Mechanical Natural Frequency and

Bump Testing
 Mechanical Natural Frequency(MNF)

The natural frequency can be found directly using:

Where:
fn = natural frequency in hertz (cycles/second)
k = stiffness of the beam (Newtons/meter or N/m)
m = mass at the end (kg)
 Mass

Mass is a body of matter that

occupies a certain volume in
three-dimensional space.

Mass refers to any part of the

system that is free to move and is
made to move by force. This
motive force contributes to the
vibrating systems behavior.
 Spring (Or Stiffness)

A system’s spring is any part of a machine

that supports mass and behaves like a
spring. The pushing or pulling strength
of a spring is called the spring constant
and is expressed by the letter k. The
spring constant is the number of pounds
needed to extend the spring one inch.
k = F/x
k = the spring constant (lbs/in)
F = force (lbs)
x = amount of displacement ( inches)
 Vibration Data Fundamentals

Vibration is the periodic movement of a body (or mass)

about an equilibrium position. The vibration amplitude
is a function of the applied force and the stiffness at a
given frequency.

Gravity (spring)
Air (damping)
A mass suspended
from a spring attached
to a fixed point.
 Mechanical Natural Frequencies

All components, or groups of components, (piping, pulsation

bottles, scrubbers, cylinders, etc.) in a reciprocating compressor
installation will have several mechanical natural frequencies.
The MNF of a component is the frequency at which the
component naturally wants to vibrate.
When a guitar string is plucked, it will vibrate at its natural
frequency to produce the sound we hear.
The mechanical natural frequencies of a pipe or piping system
depends on lengths, schedules, diameters, elbows, supports,
etc.
 Mechanical Natural Frequencies

The static stiffness of a component helps to determine

its mechanical natural frequencies (i.e., the frequencies
of the different scrubber modes that are excited when a
scrubber is struck once with a hammer). The dynamic
stiffness of the component approaches zero at its
mechanical natural frequencies (i.e, the effective
stiffness of a scrubber when it is excited by an oscillating
force at its natural frequency). From the basic vibration
equation, as the dynamic stiffness approaches zero, the
potential for high vibration increases.
 Mechanical Natural Frequencies

When the oscillating force is applied at a frequency

below the natural frequency of the component, there
will be some response.
As the frequency of the input force approaches the
mechanical natural frequency of the component, the
response of the system is greatly amplified. At this
point, the component is “resonant”.
The shape and magnitude of the response peak at
resonance is a function of the structural damping, or
resistance, in the system. The more damping in the
system, the broader and lower the peak will be.
Structural damping comes from flanged and bolted
connections, clamping, material characteristics, etc.
Natural Frequency Problem

Excessive
2X Vib
 Natural Frequency Response

Compressor
cylinder
Run
horizontal
speed
natural
frequency
Natural Frequency Problem

Reducing
speed to 890
RPM
dropped vib
significantly
 Natural Frequency Response

Run speed Compressor

cylinder
horizontal
natural
frequency
 Mechanical Natural Frequencies

When the forcing frequency is greater than the

natural frequency of the component, the response
of the system again drops to low levels.

As the frequency of the input force approaches the

second mechanical natural frequency of the
component, the response of the system is again
greatly amplified.
 Mechanical Natural Frequencies

When a system, or part

Discharge Bottle Shell
of a system, is
mechanically resonant,
normal (or even low)
pulsation induced
unbalanced force levels
can couple with the
systems geometry to
produce very high
vibration levels.
 Bump Testing Example

∗ Using a dead blow hammer, strike the object with a

constant frequency of approximately one blow per
second till the acquisition is completed.
Bump Test Results on 6320
Bump Test with Negative Averaging or
FFT Subtraction

∗ Done on a running machine

∗ Part must not be at its resonant frequency
∗ Use the same setup as before
∗ Follow the directions on the screen
 Synchronous Time Averaging

Used to remove non-synchronous events from the spectrum.

(Like Roller Bearing Defects)
Must be synchronized with shaft speed.
Requires external trigger.
Requires several averages, (10 or more)
Suction Bottle Bump test
Bottle results
 Bottle testing analysis

∗ Shows a peak at 2197 CPM. Is this the Bottle MNF?

∗ Is the primary peak 12048 CPM the bottle skin resonance or another MNF?
∗ Hitting with a dead blow is prefered to a larger impact so as not to saturate the data.
A large impact will cause all the other mechanical systems MNF’s to be present
∗ Other MNFs could be from associated piping, supports, nozzles etc..
Conclusion of presentation