Global Services

Field Engineer Training Project

Fundamentals of Vibration – Practical Example
Author: Beniamino Giolitti
V. 1.0 – September 2008
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
A high vibration alarm arise from a pipeline compressor, data from field include:
1. vibration amplitude vs. machine speed and machine speed-waterfall diagram

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SPEED: 0.5 krpm/div
GE /
June 24, 2022
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
A high vibration alarm arise from a pipeline centrifugal compressor, data from field include:
1. vibration amplitude vs. machine speed and machine speed-waterfall diagram

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GE /
June 24, 2022
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
A high vibration alarm arise from a pipeline centrifugal compressor, data from field include:
2. waterfall diagram and spectrum diagram during suction pressure variation

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GE /
June 24, 2022
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
A high vibration alarm arise from a pipeline centrifugal compressor, data from field include:
2. waterfall diagram and spectrum diagrams during suction pressure variation

5/
GE /
June 24, 2022
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
Which is the expect source type of this vibration ?
1. Mass unbalance (force unbalance, couple unbalance, etc.)
2. Misalignment (angular, parallel, etc.)
3. Resonance
4. Rotor rub
5. Fluid-dynamic phenomena (aerodynamic stall, surge, gas swirl, etc)

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GE /
June 24, 2022
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
1. vibration amplitude vs. machine speed shows clearly the first critical speed and
another peak at 14,000 RPM, near the operating speed.

1st critical speed vibration problem

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GE /
June 24, 2022
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
2. machine speed-waterfall diagram shows clearly that the vibration problem has a
subsynchronous component, near 0.5X. Note also the fast growth of amplitude.

vibration problem

1st critical speed

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GE /
June 24, 2022
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
3. waterfall diagram and spectrum diagram during suction pressure variation shows that
the problem is not related with RPM, but with pressure variation.

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GE /
June 24, 2022
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
Pressure variations mean density variation. High density gas passing through labyrinth seals
between the stages results in forces due to gas swirl applied on shaft.

Laby Gas Swirl

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GE /
June 24, 2022
Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
Corrective Action
1. modify labyrinth seals installing swirl breaks and/or shunt holes.
2. call Nuovo Pignone Engineering department.

Shunt Holes
Holes to allow
for radial gas
Swirl breaks injection to
Array of axial break gas swirl.
vanes at the
seal inlet to
reduce gas
tangential
velocity.

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GE /
June 24, 2022
 Fundamentals of Vibration
Pipeline Compressor High Vibration
Advanced design of centrifugal compressor adopts HONEYCOMB laby seals on balancing
drums and impellers to increase rotor system damping capabilities, particularly for high
pressure applications.

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GE /
June 24, 2022