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Lomakin effect is an unexpected support force that occurs in pumps at annular seals such as wear rings due to the action of Bernoulli's effect during the normal leakage process. This effect, discussed in detail by Black [17] and Marscher [18], can change the rotor support stiffness dramatically and hence the rotor natural frequencies. The effect thereby either avoids or induces possible resonance between strong forcing frequencies at one and two times the running speed and at one of the lower natural frequencies. Although the effect is usually beneficial, it strongly depends on the annular seal diametral clearance, and loss of this clearance due to erosion and wear in service can lead to loss of Lomakin effect and the appearance of a resonance problem where there was none before.

4248672-Centrifugal-Pumps-Design-and-Application-2nd-Edition.pdf 442 page

The high pressure liquid being pumped also flows (or leaks) through the small annular spaces (clearances) separating the impellers under different pressures, such as wear rings and interstage bushings, and creates a hydrodynamic bearing effect that transforms the pump rotor from a two-bearing system to a multibearing system. The additional stiffness generated by the pumped liquid as it lubricates these internal bearings (seals, etc.) is referred to as the "Lomakin effect" [21]. The Lomakin stiffness effect minimizes the shaft deflections when the pump is running, and in some cases, the Lomakin effect can be of sufficient magnitude to prevent the critical speed of the rotor from ever being coincident with the synchronous speed. Since the pressure drop across seals increases approximately with the square of the pump speed, the seal stiffness also increases with the square of the speed.

An End-User's Guide To Centrifugal Pump Rotordynamics.pdf 9 page

Annular Seal Lomakin Effect Annular seals (e.g. wear rings and balance drums) in pumps and hydraulic turbines can greatly affect dynamics by changing the rotor support stiffness and therefore the rotor natural frequencies, thereby either avoiding or inducing possible resonance between strong forcing frequencies at one and two times the running speed and one of the lower natural frequencies. Their effect is so strong for multistage pumps that API-610 10th Edition requires that they be taken into account for pumps of three or more stages, and that their clearances be assessed for both the as-new and 2x clearance worn conditions. This provision by API is because the stiffness portion of this Lomakin Effect (first noticed by the Russian pump researcher Lomakin) is inversely proportional to radial clearance. It is also directly proportional to the pressure drop and (roughly) the product of the seal diameter and length. An illustration of how Lomakin Effect sets up is given in Figure 14.

Figure 14: Illustration of the Lomakin Effect Stiffness KL in an Annular Sealing Passage In Fig. 14, Pstagnation is the total pressure upstream of the annular seal such as a wearing ring or balance drum, VU is the average gap leakage velocity in the upper (closer clearance in this case) gap and VL is the average gap leakage velocity in the lower (larger clearance in this case) gap. divided by the gravitational constant 386 lbm/lbfin/sec^2. The stiffness and damping in an annular seal such as that shown in Figure 14 is provided in small part by the squeeze-film and hydrodynamic wedge effects well known to journal bearing designers. However, as shown in Fig. 14, because of the high ratio of axial to circumferential flow rates in annular liquid seals (bearings have very little axial flow, by design), large forces can develop in the annular clearance space due to the circumferentially varying Bernoulli pressure drop induced as rotor eccentricity develops. This is a hydrostatic effect rather than a hydrodynamic one, in that it does not build up a circumferential fluid wedge and thus does not require a viscous fluid like a journal bearing does. In fact, highly viscous fluids like oil develop less circumferential variation in pressure drop, and therefore typically have less Lomakin Effect than a fluid like, for example, water. The Lomakin Effect stiffness within pump annular seals is not as stiff as the pump bearings, but is located in a strategically good location to resist rotor vibration, being in the middle of the pump where no classical bearing support is present. The Lomakin Effect depends directly on the pressure drop across the seal, which for parabolic system flow resistance (e.g. from an orifice or a valve) results in a variation of the Lomakin support stiffness with roughly the square of the running speed. However, if the static head of the system is high compared to the discharge head, as in many boiler feed pumps for example, the more nearly constant system head results in only a small variation of Lomakin Effect with pump speed.

The physical reason for the strong influence of clearance is that it gives the opportunity for the circumferential pressure distribution, which is behind the Lomakin Effect, to diminish through circumferential flow. Any annular seal cavity which includes circumferential grooving (labyrinth seals) has the same effect as increased clearance, to some degree. Deep grooves have more effect than shallow ones in this regard. If grooving is necessary but Lomakin Effect is to be maximized, grooves should be short in axial length, and radially shallow.

Centrifugal Pump Technical Papers.pdf 25 page In actual practice the impeller and a major portion of the rotating assembly is immersed in liquid that provides a hydrodynamic support to help stabilize the assembly. This hydrodynamic stabilizing force is referred to, by pump people, as the "Lomakin Effect". 66 page In any event, pumps should be shut-down quickly and decisively. With VSD, or steam turbine drive it is unwise to prolong speed reduction below that at which the Lomakin effect, see Appendix F, vanishes. This would increase the risk of internal seizure in the fine clearances. So turbines should be stopped by manually activating the over-speed trip. 86 page Priming and venting Some [but not all] multistage pumps are designed in such a way that every stage can be fully vented. In practice it is often sufficient to fully vent only the first one or two stages, provided that the other stages are part primed. Once the pump has started, the following stages are quickly primed internally. However it is good practice to fully vent all of the stages before start-up if that is possible. This helps establish the Lomakin effect that many pumps of this type rely upon. Without entrained liquid the pump may well seize. It is so important not to overlook the priming issue that a special branch of the centrifugal pump family exists called 'self priming pumps'. 140 page Multistage pumps often rely upon the so-called 'Lomaldn effect' [Appendix F] to centralise their rotors when running. The shaft slenderness ratio allows the shaft to adopt a catenary shape when static and this may entail slight contact between the rotor and the casing at some points [usually mid span]. However, when running, the pressure differentials acting over the internal wear rings and bushes drive the leakage flows, which then create Lomakin restoring forces to centralize the rotor.

279 page Appendix F" Simple demonstration of Lomakin effect The Lomakin effect describes the stabilising effect caused by liquid passing across close fitting clearances such as wear rings and shaft bushes. A very simple experiment can be conducted that conveys the principle. In a sink or hand-basin which has a chain mounted plug, fill the sink as much as is safe. Using the chain in a vertical position, lift the plug off its seat by a small amount - say 1/16". Water will flow out through the annular gap created. While liquid is flowing, move the chain from side to side. Despite the sideways displacement of the chain, the plug remains central in the seat. Often a substantial offset can be made to the chain before its equilibrium is destroyed. Figure F1 [1] No sideways force on plug; [2] Despite side force on plug, LOMAKIN forces Help maintain plug central in drain The water flowing through the annular gap creates a self-centering force. Even with the very low liquid 'head' achieved in a hand basin, these forces are strong enough to overcome the gravity forces wanting to straighten the chain. Extrapolate this little experiment to pumps having much larger clearances and much much higher heads and it should help explain the very high forces that are involved in real pumping machines.