Fig.

1 Shaft rotor system

Fig.2 Top view of disc
Mass centre
Geometric centre
m
e
CHAPTER-5
WHIRLING OF SHAFTS
Topics covered:
Whirling of shafts neglecting damping
Whirling of shafts with damping
Numerical Problems/Discussions
Introduction
In engineering, we have seen many applications of shaft and a rotor system. Power
transmitting shafts always have either gear, pulley, sprocket, rotor or a disc attached
to a shaft as shown in the Fig.1
Problems in shaft and rotor systems:
(i) Unbalance in rotor/disc
(ii) Improper assembly
(iii) Weaker bearings
Conditions for perfect balancing
(i)Mass centre (centre of gravity) has to co-inside with the geometric centre (Fig.2)
(ii) m.e = unbalance =0
Rotating shafts due to unbalance disc at its centre tend to bend out at certain speed
and whirl in an undesired manner as shown in Fig.3, which affects the working of
machine and the shaft may also fail due to large deflection at the center. Whirling is
defined as the rotation of plane made by the bent shaft and line of centers of bearings.
VTU e-learning Course ME65 Mechanical
Vibrations
Dr. S. K. Kudari, Professor Session: III&IV 10-11/04/07
Deptt. Mech. Engg.,
B. V. B. College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli - 580031.
2
Fig.3 Bent of shaft due to whirling
Whirling of shafts neglecting damping
P- Geometric center
G- centre of gravity
O- center of rotation
e- eccentricity
d- deflection of shaft
Equating both the forces
Kd e) (d m
2
= + (1)
2
2
m K
e m
d

= (2)
Divide numerator and denominator by K
2
2
r 1
er
d

= (3)
It is observed from above equation that theoretically, the deflection of the shaft tends
to infinity when r =1, i.e e=e
n
. The speed of the shaft under this condition is referred
as critical speed of shaft.
If r <1 Below critical speed
d is +ve, which indicates that disc rotates about O ( centre of rotation) and O and G
(Centre of gravity) are opposite each other
If r >1 above critical speed, d is ve
d -e, which indicates O, approaches G and disc rotates about center of gravity.
O P
G
d e
Centrifugal force
e) (d m
2
+
Restoring force
(spring force)
K.d
Fig.4 Forces acting on the disc
VTU e-learning Course ME65 Mechanical
Vibrations
Dr. S. K. Kudari, Professor Session: III&IV 10-11/04/07
Deptt. Mech. Engg.,
B. V. B. College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli - 580031.
3
Therefore, tt is desired to run the shaft at speed much higher than the natural
frequency of the shaft rotor system, which has reduced whirling of shaft.
Whirling of shafts with damping
It is well known that Damping is the resistance to motion, in this analysis damping is
considered.
Three forces acting on the shaft under equilibrium as shown in Fig.5:
(i) centrifugal fore at G acts racially outwards
(ii) restoring force at point P acts radialy inwards and
(iii) damping force at P acts radialy outwards.
Figure 6 shows the top view of the disc at any instant of time. From this figure the
coordinates of centre of gravity are:
t e.sin y y
g
+ = (4)
t e.cos x x
g
+ = (5)
The equation of motion for the system in x - direction is:
Fig.5 Force diagram under damping
O
P
G
Kd
ced
b
d
e
mb
2
x O
P
G (x
g
,y
g
)
y
x
d
e
|

et
y
Fig.6 Top view of the disc at time t
VTU e-learning Course ME65 Mechanical
Vibrations
Dr. S. K. Kudari, Professor Session: III&IV 10-11/04/07
Deptt. Mech. Engg.,
B. V. B. College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli - 580031.
4
0 Kx x c x m
g
= + +

0 Kx x c ) e.cos x m(
2
= + +

t (6)
t e.cos m Kx x c x m
2
= + +

(7)
Similarly the equation of motion for the system y - direction is:
t e.sin m Ky y c y m
2
= + +

(8)
The governing equation of motion of the system in x-direction is given in Eqn.(7).
The solution to this governing equation is:
(t) x (t) x x(t)
p c
+ = (9)
where first part of Eqn.(9) is transient part of solution and second part is steady state
solution.
Let, x(t), the steady state solution of equation of motion is:
) Xcos( x(t) = t (10)
Above Eqn has to satisfy governing Eqn.(7). Substitute Eqn.(10) in Eqn.(7) and draw
force diagram as shown in Fig.7.
From triangle OAB of Fig.7, the steady state response of the system in x, horizontal
direction is:
, , e m c X m KX
2 2
2
2
= + X (11)
, e
2
m
2
c
2
2
m K
2
X = +

|
|
.
|

(12)
, ,
2
2
2
2
c m K
e m
X
+
= (13)
Dividing Eqn.(13) by K
Reference axis
KX-m
2
X
O
A
B
F
t
Impressed force
KX

Spring force
cX
Damping
force
m
2
X
Inertia force
X

Displacement
vector
Fig.7 Vectorial representation of forces
VTU e-learning Course ME65 Mechanical
Vibrations
Dr. S. K. Kudari, Professor Session: III&IV 10-11/04/07
Deptt. Mech. Engg.,
B. V. B. College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli - 580031.
5
2
2
2
2
K
c
K
m
1
K
e m
X
|
.
|

+
|
|
.
|

= (14)
2 2 2
2
) (2 ) r (1
e r
X
r +
= (15)
The steady state response of the system in x, horizontal direction is :
, ,
) cos(
2 r 1
x(t)
2
2
2

+
= t
r
er
2
(16)
Similarly, the steady state response of the system in y, vertical direction is :
, ,
) sin(
2 r 1
y(t)
2
2
2

+
= t
r
er
2
(17)
The deflection of shaft is :
2 2
y x d + = (18)
, ,
2
2
2
2
2 r 1
er
d
r +
= (19)
The plot of above equation is shown in Fig.8. This figure indicates that d depends on
frequency ratio (r ) and damping ratio (,).
The phase angle is :

=

2
1
r 1
2
tan
r
(20)
The plot of above equation is shown in Fig.9. This figure indicates that the phase
difference depends on frequency ratio (r ) and damping ratio (,).
0 1 2 3 4
0
1
2
3
4
=0.0
=0.1
=0.2
=0.3
=0.4
=0.5
=0.707
=1
d
/
e
e/e
n
(r)
Fig.8 Plot Eqn. (19)
VTU e-learning Course ME65 Mechanical
Vibrations
Dr. S. K. Kudari, Professor Session: III&IV 10-11/04/07
Deptt. Mech. Engg.,
B. V. B. College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli - 580031.
6
Summary
Due unbalance in a shaft-rotor system, rotating shafts tend to bend out at certain speed
and whirl in an undesired manner. Whirling is defined as the rotation of plane made
by the bent shaft and line of centers of bearings. Theoretically, the deflection of the
shaft tends to infinity when r =1, i.e e=en. The speed of the shaft under this condition
is referred as critical speed of shaft.
Theory indicates that at higher speeds the shaft tries to rotate at centre of gravity, and
deflection of the shaft is negligible. It is desired to run the shaft at speed much higher
than the natural frequency of the shaft rotor system
0 1 2 3 4 5
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
=1.0
=0.707
=0.5
=0.2
=0.1
=0
P
h
a
s
e

a
n
g
l
e
,

e/e
r
(r)
Fig.9 Plot Eqn. (20)