Whirling of Shafts

By:
Dr. B. K. Sridhara,
NIE, Mysore

eNotes for the session on EDUSAT

Programme

Dr. B. K. Sridhara, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIE, Mysore-8 1

5.7 Whirling of Shafts
In many practical applications such as turbines, compressors, electric motors and pumps, a
heavy rotor is mounted on a light weight flexible shaft that is supported between bearings.
The mass centre of rotor do not coincide with the centre line of the shaft. Thus there will
be unbalance in the rotor due to manufacturing errors. When the shaft rotates centrifugal
force is induced on the shaft, which makes it to bend in the direction of eccentricity of
rotor. In addition to this other effects such as stiffness and damping of the shaft, hyrtersis
damping, gyroscopic effects, and fluid friction in bearings also cause the shaft to bend.
This bending further increases eccentricity and hence the centrifugal force. This effect is
cumulative and ultimately the shaft may even fail. The extent to which the shaft bends
depends upon the eccentricity of the rotor mass and speed of the shaft.

At certain rotational speeds the shaft tends to vibrate violently in transverse direction. At
these speeds the shaft has a tendency to bow-out and whirl in a complicated manner as
shown in Figure 5.10 and 5.11.

Bearing centre
Undeflected Position
line O
O
XC Deflected Position C
G G
e
Figure 5.10 Whirling of Shaft

Bearing centre line

Bearing Bearing

ω
Bent up shaft axis Rotor or Disc

Figure 5.11 Whirling of Shaft

This phenomenon is called whirling or whipping of shafts and the corresponding speeds
are referred as whirling or whipping or critical speeds of shafts. These critical speeds are
found to coincide with the natural frequencies of lateral (transverse) vibrations of the shaft.

Dr. B. K. Sridhara, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIE, Mysore-8 2

The excessive vibrations associated with critical speeds may cause permanent deformation
resulting in structural damage. Eg: The rotor blades of a turbine may come in contact with
stator blades. Larger shaft deflections produce larger bearing reactions, which may lead to
bearing failure. The amplitude build up is a time dependent phenomenon and therefore, it
is very dangerous to continue to run the shaft at it critical speed.

The whirling motion of a shaft consists of two components of motion as shown in Figure
5.12.
a. Spinning of the shaft along with rotor about the bent up shaft axis.
b. Rotation of plane A made by the centre line of the bearings and bent up-shaft,
about the centre line of the bearings.

Bearing centre line

Plane A Plane APlane A

Plane A
Bearing Bearing
Rotation of plane A
ωplane A
Bent up shaft axis Rotor or Disc
Figure 5.12 Whirling of Shaft

The rotation of plane A, which is generally referred as whirling, may take place in the
same sense as that of spinning of the shaft or in the opposite sense. Further the speed of
whirling may or may not be equal to the speed of spinning of the shaft. When the whirling
speed is equal to the speed of rotation of shaft it is called “synchronous whirl”.

5.7.1 Critical speed of a shaft with a single rotor (with out damping):
Consider a shaft on which a rotor in symmetrically located between two bearings. The
expression for the deflection of the shaft in terms of frequency ratio and eccentricity can be
obtained as follows based on the following assumptions.
1. Shaft is light and flexible.
2. Gravity effects are negligible.
3. Friction at shaft centre is small.
4. Damping due to air is neglected.

Let m: mass of the disc in Figure 5.10.

ω: Angular rotation of the disc (uniform angular velocity of shaft)
e: eccentricity of the disc: radial distance of the mass centre of the disc from its geometric
centre- G.
K: Stiffness of the shaft in transverse direction
C: Geometric centre of the disc.
G: C.G of disc (mass centre)

Dr. B. K. Sridhara, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIE, Mysore-8 3

X: Lateral deflection of the shaft centre from 0. (OC) (deflection of the geometric centre of
the disc).
ωc: Critical speed of the shaft.

The rotor, (disc) is in equilibrium under the action of two forces.

Centrifugal force, which acts radially outwards through G = mω2 (x + e)
Restoring force which act radially inwards through C = KX
∴For equilibrium restoring force = Centrifugal force
KX = mω2 (X + e)
= mω2 X + mω2e
KX - mω2X = mω2e
(K - mω2) X = mω2e

X/e = mω2/[k-mω2]
= 1/[(k/mω2)-1] = 1/[(ωn/ω2) – 1]
when
ω = ωn, X/e ratio is infinite. This particular value of ω is called critical speed.
But, ω/ωn = r ∴(ωn/ω = 1/r)
X/e = 1/[(1/r2) –1]

5.7.2 Discussions:
The relation between X/e and ωc/ω can be plotted as shown below in Figure 5.13.

+ ve

r<1

X/e
ωn /ω
ω
1.0

- ve
r >1

ω
Figure 5.13 Relation between X/e and ωn /ω

Case (i): When ω =ω ωn (r =1)

• Forcing frequency coincides with the natural frequency of transverse vibration of the
shaft. X/e – approaches infinity i.e., the deflection of geometric centre of the disc tends
to infinity.

Dr. B. K. Sridhara, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIE, Mysore-8 4

• The disk has a tendency to fly out, if the damping is insufficient. There will be severe
vibrations of the shaft thereby producing huge bearings reactions.
• At ω = ωn, the above undesirable effects would occur and therefore ω = ωn = ωc is
called the critical speed of the shaft.

Case (ii): ω < ωc, r < 1

ω <<< ωn, r < 1
∴X/e = is positive. The deflection x and eccentricity ‘e’ are in the same sense. This
condition of disc is referred as “Heavy side outside” i.e.,. The disc rotates with heavy side
outside. Thus C will lie between O and G. Positive sign indicates that X is in phase with
CF.

C
G

Figure 5.14 Disk with Heavy side outside

Case (iii): When ω > ωc, r > 1

ω >>> ωn
X/e = negative, the deflection x and the eccentricity e are in opposite sense. This condition
of the disc is referred as “Heavy side inside”. G falls between O and C. Negative sign
indicates that X is out of phase with CF.

G
C

Figure 5.15 Disk with Heavy side inside

When ω is very large, ω/ωωn = r ∞

G tends to coincide with O. The disc tends to rotate about its mass centre and hence
vibrations are very minimum. This is the principle used for stabilization of aircrafts at high
speeds.

5.7.3 Dynamic force transmitted to the bearings.

Fd = KX ωn2 = K/m, K = mωn2 at the critical speed
= mω2nX

Dr. B. K. Sridhara, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIE, Mysore-8 5

 = mω2X, at ω
Note:
1. ω < ωn, r < 1, X/e is positive, Fd = mω2 (X + e)
2. ω > ωn, r > 1, X/e is negative, Fd = mω2 (X – e)
If the shaft is vertical dynamic load on each bearing FB = Fd/2
If the shaft is horizontal dynamic load on each bearing = FB = (mg/2 + Fd/2)

Numerical Examples

Critical speeds with out damping

1. A rotor has a mass of 12 Kg and is mounted midway on a horizontal shaft of 24 mm φ
supported at the ends by two bearings. The bearings are 1 m apart. The shaft rotates at
1200 rpm. The mass centre of the rotor is 0.11 mm away from the geometric centre of the
rotor due to certain manufacturing errors. Determine the amplitude of steady state
vibrations and dynamic force transmitted to the bearings if E = 200 GN/m2.

Solution:
Data:
m = 12 Kgs, l = 1m, d = 24 mm = 0.024 m.
e = 0.11 mm, E = 200*109N/m2

Amplitude of steady state vibrations

ω)2 – 1] = 1/[(1/r)2 – 1]
ωn/ω
X/e = 1/[(ω

Assume the bearings are short. ∴Shaft is simply supported.

I = πd2/64 = 16.3*10-9 = 16.3 * 10-9 m4;
δst = mgl3/48EI = 0.000752 m
ωn = √g /δst = 114.2 rad/sec.
ω = 2πN/60 = 125.66 rad/sec

r = ω/ω
ωn = 125.66/114.2 = 1.1

X/e = - 5.76, e = 0.11 mm

X = - 0.634 mm, Negative sign indicates that the displacement is out of phase with the
centrifugal force.

Dynamic force: Fd = mω2 (X-e) as r > 1

Fd = 12 * (125.66)2 (0.634 – 0.11) * 10-3
Fd = 99.29 N
Total load on each bearing (shaft horizontal)

F = = mg/2 + Kd/2 = (12* 9.81)/2 +99.29/2 = 108.5 N

Dr. B. K. Sridhara, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIE, Mysore-8 6

2. A rotor having a mass of 5 Kgs is mounted midway on a 10 mm diameter shaft
supported at the ends by two bearings. The bearing span is 400 mm. Due to certain
manufacturing in accuracies the CG of the disc is 0.02 mm away from the geometric centre
of the rotor. If the system rotates at 3000 rpm determine the amplitude of steady state
vibrations and dynamic force transmitted to the bearings. Neglect damping. Take E = 1.96
* 105 N/mm2

Solution:
K = 72000 N/m
ωn = 120 rad/sec
ω = 100 π rad/sec
X = - 0.0234 mm
Fd = 1.68/2 = 0.84 N on each bearing

3. A shaft of 14 mm φand the length 1.2 m is held in long bearings. It carries a rotor of 16
Kgs at its midspan. The eccentricity of the mass centre of the rotor from the shaft centre is
0.4 mm. The shaft is made of steel for which E = 200 GN/m2 and permissible stress is 70
MPa
Determine the critical speed of the shaft and range of speed over which it is unsafe to run
the shaft. Assume the shaft is mass less, (a) When the shaft is horizontal (b) When the shaft
if vertical.

Data:
m = 16 Kgs, l = 1.2 m, e = 0.0004 m, d = 14 mm = 0.014 m, E = 2*105 MPa
Allowable bending stress: σb = 70 MPa

Solution:

(i) Critical speed

ωc = ωn = √(g/δst)
δst = mgl3/192 EI
(For long bearing: both ends are fixed)
δst = 0.00375 m.
ωn = √(g/ δst) = 51.17 rad/sec
ωn = 2πN/60, ∴N = 489 rpm

∴Critical speed = 489 rpm.

(ii) Range of speed

Bending load:
When the shaft rotates additional dynamic load acts on the shaft which causes additional
deflection and induces bending stress.

Bending stress induced:

σb = My/I, = [(Wbl/8) * d/2]/(πd4/64)

Dr. B. K. Sridhara, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIE, Mysore-8 7

Wb = Bending load
d = diameter of shaft, l = span
M = (Wbl/8) = Bending moment (Both ends fixed)
Given allowable bending stress = 70 MPa
Substitute σb = 70 MPa in the above
We get Wb = 125.7N
∴Wb = 125.7N, additional load due to bending
Additional deflection due to this Wb (whirling effect)
δ1 = (Wb/W) * δst
= (125.7/mg) * 0.00375
δ1 = 0.003 m

(ii) (a). Range of speed when the shaft is vertical

When the shaft is vertical

X = δ1 (Static deflection can be neglected)
X = 0.003 m
We have
X= ± e/[(r2 – 1)] = ± e / [(ωn/ω)2-1]
X = ± e /[{(2πNn/60}/{2πN/60)2}-1], But Nn = 489 rpm

0.003 = ± 0.0004/ (489/N)2 – 1

(489/N)2 = ± 0.1333

N = 459 and 525 rpm.

Thus the range of unsafe speed is 459 and 525 rpm. This range is unsafe because the stress
induced exceeds 70N/mm2

(ii) (b) Range of speed when the shaft horizontal

When the shaft is horizontal

x = δst + δ1
= 0.00375 + 0.003
= 0.00675 m
∴ X = ± e/ [(Nn/N)2 – 1]

0.00675 = ± 0.0004/[(489/N)2 – 1]
(489/N)2 –1 = ± 0.059

When + ve sign is considered

4892/N2 = 1 + 0.059 = 1.059

Dr. B. K. Sridhara, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIE, Mysore-8 8

N = 475.18 rpm

When – ve sign is considered

4892/N2 = 1 - 0.059 = 0.941

N = 504 rpm

Thus the range of unsafe speed is 475 and 504 rpm. This range is unsafe because the stress
induced exceeds 70N/mm2

4. A shaft of 25 mm diameter is freely supported on bearings 750 mm apart carries a rotor

of 20 Kgs, midway between the bearings. Determine the critical speed of the shaft, if the
shaft material has a density of 8000 Kg/m3 and E = 2.1 * 105N/mm2.

Solution:
Data:
d = 25 mm, l = 750, m = 20 kgs, E = 2.1 * 105N/mm2, ρ = 8000 Kg/m3

Critical speed = ωn = √(g/δst)

Considering the weight of the shaft

δst = (Wel3)/48 EI

We = [(W/g + (17/35) ρl) l3]/48EI

= 0.0468 * 10-5m

ωn = 4578 rad/sec, fn = 729 Hz.

Dr. B. K. Sridhara, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, NIE, Mysore-8 9