Vibration Case Studies

Session 8b – Additional Topics in
Vibration Monitoring and

Troubleshooting
Prepared By: Miller Robison

Vibration Monitoring and Troubleshooting Field Studies
This session requires the students to apply knowledge gained in the

course to solve actual vibration problems encountered by field
personnel.
The class will see initial vibration data from the field, make a
diagnosis, and direct field personnel in what measurements or fixes
are required to solve the vibration problem.
Warning: It is completely up to the students to ask the right questions

and take the right measurements to get the job done.
Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Case 1: Taurus 60 SoloNOx Compressor Drives
 Background
 The customer has three Taurus 60 SoloNOx 2-shaft engines driving
C402 gas compressors
 2 engines have alarm-level vibration on the #5X and #5Y bearing
(Alarm = 2.0 mils, pk-pk; Shutdown = 2.5 mils, pk-pk)
 The other engine, when started, shuts down on #5X high vibration
 Other bearings, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 have acceptable vibration
 The units have Torquetronix couplings that bolt on to the PT side of the
KopFlex coupling
 The units were never string tested in San Diego

Case 1: Unit #1 Run #1 Bode Plot

Case 1: Unit #1 Run #1 Polar Plot

Case 1: Unit #1 Run #1 Balance Program



Case 1: Unit #1 Balance Program Trial Weight

Case 1: Unit #1 Balance Program Results


Case 1: Unit #2 Run One
 Unit #2 reaches full load and shuts down on under-speed

 Unit #2 re-started only to shut down on under-speed again while
fully loaded
 Unit #2 re-started yet again only to shut down on under-speed.
 Each time the unit shuts down, the gas compressor suction and
discharge pressures and temperatures remain unchanged right to
the point that the shutdown is triggered.
 What is up?



Case 1: Unit #3 Run #1 Balance Program



Case 1: Unit #3 Balance Program Trial Weight

Case 1: Unit #1 Balance Program Results



Case #1 Lessons Learned
 Unit #1 was a standard trim balance job

 Unit #2 had a loose speed pickup that causes nuisance shutdowns
 Unit #3 had the #5 bearing X and Y prox probes reversed
 These units required trim balance because there was no string test to verify
the performance of the Torquetronics torque-sensing coupling as bolted up
the the gas compressor with the KopFlex dry coupling
 Verify vibration transducer and key phasor locations!
 Aft looking forward
 Airflow in your face
 X comes before Y
 Polar plots at the same plane should look identical when probe orientation is
correct
 Verify speed pickup signal.
 Allow adequate time for thermal growth. If this is not done, you will surely
fail!

Case 2: Centaur 40 Compressor Drive
 Background
 This is a Centaur 40 driving a C401 gas compressor with shutdown-
level vibrations. The customer wants to operate at ~15,000 rpm, but
can only run at ~12,000 rpm.
 Multiple trips to the site for over 1 year have not yet solved the
problem
 Customer will not sign off on the unit until the problem is fixed
 PT case velocity Alarm = .5 IPS rms; Shutdown = .8 IPS rms
 Compressor Alarm = 2.0 mils pk-pk; Shutdown = 2.5 mils, pk-pk

Case #2 Previous Actions
 Re-built exhaust support system (No change)

 Condemned power turbine due to high lift check (No change with re-
build)
 Exchanged forward compressor bearing capsule (No change)
 Guesstimated trim balance runs (No change)
 Re-aligned turbine and compressor multiple times (No change)

Case #2 Baseline Run

Case #2: First Weight Placement

Case #2: Third Weight Placement

Case #2: Fourth Weight Placement

Case #2: Sixth Weight Placement

Case #2 Weight Placement Survey

 The KopFlex high-speed coupling was bad. When this was replaced, the
synchronous vibration was low
 Always review machine prior history. There is data in the past that will help
you solve every problem.
 Vibration is not a problem unto itself. It is an indicator of something “not-
quite-right” in the machine.
 If the system does not respond linearly, look at causes other than
unbalance for high synchronous response
 Alignment
 Jammed couplings
 Electrical/mechanical noise
 Rotate components 120 degrees to see influence on phase
 Spool pieces
 Coupling hubs

Case 3: Centaur 40/C16 Compressor Drive
 Background
 The overall vibrations measured on the Bently Nevada 2201 do not
match the overall vibration levels shown on the Field Service Reps CSI
 The 2201 system is in alarm (Alarm = 38 microns pk-pk; Shutdown =
50 microns pk-pk) converted (Alarm = 1.5 mils pk-pk; Shutdown = 2.0
mils pk-pk)
 The CSI shows that the vibration is OK
 The customer wants to raise the shutdown limits to reflect the CSI
readings

Case #3 Vibration Table
Measurement BN 2201 CSI

microns, pk-pk microns, pk-pk
HPC DE Y 39 21
HPC DE X 38 23
HPC NDE Y 15 11
HPC NDE X 15 12
LPC DE Y 22 12
LPC DE X 22 14
LPC NDE Y 5 2
LPC NDE X 7 3

Case #3 Proximity Probe Spectrum

Case #3 Proximity Probe Time Waveform

Case #3 Vibration Table Accounting for Intrinsic Barriers
Measurement BN 2201 CSI

microns, pk-pk microns, pk-pk
HPC DE Y 39 22
HPC DE X 38 24
HPC NDE Y 15 11
HPC NDE X 15 12
LPC DE Y 22 13
LPC DE X 22 15
LPC NDE Y 5 2
LPC NDE X 7 3

Case #3 Corrected Vibration Table
Measurement BN 2201 CSI CSI

microns, pk-pk Microns, pk-pk microns, true pk-
pk
HPC DE Y 39 22 39
HPC DE X 38 24 37
HPC NDE Y 15 11 15
HPC NDE X 15 12 15
LPC DE Y 22 13 21
LPC DE X 22 15 23
LPC NDE Y 5 2 5
LPC NDE X 7 3 6

 The CSI uses a frequency domain technique to calculate overall vibration

magnitudes, where Bently Nevada equipment uses a time-based
technique.
 This causes a difference in overall readings when:
 There is more than one vibration frequency present
 There is random or broadband noise present
 The vibration is predominantly impulsive and not a pure sine wave
 When comparing vibration measurements between devices, always verify:

 The low-pass and high-pass filter frequency settings
 The presence of intrinsically safe barriers
 The method of overall vibration calculation
 The transducer gain settings
 Fourier transform windowing
 Averages used in calculating spectra or overall readings

Case #3 Lessons Learned, Continued

Case #3 Lessons Learned, Continued
 To convert a peak reading to an RMS reading, multiply the peak reading by

.7071
 This will produce exact results when the vibration is purely sinusoidal
 When the vibration has multiple frequencies and contains impulsive vibration,
this will not produce a valid RMS reading
 RMS readings are used to smooth out the influence of transient events like
vibration spikes and noise
 Intrinsically safe barriers cause the following shift in transducer gains:

Transducer Sensitivity Front Panel Sensitivity
Prox probes 200 mV/mil 192 mV/mil (4% reduction)
Accelerometer 25 mV/g 24 mV/g (4% reduction)
Accelerometer 100 mV/g 96 mV/g (4% reduction)
Velocity 145 mV/IPS 121 mV/IPS (16.6% reduction)

Case 4: Saturn Mechanical Drive
 Background:
 Engine change-out due to high time
 The new unit shuts down on high vibration, .658 IPS, rms 1E (.5 IPS
rms, alarm; .66 IPS rms shutdown)

Case #4 Previous Site Actions
 Power turbine condemned & sent back to DeSoto for high

synchronous vibes (.758 IPS 1E)
 Overhaul performs an as-received test. The power turbine runs
beautifully and is sent back to site
 Re-install the power turbine only to have high vibrations shut down
system again
 Put in spare Saturn engine. The unit still has high vibrations.
 Replace accessory gearbox to no avail. The unit still has high
vibrations.
 Saturn 100% NGP ~ 22,350 rpm

 Saturn 100% NPT ~ 22,100 rpm

Case #4 Saturn MD Reduction Drive Gearboxes
Drawing Error, shift input speed column over

Case #4 GP Vibration on Spare Engine Worksheet

Case #4 GP Vibration on Spare Engine

Case #4 GP Vibration on Spare Engine w/New AGB and
Lube Oil Pump Worksheet

Case #4 GP Vibration on Spare Engine w/New AGB and
Lube Oil Pump

 The reduction drive gearbox needed an overhaul. The vibration

was aggravated when the engine was changed out for high time
 Avoid making decisions based on “Gut Feelings” when you have
good data, because this costs everyone time and money
 Use vibration tables, frequency data drawings, etc. to identify all
relevant frequencies in a spectra
 Review site vibration history and ask many questions about what
happened

Case 5: Mars Gas Producer Vibration
 Background
 The customer has high sub-synch vibrations on the #2 bearing
 He pours water on the oil cooler to reduce the vibration
 Sometimes, when he re-starts, the vibration goes away

Case #5 Mars Gas Producer Waterfall Plot

Case #5 Mars GP Filtered Orbits

Case #5 Brg #2 Spectra

Case #5 Brg #1 Spectra

Case #5 Waterfall Plot Showing Good #2 Bearing
Vibration

Case #5 Synchronous Vibration Phase and Magnitude
Showing Rotor Position Over Time

 The GP rotor on the Mars engine had two possible problems

 The pilot joints had not taken a good set
 There may have been an intermittent rub in the GP section
 A hot re-start procedure performed on the rotor had the following
effects
 The subsynchronous vibration was eliminated
 The rotor produced repeatable synchronous vibration magnitudes and
phases
 When requesting vibration data, be very specific, otherwise you will

get exactly what you do not want or need

Case #5 Mars Compressor Rotor X-Section
Rotor pilot joints

Case 6: Saturn Compressor Set
 Background
 The engine is making a strange sound when we run it
 The noise starts after 15 minutes and the gas producer speed is
72%NGP (100%NGP = 22,350 rpm, 373 Hz)

Case #6 GP Vibration , No Noise, Worksheet

Case #6 GP Vibration, Noise Present, Worksheet

Case #6 GP Vibration , No Noise

Case #6 GP Vibration, Noise Present

 Operating conditions can influence vibration. Here, the oil

temperature triggered the vibration when it got to ~110 deg F.
 The power turbine was running uncoupled in this instance.

 The vibration was an axial vibration that came from the power
turbine.
 This vibration will not happen when the power turbine is coupled to
the gas compressor.
 Machine operating conditions play an important role in vibrations

Case 7: Water Pump High Vibration
 The water pump is running in alarm on all four vibration channels

(FWD X&Y, AFT X&Y)
 Water pump speed between 3,000 rpm and 3,600 rpm

Case 7: Water Pump FWD X Spectrum

Case 7: Water Pump FWD Y Spectrum

Case 7: Water Pump AFT X Spectrum

Case 7: Water Pump AFT Y Spectrum

Case 7: Water Pump FWD X Time Waveform

Case 7: Water Pump FWD Y Time Waveform

Case 7: Water Pump AFT X Time Waveform

Case 7: Water Pump AFT Y Time Waveform

Case 7: Water Pump Vibration Lessons Learned
 It is important to use all the available data to diagnose vibration

problems.
 Damage, like scratches, shaft imperfections, rubs, or magnetic “hot
spots” may not be obvious in the frequency domain, but show up
readily in the time domain
 The water pump was a single stage, three-vane impeller pump.
 The bearing journals were damaged either during installation or re-
work.
 We baselined the current vibration levels and established a new
alarm and shutdown level that would protect the machine.

Case 8: C45 Gas Compressor Vibration
 Background
 A C45 is in commissioning, where it develops high, unsteady vibrations

Case 8: C45 Gas Compressor Waterfall Plot

Case 8: C45 Gas Compressor Bode Plot

Case 8: C45 Gas Compressor Orbits

Case 8: C45 Gas Compressor Polar Plots

Case 8: C45 Vibration Lessons Learned
 Polar plots with offset circles, or circles around the middle are
indicative of severely bent shafts
 A bent shaft, like the one in this case, can be caused by thermal
distress from a major rub
 Sometimes you have to pull the equipment apart to see just what
happened

Vibration Case Studies

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Vibration Case Studies

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Session 8b – Additional Topics in

Vibration Monitoring and

Prepared By: Miller Robison

This session requires the students to apply knowledge gained in the

Warning: It is completely up to the students to ask the right questions

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

 Unit #2 reaches full load and shuts down on under-speed

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

 Unit #1 was a standard trim balance job

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

 Re-built exhaust support system (No change)

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Measurement BN 2201 CSI

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Measurement BN 2201 CSI

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Measurement BN 2201 CSI CSI

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

 The CSI uses a frequency domain technique to calculate overall vibration

 When comparing vibration measurements between devices, always verify:

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

 To convert a peak reading to an RMS reading, multiply the peak reading by

 Intrinsically safe barriers cause the following shift in transducer gains:

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

 Power turbine condemned & sent back to DeSoto for high

 Saturn 100% NGP ~ 22,350 rpm

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Drawing Error, shift input speed column over

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

Company Confidential Session 8b.ppt

 The reduction drive gearbox needed an overhaul. The vibration