CHAPTER 13

DYNAMIC BALANCING OF ROTORS

Till last chapter, we concentrated on transverse and torsional vibration analyses of rotor-bearing
systems, e.g., free vibrations, forced responses and instability analysis. These analyses are very much
useful tool for designers of rotating machineries to predict the behaviour of such machineries before
actually their manufacturing and commissioning. These analyses help in the modification of design if
operating speed is close to critical speeds or in the instability zones. In the present and subsequent
chapters, we will address another class of practical and the most common problems related to rotating
machineries that practicing engineers face during the commissioning of new rotating machine, during
operation, or after every major overhaul of such machineries. Some of these fault are unbalances,
misalignments, rotor-stator rubs, bent or bowed shafts, fatigue cracks, the wear and tear of various
moving and stationary components, loose components, and faults related to components of bearings,
gears, coupling, blades, seals, etc. Among various faults, the most common fault is inherent
unbalances (or residual unbalances) in machineries occur due to manufacturing error (fits and
tolerances), material in-homogeneity, improper commissioning, thermal deformation, during
operation due to the wear and tear, residual stresses, and so on. Basic definition of the unbalance and
its type for rigid rotors has been introduced earlier in Chapter 2. To prevent vibration we must first
decrease this unbalance (or to balance the rotor), which is the major source of vibration.

In the present chapter, the procedure of static and dynamic balancing of rotor will be discussed in
great details. For dynamic balancing, rotors are classified in two major categories, e.g., the rigid and
flexible rotors. In fact, the same shaft of a rotor can be considered as rigid if it is operating much
below its first critical speed and the flexible when it is operating near or above the first critical speed.
That is why sometime it is also called the slow and high speed rotor balancing. Basic principles of
rigid and flexible rotor balancing are quite different. Necessary principles and theories for dynamic
balancing will be outlined before describing practical methods of balancing. For rigid rotor balancing
two methods are described, e.g., the conversional cradle balancing machine method (off-site or off-
field balancing) and the modern influence coefficients method (on-site or field balancing). Similarly,
for the flexible rotor two basic methods are available, e.g., the modal balancing method and the
influence coefficient method. In general, the rigid rotor can be balanced by putting correction masses
in two balancing planes, however, in flexible rotor case it can be balanced by N balancing planes,
where N is the number of flexible modes need to be balanced. Some time it is suggested to balance
flexible rotor by (N+2) balancing planes (i.e., to balance rigid rotor modes by 2 planes at low speeds
and flexible rotor modes by N planes at high speeds).