ENME599

LAB #6: Investigation of Vibration Absorber for Unbalanced Rotating System

NOTE: In laboratory Assignment. Formal lab report is not required.

OBJECTIVES

1) Develop better analytical and intuitive understanding of a rotor unbalance.

2) Familiarize with the vibration absorber concept to minimize vibrations due to rotating unbalance and implement it in
the real unbalanced system.

PERSONAL AND EQUIPMENT SAFETY

1) The rotating system tested in this experiment can cause SERIOUS HARM if not properly operated. Therefore please
ensure the following steps have been taken:

• Before turning the system on for the first time WAIT FOR the FINAL INSPECTION of the setup by instructor.

• Keep the GUARDS LOWERED AT ALL TIMES when the motor is rotating.

• DO NOT TOUCH any rotating parts.

• STOP the rotation IMMEDIATELY after finishing each partial test.

• If excessive vibrations occur during the test, STOP the rotation IMMEDIATELY by putting the “MODE” switch (bottom
right) on the control unit to the “STOPPED” position.

• Make sure wait for the final inspection

• Tuck in shirts and tie back long hair

• Don’t stay in the line of action, i.e unguarded side/axial side of the rotating equipment.

2) Setting the ESSENTIAL CONTROLS to SAFE positions (Bently-Nevada (B-N) Rotor Controller):
a) Set the “MODE” 3-position toggle switch (bottom right) to “STOPPED”.
b) Turn the “MAX SPEED SETPOINT” knob (top middle) to “000” rev/min (max CCW).
c) Set the “Ramp Switch” (bottom middle) to “DOWN”.
d) Turn the “RPM RATE” knob (top right) to “15,000 RPM/MIN”, i.e., the maximum clockwise.

AGENDA

1) Familiarization with the critical speed (find first natural frequency) – identify the critical speed.
2) Familiarization with the mass absorber to the system setup. Determine appropriate mass (𝑀𝑀𝑎𝑎 ) and spring (𝐾𝐾𝑎𝑎 –
cantilever beam).
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Figure 1) the schematic lab setup and sample graph.

3) Demonstration / Setup Instructions.

4) Reduction of vibrations through the implementation of absorber to the Bently-Nevada experimental rotor kit.

INTRODUCTION AND SETUP

1. Check Setup
NOTE: Make sure that no mass is inserted in the rotor hole. Set all the oscilloscope channels coupling to DC.
System Values are as follows:
• The total mass of motor, rotor, bearings and shaft: M = 7.59 kg
• Stiffness of supporting legs: k = 91959.46 N/m
• First damping ratio: ξ = 2.68%
• The unbalanced mass: m = 6 g
• The distance of unbalanced hole from the center of the rotor: e = 25.37 mm
• Absorber mass: ma = 0.9 kg
• Effective diameter of the absorber beam: D = 4.8 mm
• Beam’s modulus of elasticity: E ~ 198 GPa

2. Measurement Setup
The following figure shows the setup and accelerometer locations on the setup
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Figure 2) the setup and accelerometer configuration.

Note: Data computer is and the setup are connected as follows:

Computer Oscilloscope
Spreadsheet File Description Description
Channels Channels
Column 1 Time
Casing
1 Column 2 1 Accelerometer 1 (Acc1)
movement
Absorber
2 Column 3 2 Accelerometer 2 (Acc2)
movement

1) Use oscilloscope to find the natural frequency and use the LabVIEW program to acquire the data.
2) Follow the technician’s instructions.

VIBRATION ABSORBER (ANALYTICAL ANALYSIS)

𝑀𝑀𝑦𝑦̈ + 𝑐𝑐𝑦𝑦̇ + 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝜔𝜔2 𝑒𝑒 𝑗𝑗𝑗𝑗𝑗𝑗
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝜔𝜔2 𝑗𝑗𝑗𝑗𝑗𝑗
𝑦𝑦̈ + 2𝜁𝜁1 𝜔𝜔𝑛𝑛 𝑦𝑦̇ + 𝜔𝜔𝑛𝑛2 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑒𝑒
𝑀𝑀
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 2
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝜔𝜔 2 𝜔𝜔
(𝜔𝜔𝑛𝑛2 − 𝜔𝜔2 + 2𝜁𝜁1 𝑗𝑗𝜔𝜔𝑛𝑛 𝜔𝜔)𝑌𝑌 = → |𝑌𝑌| = 𝑀𝑀
(Eq.1)
𝑀𝑀 2 2
2 −𝜔𝜔 � +(2𝜁𝜁𝜔𝜔 𝜔𝜔)�
���𝜔𝜔𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛

A. SDOF System
1. Identify the critical speed
Note: You will spin the rotors at high speeds. Please be VERY CAREFUL, CONCENTRATE on the experiment and ASK
the lab instructor to verify the setup at this stage.
1) Sweep the motor rpm to find the first critical speed of the setup. As you find it you need to turn the system off. Do not
leave the motor to run at the critical speed for a long time.
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2) Continuously monitor the amplitudes of the waveforms in Ch1 and Ch2. If any of them EXCEEDS 1000 mV (2
divisions at the selected 500 mV/div setting, or equivalent at the current settings) OR if excessive vibrations occur,
stop increasing the speed, reduce it to minimum and notify the lab instructor.

Critical Speed in RPM: __________________ RPM

Natural freq. in Hz: ___________________ Hz Natural freq. in rad/s: ___________________ rad/s

3) Find the Frequency Response Function for the SDOF Rotor System (fill the chart)
Operating Speed in RPM: ________________ RPM (90% of ωn)

0.9 ωn (operating
0.6 ωn 0.8 ωn 1.1 ωn 1.3 ωn
speed)
Speed
(rpm)
f
(Hz)
Ch1 Acc.
Amplitude
2
(m/s )
Ch1 Displ.
Amplitude
(mm)

4) Plot the Frequency Response Function (indicate the operating speed) (D vs. Hz)
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�𝑘𝑘𝑎𝑎 −𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑎 𝜔𝜔2 �𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝜔𝜔2

𝑌𝑌 = (𝑘𝑘+𝑘𝑘 2 2 2 (Eq. 20)
𝑎𝑎 −𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑎 𝜔𝜔 )(𝑘𝑘𝑎𝑎 −𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑎 𝜔𝜔 )−𝑘𝑘𝑎𝑎

𝑘𝑘𝑎𝑎 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝜔𝜔2
𝑌𝑌𝑎𝑎 = (𝑘𝑘+𝑘𝑘 2 2 2
𝑎𝑎 −𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑎 𝜔𝜔 )(𝑘𝑘𝑎𝑎 −𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑎 𝜔𝜔 )−𝑘𝑘𝑎𝑎

*Assuming very small damping*

Figure 3) Vibration Absorber

B. Design of the absorber (MDOF System)

1) Formulate the Mass matrix and Stiffness Matrix

M= K=
Calculate two natural frequencies:

ωn1 = _______________ rad/s ωn2 = ___________________rad/s

ωn1 = _______________ Hz ωn2 = ___________________rad/s

Critical Speed 1= _______________ RPM Critical Speed 2 = ___________________ RPM

2) Identify the desired Ka = _____________________________ N/m when Ma = 0.9 kg

You need to design the absorber in such a way that the setup movement, i.e. y, at its first critical speed comes to zero at
the operating speed.
Calculate the length of the rod where you should put the absorber mass: L = ______________________ mm
Adding an absorber to the rotor:
Add the mass (Ma) to the rod and run the rotor at critical speed. Remember to attach the accelerometer to the
absorber mass.
NOTE: If you still see excessive vibration in the rotor, you have not done the design step correct. Turn the
motor off and go back to previous step and double check your calculations.

Finding the experimental movement of the casing and absorber after adding the absorber.
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Run the motor at different rpms and fill out the following chart. Try to cover both new natural frequencies after
adding the absorber.

3) Find the Frequency Response Function (indicate the operating speed) (D vs. Hz)
* If new critical speeds coincide with the below, adjust the excitation frequencies.

0.9 ωn (operating
0.6 ωn 0.8 ωn 1.0 ωn 1.1 ωn 1.3 ωn
speed)
Speed
(rpm)
f
(Hz)
Ch1 Acc.
Amplitude
2
(m/s )
Ch1 Displ.
Amplitude
(mm)
Ch2 Acc.
Amplitude
2
(m/s )
Ch2 Displ.
Amplitude
(mm)
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4) Plot the Frequency Response Function (indicate the operating speed) (D vs. Hz)

5) Compare the maximum vibration amplitude at the operating speed with the vibration amplitude at the same speed
after implementing vibration absorber:

Xold = __________________ mm

Xnew = __________________ mm

Discuss how much vibration reduction is achieved at the operating speed: ________________% reduction