Introduction to Vibration

and Position Measurements

 Copyright
Bently Nevada Corporation
All Rights Reserved, 1998
The following marks are Bently Nevada Corporations Registered Trade Names:

MicroPROX ADRE REBAM

Keyphasor Proximitor Seismoprobe
Key Velomitor TorXimitor
Trendmaster Smart Monitor Data Manager
Dynamic Data Manager Transient Data Manager Bently Nevada
 What is Vibration?
Mechanical vibration is the dynamic
motion of machine components.
Vibration measurement is the
measurement of this mechanical vibration
relative to a known reference.
 How does Vibration Start?
Energy must be put into the system through an
applied force, either internal or external.
The force may be instantaneous, an impulse, or
continuous. In machines this energy is diverted
from the process. This reduces the machines
efficiency and may also result in damage to the
machines components.
 What Characteristics are
Measured?
Amplitude
Frequency
Phase Angle
Absolute Phase Angle
Relative Phase Angle
 What Affects These
Characteristics?
Mass
Spring
Stiffness
Damping
 AMPLITUDE
pk
pk
rms
0

pk

Peak-to-peak refers to the total amount of vibration.

Zero-to-peak refers to the total amount of vibration from the
maximum height of either the positive or negative peak to the
zero voltage axis.
Root mean square (RMS) is a function of the signal conditioning
performed in the monitor or diagnostic instrument and not the
output of the transducer.
 Frequency
Frequency is defined as the repetition rate of a
periodic vibration within a unit of time.
The frequency of vibration (cycles per minute)
is most often expressed in multiples of rotative
speed of the machine.
Basic frequency measurements can be
performed with an oscilloscope and Keyphasor
signal.
FREQUENCY

TIME/CYCLE
 Phase
Phaseis defined as the timing relationship, in
degrees between two or more signals.
 PHASE

PHASE
(BETWEEN VIBRATION SIGNALS)

A A
M TIME
P (DEGREES)
L
I
T PHASE
U B
D
E
TIME
(DEGREES)
 PHASE ANGLE

The phase angle is defined as the number of

degrees from the Keyphasor pulse to the first
positive peak of vibration.

VIBRATION
SIGNAL
PHASE
LAG

TIME

KEYPHASOR
SIGNAL

DEGREES
OF 0 360
ROTATION
 Form

Vibration form is the raw waveform displayed

on an oscilloscope and can be separated into two
categories:
Timebase presentation
Orbit presentation
 VIBRATION FORM
TIMEBASE- an oscilloscope displays the vibration in units of the
transducer (amplitude) versus time horizontally across the display.

TIME
AMPLITUDE

TIME
 VIBRATION FORM
ORBIT- is the output of two transducers at 90 angles to one another (XY
plane) in the X-Y mode of the oscilloscope. The orbit is the
representation of the shaft centerline movement.

ORBIT

Shape
 Measurement References
The three basic frames of reference for
vibration measurements on rotating machines
are:
Rotor motion relative to the bearing (Shaft
relative Vibration).
MEASUREMENT REFERENCES

Shaft Relative
 Measurement References
The three basic frames of reference for
vibration measurements on rotating machines
are:
Rotor motion relative to the bearing (Shaft
relative Vibration).
Casing motion relative to a fixed reference
(Casing Absolute Vibration).
Rotor motion relative to a fixed reference
(Shaft Absolute Vibration).
MEASUREMENT REFERENCES

Casing Absolute
MEASUREMENT REFERENCES

Shaft Absolute
 Position
Measurements
Axial Position
Thrust Position
Rotor Position
Radial Position
Differential Expansion
Case Expansion
Eccentricity
 AXIAL POSITION

THRUST
BEARING
ASSEMBLY

THRUST
PADS

THRUST
COLLAR
 Thrust Position

Measurement of the position of the thrust

collar in the thrust bearing assembly and
how much bearing material may be used
up.
The probes are mounted on the thrust
bearing observing the movement of the
rotor position within the thrust bearing.
THRUST POSITION
20

15

10

0
MILS
20 40 60 80 100

0 mm
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5
COLD FLOAT ZONE
HOT FLOAT ZONE

COUNTER NORMAL
DIRECTION DIRECTION
 Thrust Position
NORMAL/COUNTER
Normal - direction the rotor would
normally be forced to move due to the
designed operation of the machine.
Steam turbine typically Away from high
pressure (HP) inlet towards the LP inlet.
Counter - direction of thrust opposite
the direction the rotor is normally
designed to move.
indicates the machine is experiencing an
abnormal operation
 THRUST POSITION

STEAM TURBINE COMPRESSOR

LP LP
HP HP

NORMAL NORMAL
DIRECTION DIRECTION
 RADIAL POSITION

Proximity Probes are used in

the X-Y configuration to measure
radial vibration, the dc signal from
the transducer can be used to
indicate the radial position
of the rotor within the bearing
DIFFERENTIAL EXPANSION

EXPANSION

THRUST
BEARING CLEARANCES
 CASE EXPANSION

CASING EXPANSION
FIXED FOOT

DUAL
CASE LVDTs
EXPANSION
EXPANSION
FIXED FOOT
SLIDING FOOT

SINGLE FRONT STANDARD LVDT

CASE
EXPANSION
FIXED REFERENCE EXPANSION
FOUNDATION
ECCENTRICITY

ECCENTRICITY

SHAFT BOW