Phase Measurement & Diagnosing Unbalance

(Continued)

Although considered by some to be the most common and simplest fault to

diagnose, unbalance is actually quite easy to confuse with other fault conditions.
In this issue we continue our look how to use phase to affirm your unbalance
diagnoses:
Couple unbalance
A rotor with couple unbalance may be statically balanced (it may seem to be perfectly
balanced if placed in frictionless bearings). But when rotated, it will produce centrifugal forces
on the bearings, and they will be of opposite phase.
Let's consider the characteristics of "couple unbalance" in respect to phase:
1. Both ends of the machine should be 180 out-of-phase (in the case of pure couple
unbalance). You should therefore measure the phase between both ends of the
machine in the vertical and horizontal direction. The phase difference between the two
vertical readings should be very similar to the phase difference between the two
horizontal readings.

2. There should be approximately 90 between the vibration readings taken in the vertical
and horizontal directions. Depending upon the direction of rotation, the horizontal
measurement will either lead or lag by 90 (therefore you will measure approximately
90 or 270). This will be true at both ends of the machine.

3. There will be a difference in vibration amplitude in the vertical and horizontal

directions, with horizontal normally being higher due to lower stiffness in that axis. If
the horizontal reading was greater than twice the vertical reading you might consider
checking the integrity of the foundation/base.

4. The vibration level at one end of the machine may be higher than the vibration
measured at the other end. However the ratio between the drive end and driven end
should be roughly the same in the vertical and horizontal directions. For example, if the
drive end was twice the amplitude in the vertical direction, you would expect the
vibration at the drive end to be approximately twice as high in the horizontal direction
as well.
5. The axial amplitude readings will again be low compared to the radial readings the
forces are predominantly in the radial direction. However, because we now have a
rocking motion, with 180 phase difference from one end of the machine to the other,
the phase readings taken across the shaft will also be out-of-phase.

In reality, the amount of unbalance will not be evenly distributed along the rotor (unless it is a
very narrow rotor or axial fan, in which case it will approximate static unbalance). We are
likely to have a combination of static and couple unbalance. The combination is called
dynamic unbalance.
Dynamic unbalance
Lets revisit the five considerations we listed above with Couple Unbalance, now with Dynamic
Unbalance in mind:

1. The phase relationship between the ends of the machine will be neither in-phase or
180 out-of-phase. The readings should be somewhere between 0 and 180. The
phase difference between the two vertical readings should be similar to the phase
difference between the two horizontal readings. For example, if the phase difference
between the vertical readings was 163, you would expect the phase reading between
the horizontal readings to be 163 give or take 20.
2. As we found earlier, there should be approximately 90 between the vibration readings
taken in the vertical and horizontal directions. Depending upon the direction of rotation,
the horizontal measurement will either lead or lag by 90 (therefore you will measure
approximately 90 or 270). This will be true at both ends of the machine.
3. Once again, there will be a difference in vibration amplitude in the vertical and
horizontal directions, with horizontal normally being higher due to lower stiffness. If the
horizontal reading was greater than twice the vertical reading you might consider
checking the foundations/base.
4. Once again, the vibration level at one end of the machine will be higher than the
vibration measured at the other end. However the ratio between the drive end and
driven end should be roughly the same in the vertical and horizontal directions. For
example, if the drive end was twice the amplitude in the vertical direction, you would
expect the vibration at the drive end to be approximately twice as high in the horizontal
direction as well.
5. Once again the axial amplitude and phase readings are very revealing. The amplitude
readings will be significantly lower than the radial readings. The phase readings taken
across the shaft tend to follow one of two patterns. If there is a significant rocking
motion (in which case the vertical phase readings will approximate 180 out-of-phase),
then the axial readings will also approximate 180 out-of-phase. However, in the
absence of a rocking motion, the axial phase readings will have a smaller phase
difference they will be close to in-phase.
Taking all of the readings into account, we can build up an image of how the machine is
moving what forces are at play.

Vertical machine unbalance

Vertical machines, such as vertical pumps, are usually cantilevered from their foundation, and
they usually show maximum 1X levels at the free end of the motor regardless of which
component is actually out of balance.
The spectrum will again show a strong 1X peak when measured in the radial direction
(horizontal or tangential), and phase readings collected along the machine should be basically
in-phase. Because of the circular motion that results from unbalance, the phase readings

taken 90 around from the reference measurements should be 90 greater or lower;

depending upon the direction of rotation.

The amplitude readings should be higher near the top of the machine. The machine will
normally have greater stiffness in one direction (typically in-line with a discharge pipe), thus
the amplitude readings will be lower in that axis.
Unbalance in overhung machines
The dynamics of an overhung machine are quite different; therefore our study of relative
vibration levels and phase readings is quite different. Overhung pumps and fans are common
in industry so you must examine the machine closely to ensure that you know whether a
component is in fact overhung or supported on both sides by bearings.

In an overhung or cantilevered machine, you will again see a high 1X vibration level, however
this time it will be observed in the axial direction as well as in vertical and horizontal.
Measurements should be taken from the bearing closest to the overhung impeller or fan
blades.
We see the high 1X in axial because the imbalance creates a bending moment on the shaft,
causing the bearing housing to move axially. The readings will be in-phase in the axial
direction.

Because of the bending motion there will be somewhere between 0 and 180 between the
two horizontal readings, likewise between the vertical readings. The phase difference between
the vertical readings will be similar to the phase difference between the two horizontal
readings.
And because of the circular motion, there will be approximately 90 between the vertical and
horizontal readings.

This concludes our look at phase in respect to machine unbalance. Next issue we will move
onto other fault conditions.