SEMINAR ON AMMONIA & UREA TECHNOLOGY

RESOLVING PERSISTENT HIGH

VIBRATION
PROBLEM OF SYNTHESIS
COMPRESSOR STEAM TURBINE
AT AMMONIA - EU

Authors : Chaudhry Muhammad Anwar

Unit Manager (Machinery)

Ali Abrar
Staff Engineer (Machinery)

Seminar Date : September 1, 2003

Organized by :
Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited
93-Harley Street, Rawalpindi
Pakistan
 Seminar on Ammonia & Urea Technology

INDEX (Click on a Topic given below to direct jump)

Abstract
Introduction
Description Of The Machine
Problem: High Vibration At Syn. Turbine
Chronology Of The Efforts
Effect of the efforts on vibration
Vibration Analysis
Fixing of Problem
Attachment II
Attachment I

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ABSTRACT
Fauji Fertilizer Co. Ltd. the largest urea producing organization in Pakistan operates three urea urea
manufacturing facilities. FFC-1 & 2, are located at Goth Machhi and the third one at Mirpur Mathelo.
The paper is about resolving casing high vibration on a steam turbine at ammonia plant of FFC-2.

DSTK 4431, a 14 MW steam turbine, manufactured by M/S Nuovo Pignone (NP), Italy drives
synthesis gas compressor train at the plant.
At the exhaust end bearing of the turbine casing high vibration started during its commissioning in
1993 and persisted till May 2002. The vibrations were mainly in the axial direction and its magnitude
varied from 18 to 30 mm/sec, while the shaft vibrations remained normal i.e. 20 to 30 micron. The
OEM, initially, declared as the shaft vibration remained low so continuous running of the turbine was
safe. But the problem caused two times its rotor damage and remained a ceaseless threat to reliability
of the turbine and plant operation.
NP specialists attended the machine five times, in Turnaround (TA) 94, TA96, TA98, Shut down (SD)
99 and TA2000 but without success. Owing to exorbitant maintenance cost and poor reliability of the
machine, FFC engineers took on their own study of the problem to identify the root cause of the
vibration. Extensive vibration data was recorded and analyzed by the plant team utilizing Bently
Nevada’ s “ADRE” and CSI’s 2115 Equipments. Applying “Problem Solving Approach” and the
advance analysis techniques they established Resonance at the rear end bearing the culprit. Finally
it has bee arrested by implementing an indigenous modification.
Initial part of the paper describes construction and salient features of the turbine. Later, the
efforts to rectify the problem and their effect have been discussed in the chronological order. In
the end, pertinent points of vibration analysis and redress of the problem are summarized.

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1. INTRODUCTION
Fauji Fertilizer Company Ltd, with nearly 6000 metric ton per day capacity, is the largest urea
producer in Pakistan. Out of its three manufacturing plants two (FFC-1&2) are located at Goth
Machhi, Sadikabad, Distt. RahimYar Khan and the third one (FFC-3) at Mirpur Mathelo. All the
plants are designed and by M/s Snamprogetti (SP) and most of the main machines are manufactured
by Nuovo Pignone (NP), Italy.

DSTK 4431, the 14 MW turbine, manufactured by NP, drives Synthesis gas compressor train of two
centrifugal compressors, type 2BCL508 & 2BCL409/A. The turbine is condensing type, operating at
9800 rpm, using steam at 105 bar pressure & 510 oC. Temp. Configuration of the turbo- compressor
train is unique: the driving turbine, EHNK 40/36, is in the middle and front end of the turbine rotor is
coupled to a low pressure compressor & the exhaust end to a high pressure compressor through shim
pack couplings. Only four turbo-compressor trains with this type of configuration have been supplied
by NP and this is biggest of them. The turbine is equipped with Bently Nevada’s 3300 vibration
monitoring system as per API standards.

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2. DESCRIPTION OF THE MACHINE

2.1 Casing

The turbine casing is horizontally split the upper & lower casing halves are joined by bolts. The inner
casing is connected with the control valve nozzle through steam tight rings of L-section, which allow
for thermal expansion.

2.2 Supports
The outer casing is supported by its brackets, on the front support, and on the rear supports at the right
and left side of the exhaust section, independently from the bearing housing.
The vertical position of the outer casing is determined by adjustable positioning elements located
between the brackets and the supporting plane of the front and rear supports.
The fixed reference position of the casing is at rear end support brackets. The casing is free to yield to
thermal expansion by moving forward on special slide elements between the front end brackets and by
moving forward of the front bearing support which slides on a special key.

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Front-end pedestal

The turbine rotor is supported in the bearing housing and is radially independent from the outer casing.
The radial journal bearings are of the tilting pads type. The bearings are babbit lined.

2.3 Journal Bearings

These are mounted on each inner support. The journal bearings are of the tilting pad type with forced
lubrication. Bearing pads are lined with white metal and are located into the proper seat formed by the
shell and by two oil guard rings

2.4 Thrust Bearing

The thrust bearing fixes the rotor in its axial position with respect to the turbine housing. It is a 10-
1/2” (8 x 8) KingsBury thrust bearing, with journal Dia. 130mm. The rotating thrust collar bears
against a set of stationary, pivoted thrust shoes.

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Rear-end pedestal

3. PROBLEM: HIGH VIBRATION AT SYN. TURBINE

3.1 History and Severity
Casing high axial vibration appeared during commissioning of the turbine in 1993, at
rear bearing pedestal and persisted since then. Typical values of casing vibration, after
commissioning of turbine, remained:

Horizontal 05~10 mm/sec

Vertical 10~14 mm/sec (Rough)*
Axial 18~30 mm/sec (Very Rough)**
(* ** High vibration contain huge amount of energy and continuous operation can wreck the machine
and associated parts.)
In 1998 and 2002 rotor of this machine got damaged two times due to persistent high casing vibration
apart from damages of bearing housing and support. Lube oil supply line also cracked owing to high
vibration and a plant shutdown and fire incident were narrowly escaped due to timely detection and
online welding. The vibration problem posed a ceaseless threat to reliability of the turbine and the plant
operation apart from forcing us to maintain stack of additional capital spares (one additional spare rotor
etc.) as contingency measure.

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4. CHRONOLOGY OF THE EFFORTS

4.1 Turnaround- 94

• Loose Rear pedestal hold down bolts were tightened by N.P. VSM (Sketch-I). The job was
done while the machine was in operation before commencement of turnaround. But the
problem remained as such after startup.

4.2 Turnaround- 96

• The Turbine rotor centered externally by N.P VSM during turn around. However, problem
remained as such.

4.3 Turnaround-98

• The turbine was dismantled.

• The Rotor was replaced with a new one.

• Worn out parts of rear end pedestal repaired by machining & some parts replaced (Sketch-II).

• Steam inlet piping supports adjusted.

But there was no effect on vibration response of the machine.

4.4 Shutdown – 99

• Flexibility analysis of complete high pressure (K.S.) steam piping to turbine inlet was
carried out by Snamprogetti (SP) designer of the plant. According to their
recommendations load on all spring supports was increased by 10% &position of a
strut, locating the pipe was shifted.

• Rear pedestal stiffened by the VSM by installing four additional bolts.

This modification was done on a similar turbine in Venezuela (Sketch-
III). However this attempt also failed to address the core vibration issue.

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SECTION AA BEFORE MODIFICATION

Main hold down bolt

Sketch-I

REAR PEDESTAL SUPPORT

AA AA

Sketch-II

SECTION AA AFTER MODIFICATION

Additional bolts

Sketch-III

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4.6 Turnaround-2000

• Snamprogetti once again carried out flexibility analysis of the high pressure steam (KS)
to turbine inlet piping with the as built drawing and accordingly modification/adjustment
done.
• HP steam inlet piping flanges aligned with turbine inlet nozzles to rule out piping stresses on
the turbine.
• Both of the couplings at the front and the exhaust end were replaced with new ones.
• Thermal growth at the front & exhaust end of turbine was verified by Acculign device.
And a horizontal offset of 0.4 mm was created at the exhaust end coupling.

4.7 Beyond Turnaround-2000

• During normal operation of the turbine, a bolt was inserted between flanges of the
exhaust end bellow and axial
vibration from 20 to 6 mm /sec.

• An on-line bump test was performed

on the front and rear end pedestals of
the Turbine with CSI- 2115, which
revealed resonance at the rear
pedestal.

5. EFFECT OF THE EFFORTS ON VIBRATION

Vibration (mm/sec)
Activities H V A
After Commissioning 10 14 32
Before TA- 98 14 16 26
After TA - 98 (Pedestal repaired, Rotor changed) 6 12 32
After July’99 (04 Additional Bolts provided) 6 7 26
After TA-2000 (Piping Supports modified& couplings changed) 7 9 29
Bolt inserted between flanges of the metallic bellow 7 4 10

6. VIBRATION ANALYSIS
•No abnormal casing vibration at solo run of the turbine up to over speed limit (i.e., 12600 rpm).
•The vibration appears at nearly full load conditions only
•Exhaust end Compressor vibration remains normal during machine loading.

•The vibration responds to ambient temperature in 24 hour day night cycle (Attach-I).

•Effect of change in steam condensation is negligible on vibration amplitude.

•The vibration is synchronous, 1 x rpm (Attach-I)

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•Pedestal at exhaust end twists about horizontal axis perpendicular to shaft axis (phase analysis)
•1x phase shift with change of the amplitude is observed (Attach-I)

•Polar plots comparison for casing and shaft vibration indicate presence of resonance in the system
(Attachment-2)

•Online bump test established resonance at rear pedestal

7. FIXING OF PROBLEM
On line bump test established presence of
resonance at the bearing pedestal in axial
direction. Rectifying this resonance, a design
flaw, was also a challenging problem owing to
thermal expansion and contraction of the
turbine. Thus a unique indigenous
modification of stiffening the bearing housing
with “Belleville spring stiffening system” was
carried out. This has addressed the persistent
problem.

Turbine Flange Compressor Flange

Holding Stud Belleville Spring Gap Compensating

Washers Washer

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8. FIXING OF PROBLEM
Based on this unique experience we conclude that perseverance/ persistence plays pivotal role and the
use of advanced diagnostic techniques can yield extremely useful results for solving chronic
machinery problems.

Indigenous efforts can yield more fruitful results compared to complete reliance on OEM. The
objective was achieved by applying problem solving approach and through concerted efforts of the
entire plant team.

During engineering stage of plant, unproven designs of machines should be thoroughly reviewed
against the tested ones before making a decision to adopt the former.

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ATTACHMENT-2

POLAR PLOTS FROM ADRE for Windows

The variation in casing axial
vibration amplitude and phase
angle corresponds with
variations is shaft vibrations
of the rotor. This indicates
presence of resonance in the
system.

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ATTACHMENT-1

EXHAUST END AXIAL VIBRATION SPECTRUM

1X VIBRATION TREND OVER 24 HOUR PERIOD INDICATING DIRECT

RELATIONSHIP OF PHASE WITH AMPLITUDE

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