel to &,

. The couple effect on BAC bearing is # mils at "#;,

hile the couple effect on B6C bearing is # mils at "A#;.
B&NE S<&TC $ET<&+ 3S)NG AN )R+
The folloing approaches apply to calling a balance shot using the Bone shotC method!
". Graphical Approach
#. Analytical Approach =based upon the graph>
%. 3se of the B&ne ShotC 0alculator The folloing information is also re-uired!
The folloing information is also re-uired!
". 8ic4up angle
#. 6alance instrument used to obtain data
%. <igh Spot Number and sensitivity to eight
The importance of the first to items is stressed in another section.
'eight sensitivity and the high spot number are functions of the speed of the unit in relation to
its critical speed. The closer the unit speed is to the critical, the more sensitive the unit ill be to
a mechanical unbalance stimulus. 0onversely, if the unit speed is further from the critical, the
less sensitive the unit is to the same stimulus. ,or e?ample, a rotor moves through the first
critical speed range and reaches a pea4 vibration amplitude of ": mils. This can be considered to
be a pure static component. At operating speed the static portion of the pea4 amplitude is ( mils.
5 A 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
,igure (. .ector 8lots
The mechanical unbalance stimulus is the same for both situations. )f #: ounces of corrective
eight as used at the critical speed, the eight sensitivity at critical speed is =#: ounces 7 ":
mils>, or # ounces7mil. Similarly, the eight sensitivity at operating speed is
=#: ounces 7 ( mils>, or * ounces7mil. )n each case the corrective eight totals #: ounces.
,or most units that ere built in Schenectady, a high spot number chart is published for general
use. This chart is added as an addendum to this section for your reference, and it represents the
accumulated data on many similar units. )f the turbine code, rotor type, rated speed, length of last
stage buc4et =L8 rotors>, and type of e?haust hood are 4non, you ill be able to determine high
spot numbers and eight sensitivity =ounces7mil> hen vibration data is ta4en at the critical or
operating speed of a unit.
5 ": 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
E?ample!
G5% Turbine5Generator
L8+, KA@ Rotor
&perating speed = %/:: rpm
LS6 L %%.*C
<er9og hood
.ibration instrument L )R+ B%"(C
8ic4up angle L /:;
I* bearing L *.: mils at #:;
I/ bearing L (.* mils at "1:;
This data is plotted in ,igure * and the results are as follos!
Static!
I* bearing ".# at 2*;
I/ bearing = ",# at 2*;
0ouple!
I* bearing = (./ at /;
I/ bearing L (./ at "2/;
The e-uipment phase angle for an )R+ B%"(C is A:;F the <S for a couple is #,(, and the eight
sensitivity is ( ounces7mil =Ref. <S 0hart at the end of this section>.
5 "" 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
,igure *
GRA8<)0AL $ET<&+
Locate the couple component of the I* bearing end plane =see ,igure *>. The rotor is stopped
ith the )R+ mar4 at the couple component angle for I* bearing hich is /; on the stator
reference. Ne?t, measure against rotation from the shaft pic4up using the folloing steps.
". E-uipment phase angle is A:;. This point on the shaft is the dynamic high spot.
#. An <.S. correction of =%.:5<SI> ? A:; is re-uired. =%.:5#.(> ? A:; L *(;. This is
the position for the couple correction for I* bearing, An additional "2:;
correction for I/ bearing is re-uired because this is a couple.
5 "# 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
,igure /. Graphical Representation
,igure / represents the graphical representation of the problem. The e-uipment constant of the
)R+ must be considered in order to locate the high spot. <ence, the high spot is found A:;
against rotation from the shaft pic4up. &nce the high spot is identified, the eight can be located.
This correction is made as a function of unit speed versus critical speed. A high spot number of
#.( re-uires a correction of =%.:5#.(> A:; L *(; in order to locate the re-uired eight hich is
against rotation from the high spot.
The rotor position must no be located relative to the stator reference mar4s. ,rom the previous
vector resolution the I* bearing couple component is located at /;. 3sing the :; stator reference
mar4 as the initial point and measuring against rotation as positive, e find that the eight
location against rotation from the )R+ mar4 is MA:; M /; M *(; 5 /:; L A:;.
The first shot ould entail installing a eight of ( o9.7mil =from <.S. charts> ? (./ mils =from
vector analysis> L "2.( ounces at the A:; rotor angle on the I* bearing balance plane. Since this
is a couple correction, the eight ="2.( ounces> is to be placed at the A:; M "2:; L #1:; rotor
angle on the I/ bearing balance plane.
5 "% 5 $ (#*
Stator Angle
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
ANALET)0AL RE8RESENTAT)&N
The graphic method as shon on ,igure / can also be e?pressed mathematically by the
folloing e-uation.
shot L 5 pu M mlM =%.:5<SI> A:;
shot L desired location to place eight
L resolved phase angle reading =)R+ mar4>
pu L location of pic4 up
ml L )R+ constant
<SI L high spot number
shot L =/:> 5 =/::> M =A::> M =%.:5#.(> A::
shot L/&N/::MA::M*(:
shot L A::
The eight sensitivity is still ( ounces7mil. <ence, ( ounces7mil ? (./ mils L "2.( ounces of
corrective eight is re-uired for the couple. This eight is added at the I* bearing rotor angle of
A:; and at the I/ bearing angle of A:; M "2:; L #1:;.
B&NE 5S<&TC 0AL03LAT&R
The same results can be obtained by using the Bone shotC calculator. )n order to determine the
location of the couple correction for I* bearing, let the B:C mar4 on the rotor angle represent the
)R+ mar4. 8lace this B:C rotor mar4 at the resolved phase angle for the couple correction =/; 5
see ,igure 1>.
,igure 1. Rotor vs. Stator Angle
Ne?t, place the arro on the pic4up heel opposite the /:; =position of actual vibration pic4up>
on the stator angle. 6e sure to hold the previously positioned heel stationary =see ,igure 2>.
,rom the previous methods e obtain a <.S. #.( and the )R+ e-uipment constant of A:;. The
high spot number =#.(> is lined up opposite the e-uipment constant =A:;> on the pic4up heel.
Remember to hold the positions of all heels constant, or else the anser is meaningless. =See
,igure A.>
5 "( 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
,igure 2. 8ic4up Angle
The B'C indication =,igure A> on the <.S. scale is opposite the A:; position on the rotor heelF
hence, the "2.( ounces is placed at A:; on number * bearing and A:; M "2:; L #1:; on number /
bearing.
,igure A. E-uipment 0onstant vs. <igh Spot Number
S<&T 0AL03LAT)&N ')T< GENERAL ELE0TR)0 TS)
)n order to determine the eight location for a balance shot using data recorded by General Elec5
tric@s TS) e-uipment, the folloing formulas should be used!
O'gt = location of corrective eight
L O<S M =%5<SI> A:; =E-uation ">
Therefore,
O'gt L O$ P ORG M O0al 5 A:; M =%5<SI>A:; =E-uation #>
5 "* 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
E?ample!
G5% Turbine5Generator
L8+, BAC Rotor 5 %/:: rpm
%%. *C LS6
<er9og hood
G. E. TS) vibration e-uipment
.ibration probe = /:;
Readings! I* bearing *.: mils at "%*;
I/ bearing (. * mils at #2*;
Resolving this data yields the folloing corrections!
Static!
I* bearing ".# mils at #::;
I/ bearing ".# mils at #::;
0ouple!
I* bearing (. / mils at "#";
I/ bearing (. / mils at %:";
The solution of eight location is as follos!
O'gt L J
O$ L I* bearing (. / mils at "#";=given>
ORG L :
O0al L *;
<SI L #.( =see <.S. 0hart>
Therefore!
O'gt L "#"; 5:; M*; 5A:; M =%.: P #.(> A:;
O'gt L A:; for I* bearing
O'gt L A:; M "2:; L #1:; for I/ bearing
The above e?ample is the e?act duplicate of the e?ample given for the )R+ B%"(C e-uipment.
The initial readings ere different due to the difference in instrumentation, but the ansers are
the same. The O'gt of the General Electric TS) e-uipment is normally e?pected to be ithin Q#:;
from the O'gt obtained using the )R+.
5 "/ 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
S<&T 0AL03LAT)&N ')T< 6ENTLEE NE.A+A TS)
The 6entley5Nevada TS) unit does not re-uire an e-uipment constant correction. &nce the data is
ta4en, resolved, and corrected for the proper <igh Spot, the corrective eight may be directly
installed. See ,igure ":.
,igure ":. 8lacing 6alance 'eight on 6entley5Nevada TS)
The rotor is vieed from the turbine end, hence it is rotating in a countercloc4ise direction. The
vibration probe =R> is usually located /:; above the right side hori9ontal Doint, hile the
reference probe =S> is usually located #:; belo the right side hori9ontal Doint. 'ith the collar
notch located at the reference probe, the corrective eight is installed O degrees against rotation
=0'> from the vibration probe.
E?ample!
Resolved data for I" bearing L (. : mils at "#:;
<igh Spot Number L #.1
O L "#:; M =%.:5#.1> A:; L "(1;
$EAS3RE+ E,,E0T
)t is very important to plot the measured effect of the first shot, hether or not it improves the
unit vibration. The measured effect is a vector that represents the effect of the shot on the rotor
that is being balanced, and from it e can deduce hat the theoretical vector should have been
for that particular correction.
The measured effect method =,igure ""> has been the bac4bone of the balancing techni-ue for
many years. )f large enough eights are used, it is almost alays possible to understand the
effects of a particular shot in any given rotor in one or to balance runs. )n reference to ,igure
"", the reading for shot : as (./ mils at /;, and for shot " it as %.: at 1:;. The vector beteen
: and " represents the effect of the installed eight =dotted line>. )f the eight as rotated
countercloc4ise by the angle ,the vector ould be in a direction e?actly opposite the vector at
:. Therefore, vector :"

ould cancel vector :, e?cept that it is slightly less in magnitude.

<ence, this bearing re-uires a movement against rotation by an angle O =appro?imately (:;>, and
a very slight increase in eight.
5 "1 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
'hen surveying the response of an entire unit, as many as eight or ten plots may be re-uired.
8roper analysis of these plots can become very comple?. The 4ey to a successful balance
program lies in improving the highest vibration levels, ma?imi9ing the effect of a balance shot
on those bearings nearest the corrective eights, and often compromising a great deal. )t may be
necessary to increase optimum vibration levels in one rotor in order to gain acceptable vibration
limits in adDacent rotors. )n the end, all components of the entire unit ill operate ithin
acceptable vibration limits.
)t is e?tremely desirable that each bearing Bcalling forC a move is not adversely affected by the
move. 'hen both bearings react favorably, chances are that the right rotor and correction as
selected for the trial eight. <oever, this is not alays the case. )f the data indicates that the
eights benefited only one end of a rotor, hile the other end of the rotor or other parts of the
unit became BrougherC, it may be apparent that the rong rotor or corrective shot as selected.
Thus, it necessitates the analysis of data covering the entire unit, and it may even be necessary to
remove the corrective eights and try another approach.
$any balance programs proceed by trying a correction and moving it to its optimum location,
and, if necessary, ma4ing a second correction and repeating the entire process for each rotor. )t is
not uncommon to use four or more corrections on a large unit that contains several unbalance
stimuli here the goal is to achieve lo vibration levels throughout.
.)6RAT)&N L)$)TS
.ibration limits are necessary in order to decide hether or not a balance program is necessary
for a given unit. Also, limits are necessary for units that vibrate due to causes other than me5
chanical unbalance =i.e., oil hip, rubbing>. <oever, the primary interest here is to establish
shaft and stationary part vibration limits that relate only to mechanical unbalance.
5 "2 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
,igure "". $easured Effect
,or units operating under steady state conditions at high loads, vibration belo levels in Table "
is considered satisfactory and no immediate ba"ance programs are re-uired.
TA6LE ". Steady State 0ondition 5 <igh Load
3nit Shaft .ibration 6earing 8ed.
.ibration
0oupling.ibration 0ollector Ring.
.ib.
%:::5%/:: rpm ( mils " mils / mils / mils
"*::5"2:: rpm / mils " T mils 2 mils 2 mils
5 "A 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
Allied ith Table ", vibration at critical speed is satisfactory if the levels are belo those stated
in Table #.
TA6LE #. 0ritical Speed .ibration Levels
3nit Shaft 6earing 8edestal
%:::5%/:: rpm 2 mils % mils
"*::5"2:: rpm ": mils * mils
A unit is considered ell balanced and refinement attempts are not Dustified if the steady state
vibration levels are less than, or e-ual to, the levels outlined in Table %.
Allied ith Table %, the critical speed vibration limit for all ell5balanced units ould be belo
1 mils on the shafts and % mils on the bearing pedestals.
TA6LE %. .ibration Levels for a 'ell 6alanced 3nit
3nit Shaft 6earing 8ed. 0oupling 0ollector Ring.
%:::5%/:: rpm # mils T mils % mils ( mils
"*::5"2:: rpm % mils " mils * mils / mils
)t is difficult to establish absolute ma?imum steady state vibration limits because some Dudgment
is involved hich is dependent on several variables. <oever, General Electric e?perience
indicates that vibration e?ceeding the levels indicated in Table ( is sufficient reason to shut a unit
don and e?ecute a balance program.
TA6LE (. $a?imum .ibration Levels
3nit Shaft 6earing 8ed. 0oupling 0ollector Ring.
%:::5%/:: rpm / mils # mils 2 mils 2 mils
"*::5"2:: rpm 2 mils % mils "# mils "# mils
)n conDunction ith Table (, critical speed vibrations e?ceeding "# mils on the shafts are
sufficient to arrant unit balancing.
5 #: 5 $ (#*
CAUSES OF VIBRATION
.)6RAT)&N TR)8 L)$)TS
.ibration limitations are dependent upon speed, length of time at specified vibration levels, and
the cause of the vibration. )n order to prevent possible damage to turbine parts, Table * gives the
vibration trip limits relative to speed and time.
TA6LE *. .ibration Trip Limits Relative to Speed and Time
%:::5%/:: rpm units
Speed Trip after Shaft .ibration e?ceeds!
mils for mm.
Trip immediately if shaft
vibration e?ceeds!
Less than 2:: rpm * mils
2::5#::: rpm 1 mils for # minutes ": mils
#:::5running speed 1 mils for "* minutes ": mils
"*::5"2:: rpm units
Speed Trip after Shaft .ibration e?ceeds!
mils for mm.
Trip immediately if shaft
vibration e?ceeds!
Less than 2:: rpm 2 mils
2::5#::: rpm ": mils for # minutes "( mils
#:::5running speed ": mils for "* minutes "# mils
5 #" 5 $ (#*