University of Nottingham

School of Mechanical, Materials, Manufacturing Engineering and Management

Advanced Dynamics of Machines (H3 C ADM)

Vibrations in Rotating Machinery

Contents
6.1 Introduction to rotordynamics of turbomachinery
6.2 Objectives of rotordynamic analysis
6.3 The spring-mass model
6.4 The Jeffcott rotor

6.1 Introduction to rotordynamics of turbomachinery

Turbomachinery is commonly used in aircraft as a means of propulsion and in the utilities
as a means of producing electricity. Modern turbomachines are designed to produce or
absorb extremely large amounts of power in a relatively smooth package. The main
property of turbomachinery which allows this is the high shaft speeds relative to other
types of machine of the same physical size. A direct consequence of high speeds is high
inertial loads and potential problems with shaft whirl, vibration and rotordynamic
instability. It is the aim of this part of the module to introduce and investigate these
phenomena.
6.2 Objectives of rotordynamic analysis
1)Critical speeds for vibration
The ability to predict speeds at which vibration of an imbalanced rotor is a maximum is
vital. Once these critical speeds have been calculated it is essential that the operating
speeds are not coincident with the critical speeds.
2)Design modifications to change critical speeds
If it is not possible to operate at a speed that is not coincident with the calculated critical
speeds or if there is a need to change the operating speed, design modifications may be
required to change the critical speeds.
3)Balancing
The ability to calculate balancing masses and locations (usually from experimentally
measured data) is vital so as to reduce the amplitude of vibration due to imbalance.
4)Threshold speeds for dynamic instability
The ability to predict threshold speeds and vibration frequencies for dynamic instability is
vital. Currently, this is a challenging area since a number of the destabilising forces are
not understood well enough for accurate mathematical modelling.
5)Design modifications to suppress dynamic instability

6.3 The spring-mass model

The simplest possible model for vibration analysis of a rotor system is a rigid mass m
mounted on a linear spring of stiffness k.
me2sint

For this system the first critical speed corresponds to the natural frequency (=k/m rad/s)
of the model.
For a rotor that is relatively rigid compared to the bearing supports, the mass m
corresponds to the total mass of the rotor and the stiffness k is the stiffness of the bearing
supports in parallel.
For a rotor that has a relatively flexible shaft compared to the bearing supports, the
stiffness is determined by the flexible bending stiffness of the shaft. In this case, only a
portion of the shaft mass contributes to the mass m since the mass near the bearing
supports does not fully participate in the vibratory motion.
The above simple model has a number of serious limitations for rotordynamic analysis.
1)The model only allows motion in one direction, whereas the rotor-bearing system can
translate in two directions producing complex patterns and shapes. This shortcoming can
be removed by considering a spring-mass system with two degrees of freedom, allowing
it to vibrate in two directions, X and Y say.
2)The model (even with two degrees of freedom) does not contain a realistic
representation for the imbalance in the rotor. This imbalance occurs in all real machines,
and since it is the rotating imbalance that excites the most commonly observed type of
vibration in turbomachines, it follows that the rotating imbalance is an essential factor
that must be included in the model.

6.4 The Jeffcott rotor

The English dynamicist Jeffcott was the first to include rotating imbalance in a simple
two degree of freedom model of a rotor system. The model consists of an unbalanced
disk mounted mid-way between the bearing supports on a flexible shaft of negligible
mass. This model was the first to explain the onset of reverse whirl motion (see later)
and forms the basis of the model adopted throughout this section of the module. A
schematic of a jeffcott rotor is shown below.

Figure to be inserted.

Figure: Single Disk on a Flexible Shaft with Flexible Bearing

Dr S. McWilliam - 20 November 2001