Effective Procedure For Turbomachinery Field Balance

Effective procedure for
turbomachinery field balance

Authors
Alessandro Pescioni
Alessandro works in GE Oil & Gas Nuovo Pignone since 2011, actually Senior Engineer in Advanced Train
Integration team.
His main responsibilities are projects execution, integrated train rotor-dynamic analysis, vibration
analysis, troubleshooting and RCA, support to test bench and NPI programs.
He holds a master degree in Energy Engineering from University of Florence, Italy, and Green Belt
certification.
Gaspare Maragioglio
Gaspare is currently Engineering Leader of Power Transmission for GE Oil & Gas, in Florence, Italy. He is
responsible for technical selection of flexible/rigid couplings, auxiliary equipment and gears design,
with particular focus on the train rotor-dynamic behavior, torsional and lateral. He has a degree in
Mechanical Engineering and before joining GE he had a research assignment at University College
London. He is currently member of API613 Task Force and the ATPS Advisor Committee.
Abstract
When unbalance induced vibrations exceed allowable limits, a more accurate system balance is
required. If performed at site on assembled machines, it is commonly called field balance.
Key point of the activity is the determination of the unbalance amount and position, to be
added or removed, in order to minimize the trial and error attempts: it can be challenging due
to the quality of available data and due to a lot of variable factors to be considered, both during
analysis and activity execution.
The present case study shows how a field balance, performed on a gas turbine compressor
train, composed by five rotating equipment, can be effective and resolutive at first attempt.
Summary
Presentation summary:
o Introduction.
o Problem statement.
o Analysis of likely causes.
o Field balance procedure:
• Determination of amount and position of mass to be installed.
• Step by step procedure for site.
o Vibration after trim balance.
o Conclusions.
Introduction
Subject
• High synchronous vibration on parallel offset gearbox low speed shaft, up to
alarm/trip limits
Train composition:
• Low/high speeds: 3600/6100 rpm
• Max driver power ≈ 37 MW
• Same design for 4 units
Problem statement
Gearbox low speed shaft radial vibration
• During commissioning, 1 unit showed high
vibration on gearbox low speed shaft,
above alarm with speed above nominal
speed.
Trip: 102 µm
Alarm: 64 µm
• No issues on other 3 units.
• Vibration main component: 1xRev. mcs speed
• Max amplitude ~ 90 µm.
• Acceleration similar to other 3 units.

Speed up to mcs
Analysis of likely causes
Summary of RCA carried out:
Possible causes Probability
Shaft bow
Gearset previously replaced.
Gearbox residual unbalance unlikely
Similar behavior observed on previous gearset.
Damaged gearset (cracks, damaged teeth)
High GB clearances (shaft/bearing/housing) unlikely Assembly records checked
Critical speed unlikely Rotordynamic checked. No issues on other 3 units (same design).
Casing foundation bolts, shims and baseplate unlikely Site installation records checked
Coupling residual unbalance possible
Damaged, missing, incorrect coupling parts possible Point put as “to be checked” at next opportunity
 Proceed with field balance at first opportunity, at the same time checking load coupling.
Field balance procedure
(Determination of amount and position of mass to be installed)
o Balancing weight to be added as close as possible to gearbox DE  load coupling

flange (20 holes available, radius 180 mm “ru”).
Gas turbine Gearbox
o Quantity of unbalance:
• Influence vector was not available.
• From literature: for a slow ramp-up machine, add a weight that will produce (at
speed of interest “ω”) an unbalance force equal to 10% of rotor static weight.
Considering above radius  170 g “mu”.
0,1 ∙ 𝑅𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = 𝑚𝑢 ∙ 𝜔2 ∙ 𝑟𝑢
(Determination of amount and position of mass to be installed)
o Phase of unbalance: polar plot shall be analyzed to detect the direction of the heavy
spot. Weight to be added in the opposite direction.
Gearbox Drive End

No contact probes polar plot
(compensated)
Position of the probe (X and Y) Vibration at slow roll speed Unbalance position
→ Position and amount of unbalance done

(Step by step procedure for site)
1. Stop the machine (key-phasor notch in random position) + low speed coupling inspection
probe
probe
probe
Shaft rotor
Key-phasor notch
2. Turn the shaft to align key-phasor notch with key-phasor probe
probe
probe
probe
Shaft rotor
3. Mark bolts/holes on shaft to have reference on machine
probe
1
2
3 probe
probe 4
5
Shaft rotor
6
7
8
4. Add weight opposite to heavy spot vector
probe
1
2
3 probe
probe 4
5
Shaft rotor
6
7
8
5. Run the unit:
• Keep the unit to MOS until gas turbine thermal stabilization.
• Increase speed gradually from MOS to MCS.
• Alarm/trip values temporarily increased for the duration of the test (checked with gearbox
manufacturer).
6. Optional: based on first run results, additional run for unbalance mass/position optimization.
NOTE: if specific needs lead to disassembly some components modifying their relative position
(e.g. coupling dismounting), heavy spot and unbalance could be affected.
 Match mark relative position
Vibration after trim balance
All operative speed range explored: at MCS max amplitude ~ 32 µm (vs previous ~ 90 µm).
Gearbox low speed shaft radial vibration
Alarm: 64 µm
Conclusions
o If RCA addresses to unbalance the cause of 1x vibration, field balance can be a powerful tool to
decrease vibration.
o Data analysis: polar plot provides indication about phase of heavy spot whereas unbalance mass
should be calculated based on previous run data availability. Otherwise, calculated by literature.
o Procedure for site activity shall be clear in such way to install the desired mass at the right position
and angle. Make references on shaft can help for future activities.
o After reached machine thermal stabilization, test run shall cover all the speed range. It can be
evaluated to increase temporarily alarm/trip threshold for the duration of the test (to be checked
with gearbox manufacturer).

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Effective procedure for

turbomachinery field balance

• Vibration main component: 1xRev. mcs speed

• Max amplitude ~ 90 µm.

• Acceleration similar to other 3 units.

o Balancing weight to be added as close as possible to gearbox DE  load coupling

Gas turbine Gearbox

Gearbox Drive End

→ Position and amount of unbalance done

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