topresearchpro.com
Place an order for original work
Contact: +1 913-871-0686 (Tutor/Writer-Victor)
Contact:+254-754-862-394 (Tutor/Writer-Laban)
Skype: topresearchpro
Email: support@topresearchpro.com
Email: researchpro.orders@gmail.com
Balancing a Rigid Rotor Lab Report
1
Summary
A rigid rotor requires to be evenly positioned about its axis so that it may run true. If the rotor is
not properly balanced, it vibrates as speed increases and may cause mechanical damages. One
requirement for proper balancing of the rotor is even distribution of rotor mass about the center
line for minimal resultant vibration. Some levels of unbalance may be tolerated vary at some
certain speed but as speed increases, the unbalance and its effect worsen.
To investigate unbalance on a rigid rotor, a laboratory test was done on an unbalanced rigid rotor
and both static and dynamic balancing procedures were performed on the rotor. The objective
was to apply the theory of rotor balancing, gain skills on rotor balancing and get to know how to
operate the Balancing machine. The results were then compared to a theoretical expectation in
result analysis.
topresearchpro.com
Place an order for original work
Contact: +1 913-871-0686 (Tutor/Writer-Victor)
Contact:+254-754-862-394 (Tutor/Writer-Laban)
Skype: topresearchpro
Email: support@topresearchpro.com
Email: researchpro.orders@gmail.com
2
BALANCING MACHINE
INTRODUCTION & THEORY
Unbalance may be defined as “uneven distribution of mass about the rotor’s Rotating Center
Line RCL” (Bruel, 2000). RCL is the axis the rotor would rotate if not constrained to the
bearings. Geometric center line GCL is the physical center line of the rotor. Three types of
unbalance can occur.
a) Static Unbalance- RCL is displaced parallel to GCL. See Appendix A
b) Dynamic Unbalance- RCL and GCL do not intersect and are not parallel. See Appendix B
c) Couple Unbalance- RCL and GCL coincide at the center of gravity. See Appendix C
The lab test was intent on performing balancing procedures for Static and Dynamic Unbalance.
(They are the most common unbalances).
Balancing is done by placing an identified mass at a given precise location on the rotor.
Test rig description
A rigid rotor can be corrected by making corrections in any two planes that can be selected
arbitrarily. The test rig schematic is shown in figure 1.
BALANCING SET
PHASE
TACHOMETER
ACCELEROMETER
ROTOR
BEARING
BEARING
FIGURE 1: TEST RIG SCHEMATIC
3
The balancing set has a vibration meter, vibration analyzer and a phase indicator. Piezoelectric
accelerometer and photoelectric tachometer are also connected to the display (Bruel 2000).
The rotor was driven by a separately located motor via a belt as shown in figure 2.
ROTOR
BELT
MOTOR
PLANE1
PLANE1
PLANE2
BEARING
BEARING
BEARING
PLANE VIEW: DYNAMIC BALANCING (2PLANES)
STATIC BALANCING (1PLANE)
FIGURE2: RIGID ROTOR BALANCING; DYNAMIC AND STATIC
PROCEDURE FOR EXPERIMENT
Connection as shown in figure1 was connected followed by a frequency analysis to determine
any unbalance. (At the frequency of rotation, an unbalanced rotor has a peak in the vibration
level). The initial trial masses for balancing were then estimated.
Static Balancing
 Accelerometer and tachometer were mounted on the rotor as in figure 1
 Machine was run at test speed. Vibration level and phase angle were noted.
 The machine was then stopped and a trial mass was mounted on the chosen correction
circle. The new level of vibration and phase angle were noted.
4
 The machine was then stopped and the trial mass was removed. The desired values of
correction mass and phase were computed. A correction mass was mounted at the very
radius that was used for trial mass. The machine was restarted. Residual unbalance was
measured.
 The procedure was repeated until minimal residual unbalance was observed
Dynamic balancing
 Two accelerometers were mounted in the two opposite planes of the rotor depicted in
figure2. A tachometer was also mounted and connected to the balancing set as in figure1.
 The machine was run at test speed and the vibration level and phase angle for each of the
planes was noted. The machine was then stopped and a trial mass was mounted.
 The machine was started again with vibration level and phase for each plane being noted.
 The machine was stopped again and the trial mass removed. A trial mass was mounted on
the second plane and procedure repeated.
 Correction masses were then mounted just as in static and residual unbalance noted.
The criteria used for repeating the procedure was:
ΔΦ < 250
ΔΦ > 250
ΔV<25%
Increase trial mass
Proceed
ΔV>25%
Move trial mass
Proceed
Results
Record table 1: Calculated tolerance (static balancing; 1 plane only)
Radius
49.7
No. of runs
Rotor mass
0.693
Unbalance
G
2.5
Angle
0.420
0.020
1330
3560
Service speed
3000 rpm
Balancing
mass
0.4
0.4
Test speed
1993 rpm
Balancing
angle
5
Calculations
𝑚=
𝑀𝑒 0.693 × 8
=
= 0.11𝑔
𝑟
49.7
Record table 2: Calculated tolerance (Dynamic balancing; 2 planes)
rotor
a
mass
b
P1
0.9285
No. of
runs
1
2
3
38.17
25.08
c
10.27
P2
R1
37.5
Unbalance
R2
37.5
Unbalance
Mag
1.10
1.68
3.33
Mag
1.00
1.52
0.13
Phase
1350
1330
1310
P1
Balancing
Mass
Mag
Phase
1.1
1350
1.6
1330
3.3
1310
Phase
3050
3160
790
Service 3000rpm
speed
Test
1500rpm
speed
P2
Balancing Mass
Mag
1.0
1.5
0.1
Phase
3050
3150
790
Calculations
𝑚=
𝑀𝑒 0.9285 × 8
0.198
=
= 0.198𝑔;
= 0.099𝑔
𝑟
37.5
2
Discussion
From the above tabulated results, graphs were plotted. Residual unbalance after the balancing
procedure was determined from the graphs.
Table 1: R=49.7 Graph of Magnitude vs Phase
0.45
0.4
0.35
Magnitude
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Phase (degrees)
6
Table2: P1, Unbalance
Table2: P2, Unbalance
3.6
1.6
3.4
1.4
3.2
1.2
Magnitude
Magnitude
3
2.8
2.6
2.4
1
0.8
0.6
2.2
0.4
2
0.2
1.8
1.6
131
131.5
132
132.5
133
133.5
134
134.5
0
50
135
100
150
Phase (degrees)
200
250
300
350
Phase (degrees)
Table2: P1, Balancing
Table2: P2, Balancing
3.5
1.5
Magnitude
Magnitude
3
2.5
2
1
0.5
1.5
1
131
131.5
132
132.5
133
133.5
134
134.5
135
Phase (degrees)
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Phase (degrees)
In static balancing, a balancing mass of 𝑚 = 0.11𝑔 was determined. From the graph, the
magnitude unbalance reduced linearly when the balancing mass was applied.
In dynamic balancing, imbalance on plane 1 was eliminated and virtually, residual unbalance
Vres≈0. Plane 2 did not exhibit unbalance as seen from the graph.
Advantages, disadvantages and inaccuracies
Balancing is beneficial because it reduces vibrations and noise. This prevents wear and tear of
the bearings and also of the equipment. However, the balancing methods used here may require
long time to get the correct masses for rectifying the unbalance. Experimental inaccuracies arise
because the rotor is assumed to be perfectly rigid and the bearings free from friction whereas this
is not so practically. (Dunn 2008).
7
Other balancing methods
There are other methods for rotor balancing that include balancing without using trial weights.
One of those methods ‘One shot’ method. In this method machine loading is controlled at
transducer locations by using an instrumented force hammer to impact the rotor instead of using
trial weights (Cindy, 2006). Since no trial weights are used, the method is faster than dynamic
and static balancing techniques. Further, future imbalance on the rotor is permanently rectified
using this method.
Conclusions
From the results obtained, an appreciable level of balance on the rigid rotor was achieved with
little residual unbalance left on the rotor. The aim of the lab was thus met.
8
References
Bruel, K. 2000. Static and Dynamic Balancing of Rigid Rotors. [Online] Available at
<www.bksv.com/doc/17-227.pdf > Accessed 27-oct- 2011
Cindy, M. 2006. One Shot Balancing [Online] Available at
<http://www.mhm.assetweb.com/DRKNOW/APLPAPR.NSF/apweb/E90495D9D8A6005E8525
67ED00445C8E?OpenDocument> Accessed 27-oct- 2011
Dunn, J.2008. Balancing of Rotating Bodies., Princeton: Educational Testing Services
9
Appendices
COG
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Static Unbalance
Dynamic Unbalance
Couple Unbalance
Static
Centre or rotation
r
Centre of gravity
10
Dynamic
angle a
angle b
a
b
Vector resolution
V1
V2
V3
V3 –Resultant vector
11