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Study of vibration characteristics of unbalanced overhanging rotor

To cite this article: N Ahobal and S L Ajit prasad 2019 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 577 012140

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ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

Study of vibration characteristics of unbalanced overhanging

rotor

N Ahobal1 and S L Ajit prasad2,3

1
M.Tech student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, PES College of
Engineering, Mandya, 571401, INDIA
2
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, PES College of Engineering,
Mandya, 571401, INDIA

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. The rotor unbalance and misalignment are two major sources of vibration. Rotor
unbalance is omnipresent in all rotating machinery, posing serious threat to machine life and
operation. The present work is an attempt to investigate the vibration characteristics of rotating
mechanical system, which has unbalanced rotor mounted on overhanging shaft. Vibration
signals are acquired using accelerometer mounted on the bearing housing nearer to the rotor.
The FFT analysis of the acquired data revealed the steady state response of balanced and
unbalanced rotor under operating conditions. Numerical analysis of the system using ANSYS
portrayed the modal frequencies, mode shapes; harmonic analysis illustrates the response of
system for different mass unbalance. The results revealed that magnitude of vibration
characteristics significantly increases with excitation frequency and overhang length. Campbell
diagram illustrates the absence of critical speed within the selected operating range.

1. Introduction
Vibration analysis is exercised to monitor the status of machinery under operating conditions. A major
advantage is that it can identify developing problems before they become critical and cause failure or
unscheduled shutdown of system. Rotating machines are extensively found in various engineering
applications such as propulsion systems, turbo machines, machine tools, aircraft engines and in routine
applications such as pump, fan, blowers etc. The design criteria of such machines are towards light
weight and higher speed of operation. The major concern in rotating machineries is vibration. The
reason for these vibration stem from system faults which, in general, exist as rotor unbalance,
misalignment, cracks and rubs. Therefore, explicit projection of the dynamic characteristics is vital in
design of the rotating mechanical systems [1].
Unbalance is induced in any system when the axis of inertia of rotor does not coincide with the
geometric axis. The rotor unbalance generates a visible centrifugal force which operates at machine
rotating frequency. This causes deflection of shaft and induces stress, affecting the working efficiency
of the system [2]. Rotating machines possessing rotational energy gets transferred to machine
elements in form of vibration. The mechanism of transfer is explicitly represented by unbalance in
system [3]. Vibration characteristics of unbalance response provide necessary guidance for vibration
3
Email address of corresponding author: [email protected]
Contact No.- 9448643501

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ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

control. The response of the system depends on speed, geometric proportions and mass distribution of
rotor, and on dynamic stiffness of shaft and bearings. The unbalance response is the vibration of the
rotor system, and the unbalance is reflected by the dynamic vibration characteristics of the system [4].
The symptom of malfunctions is indicated by machine vibrations and carries useful information
about the character and cause of vibration. In order to identify the faults, model and signal based
approaches are used. Model based methods are used to identify the magnitude and location of faults
[5]. Experimental investigation is one of the most reliable methods of determining the dynamic
characteristics of system, as the real features are portrayed as it is. Reliable modelling of systems with
rotating elements is a tedious work due to inherent uncertainties as to boundary conditions and
operating parameters. The data acquired from modal testing, on further processing indicates the mode
shapes that describe the dynamic behaviour of system [6]. Experimental modal analysis technique is
most extensively used tool for identification of modal parameters of system which illustrates the
natural frequencies and mode shapes in the frequency range of interest [7].
Modes are inherent properties of structure which are employed as efficient tool to characterize the
resonant vibration. Resonant vibration is caused due to interaction of inertial and elastic properties of
material within the system and is often cause of many vibration related problems occurring in
machinery. In order to study vibration response it is essential to identify and quantify the resonances
of the system which in most of cases is done by studying the modal parameters of the system [8].
Vibration signature obtained from vibration analysis helps in monitoring the health of the mechanical
system and also helps to alert the equipment operators about the possible failure of the system in
advance. It could be also useful to prevent the system breakdown [9].
Existence of minute amount of unbalance in high speed machinery may prove to be fatal causing
catastrophic failure of machinery much before the anticipated life. Overhung rotors find existence in
many engineering applications like pump, fans, propellers and turbo machinery. The vibration
signature of overhung rotor is different from that of centre hung type. Thus the accurate prediction of
vibration characteristics of overhung rotor is vital for efficient operation and greater life.
Vibration due to unbalance causes damage to critical machine elements like bearings, coupling,
seals etc. Perfect balanced rotor are highly impossible attributing to the presence of porosity in casting,
nonlinearities, non-uniform distribution of density, manufacturing tolerances and wear of parts during
operation. The centrifugal force generated as an effect of mass unbalance must be reacted against by
bearing and support structures [10].
Machines with a nonrotating shaft behave much like familiar structures. However, once the rotor
starts spinning, the modes are no longer planar. With radially symmetric bearings, the rotor center
traces out a circle. The rotor whirls either in the same direction as rotation, or against rotation,
resulting in both forward and backward whirl modes. The frequencies are affected by both the mass
and diametral mass moment of inertia. The mass has the greatest effect at points of large circular
motion (anti-nodes), while the mass moment of inertia has the greatest effect at points of large rocking
motion (nodes). Changes in mass precisely at a node do not change the corresponding natural
frequency, and changes in mass moment of inertia at points of no conical motion do not change the
corresponding natural frequency. The modes affected by the mass moment of inertia are strongly
affected by changes in speed. Considering the bearing characteristics do not change, the backward
whirl mode will decrease in frequency with increasing shaft speed, while the forward mode frequency
will increase. The extent to which this occurs is related to both the mode shape and the ratio of the
polar mass moment of inertia to the diametral mass moment of inertia. Thus, a machine with a big
disk/fan blade will probably show strong speed dependent effects in at least some modes [11].
Vibration characteristics measured at the bearings indicate the influence of unbalance on the
system. A shaft can fail, if it is operating continuously at vibration level, which can induce stress
levels beyond endurance stress. Hence it is essential to predict amplitude of vibration of shaft from the
vibration signals sensed at bearings. In any rotating machinery the bearings are the structures which
support the system and the forces from rotor are transmitted to the bearings where the data is acquired.

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ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

In view of the significance of influence of vibration characteristics on the performance of a

mechanical system, the present work is a small attempt to analyse the effects of operating parameters
of a rotating system on its vibration characteristics, experimentally. The study also includes numerical
analysis using standard FEA tool [ANSYS] in order to obtain the modal frequencies and
corresponding mode shapes including harmonic response.

2. Experimental details
Figure 1 shows the experimental setup used in present analysis. The shaft is connected to 0.37kW 3
phase induction motor through flexible coupling. The motor can be operated to a maximum speed of
1400rpm and the operating speed is controlled with help of Variable Frequency Drive (VFD). The free
end of shaft is mounted with mild steel disc of diameter 145mm and 6mm thick, having provision to
add the unbalance masses at radius of 60mm. Accelerometer used to measure the vibration
characteristics is mounted on bearing housing near the free end of shaft. The accelerometer is
connected to data acquisition system for acquiring and processing of vibration data. Table 1 shows the
details of operating parameters in present study.
The vibration data is acquired for both balanced and unbalanced conditions of shafts at different
speeds. The signals acquired in time domain is processed and converted into frequency domain signals
using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) technique. Acceleration and displacement of vibration, in
frequency domain are used for analysis of the system response.

Figure 1. Experimental setup.

Table 1. Operating parameters of the experiments.

Experimental parameter Value
Diameter of overhanging Shaft 12mm
Length of overhanging shaft 150mm, 250mm
Unbalanced mass added to the disc 25gm, 50gm
Speed of the operation 300rpm – 800rpm, in steps of 50

2.1 Numerical analysis

Numerical analysis is carried out by using FEA tool-ANSYS 16.2 to determine the modal frequencies,
mode shapes and steady state response of system under different unbalanced conditions. Further to
determine the critical speeds of system Campbell diagram is constructed. Figure 2 shows the 3-D
model created, with bearings specified in FEA tool, for the numerical analysis of the system.
Automatic mesh method was used to mesh the structural model of system. The material specified is
structural steel with properties of elastic modulus E=210GPa, Poisson ratio=0.3, Density=7850kg/m3.
The bearing stiffness was set to constant value of 1000N/mm, because the bearing load and influence
of rotation speed on bearing stiffness were not considered. Figure 3 shows the rotating force applied
to the system by specifying the unbalance mass with eccentricity.

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ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

Figure 2. 3-D Model for numerical analysis. Figure 3. Rotating force applied to system.

3. Results and discussion

3.1 Vibration characteristics of system

Some of the typical results obtained from experimental investigation are shown in figure 4 and figure
5. It can be observed from the FFT plots that, distinct peak is not visible at excitation frequency in
case of balanced system. But in case of both unbalanced conditions dominant peaks are visible at
machine excitation frequency. The magnitude of vibration characteristics increase with increase in
unbalance mass, the reason for which can be attributed to increase in centrifugal force developed
during operation.
It can be observed that for identical unbalanced masses the magnitudes of vibration characteristics
(acceleration and displacement) are higher in case of 250mm overhang when compared with 150mm
overhang. This is due to increase in moment induced because of unbalance force for higher overhang,
thus inducing higher reaction force at bearing nearer to the disc. Therefore it is clear from
experimentation, to curb the unduly vibration induced in mechanical system having overhung shaft,
the measure of overhang length is vital criteria and is to be as minimal as possible.

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 ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

(e) (f)

Figure 4. Vibration Characteristics [150mm overhang length, 550 rpm-9.17 Hz], (a) acceleration balanced;
(b) displacement balanced; (c) acceleration-25g unbalanced mass; (d) displacement-25g unbalanced mass;
(e) acceleration-50g unbalanced mass; (f) displacement-50g unbalanced mass.

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 ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

(e) (f)

Figure 5. Vibration Characteristics [250mm overhang length, 550 rpm-9.17 Hz], (a) acceleration balanced;
(b) displacement balanced; (c) acceleration-25g unbalanced mass; (d) displacement-25g unbalanced mass;
(e) acceleration-50g unbalanced mass; (f) displacement-50g unbalanced mass.

Some minor peaks are visible in FFT plots at higher frequencies; this is attributed to components of
higher harmonics of excitation force. Since the magnitude of these peaks at higher frequencies is small
when compared to those at actual excitation frequency, these are considered to be insignificant.

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 ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

3.2 Variation of acceleration with excitation frequency

Variation of acceleration with excitation frequency is shown in figure 6 and figure 7. It can be seen
from plots that the magnitude of response increases with increase in excitation frequency. Also the
magnitude of acceleration increases with increase in unbalance masses.
(a) (b)

Figure 6. Accleration vs Excitation frequency for Figure 7. Acceleration vs Excitation frequency for
150mm overhang. 250mm overhang.

Table 2 shows the modal frequencies extracted from the numerical modal analysis of the two
shafts. The first modal frequencies of the two systems are at around 52 Hz and 30 Hz. Since the
stiffness of the shaft is reduced due to increased overhang length there is reduction in natural
frequency of shaft at 250mm overhang compared to 150mm.
Table 2. Modal frequencies.
Modal Frequency [Hz]
Mode
150 mm overhang 250 mm overhang
1. 52.696 30.155
2. 75.698 35.277
3. 144.98 120.1
4. 317.4 256.49
5. 430.54 285.97
6. 431.17 434.67

It can be observed from the experimental results [figures 4&5], the presence of distinct peaks at
around 50 Hz and 30 Hz in the systems, indicating the excitation of first natural modes by the
harmonics of excitation force. The trends observed in figure 6 and figure 7 illustrate that the
experimental vibration characteristics are tending towards their peak value as the excitation frequency
gets closer to first modal frequency. The trends in figure 6 and figure 7 would have reached their
peaks and identified first modal frequency experimentally, but for the limitations of the operating
speed of the drive motor (24 Hz).

3.3 Mode shapes and harmonic response

Some typical mode shapes obtained from modal analysis are shown in figure 8 and figure 9. The mode
shapes of shafts display some dominant shaft bend modes and disk modes.

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ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

Figure 8. Mode shapes of shaft with 150mm overhang.

Figure 9. Mode shapes of shaft with 250mm overhang.

The typical harmonic responses of the system [150mm overhang] under two unbalance conditions
are shown in figure 10 and figure 11. The response plots for two unbalanced conditions illustrate the
amplitude of displacement tending towards peak value around their natural frequencies. It can be
observed that the response tending towards peak value at 80 Hz and 320 Hz which are the first and
second bending modes in vertical direction. Deformed shape of shaft at 80 Hz and 320 Hz are shown
in figure 12 and figure 13.

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 ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

Figure 10. Response displacement -25g unbalance. Figure 11. Response displacement-50g unbalance.

Figure 12. Deformed shape of shaft at 80Hz. Figure 13. Deformed shape of shaft at 320Hz.

3.4 Identification of critical speed using Campbell diagram

Campbell diagrams are constructed for the two systems investigated as shown in figure14 and figure
15. It can be seen that critical speeds (i.e. intersection of excitation frequency line with modal
frequency line) are not observed in operating range of interest. However the higher harmonics of
excitation frequency (4X, 5X…etc.) intersect the first and second modal frequency lines. The
magnitude of vibration characteristics at higher harmonics are low and hence can be neglected.

Figure 14. Campbell diagram of 150mm overhang. Figure 15. Campbell diagram of 250mm overhang.

4. Conlusions
Following conclusions can be drawn from the experimental and numerical analysis carried out to
investigate the effect of operating parameters on vibration characteristics of a rotating system.
• The amplitude of vibration is proportional to the excitation force and the magnitude of
vibration characteristics increase with increase in excitation frequency, unbalance masses and
overhang lengths.
• The FFT plots indicate the presence of first modal frequency, at which the harmonics of
vibration characteristics tend towards their peak value.

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ICONAMMA2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 577 (2019) 012140 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/577/1/012140

• The results obtained from numerical analysis illustrate the modal frequencies, corresponding
mode shapes and frequency response of system indicates the frequencies corresponding to
high deformation, illustrating the regions subjected to large deformation.
• Campbell diagram indicated the absence of critical speeds within the operating range
considered.

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[8] Hisham A H, Al-Khazali and Md Askari R 2012 The experimental analysis of vibration
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[9] Algule S R and Hujare D P 2015 Experimental study of unbalance in shaft rotor system using
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[10] Md. Abdul Saleem, Diwakar G and Satyanarayana M R S 2012 Detection of unbalance in
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[11] Swanson E, Powell C and Weissman S 2005 A practical review of rotating machinery critical
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