Goal of project

Study of balance in rotary machines and more than 90% of machines are considered rotary.
Balancing represent 35% of rotating machines mechanical problems, so it’s critical to know how
to eliminate this problem and the common techniques to achieve reliable operation. The general
concept to solve unbalance problem is to added or remove mass at angular positions which
contribute to balance the centrifugal forces effect on the system. It’s a process requires skills,
time and money so a long research history try to find effective techniques to eliminate this
unbalance problem. A rotor is said to be unbalanced when its mass center does not lie on the axis
of rotation . According the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) as seen in
defines unbalance as that condition which exists in a rotor when a vibratory force or motion is
imparted to its bearings as a result of centrifugal forces. Unbalance is the uneven distribution of
mass about a rotor’s rotating centerline. In other words, rotational unbalance results when the
axis of rotation of a rotor system is not coincident with the principal axis of inertia. This
eccentricity occurs whenever there is geometric, material and property asymmetry about a rotor’s
rotational axis. Also, unbalance might originate during the manufacturing of rotor where
additional mass could be present or removed at a location of rotating shaft. Due to erosion
between parts there could be loss of material leading again to an unbalanced condition. They are
compensated during commissioning by placing balancing weights. It is not possible to
completely balance a rotating system, as there is a small amount of residual unbalance. The
system can only be brought to acceptable. Unbalance in rotating machinery causes dynamic
forces that bring about vibration and intensification of stresses at the bearing and other receivers.
Solution
When unbalance has been identified and quantified, the correction is straightforward. Weight has
to be either added or removed from the rotating element. The ultimate aim being to reduce the
uneven mass distribution so that the centrifugal forces and hence the vibrations induced in the
supporting structures are at an acceptable level.
Introduction
Rotating machinery plays an important role in modern industry due to the wide range of
applications of these kinds of machines such as turbomachinery, compressors, generators, etc.).
The presence of mechanical vibrations is an inherent phenomenon in rotating machinery. Mass
unbalance and dynamic interaction between the stator and rotating parts are the main causes for
vibrations. The trend in industry has been to move towards high speed, high power, lighter and
more compact machinery, which has resulted in machines operating above their first critical
speed and increasing the vibrations problem. In spite of the fact that the total elimination of the
mass unbalance is impossible, it is very important to control the vibration amplitudes within
acceptable limits for a safe operation of the machines. An unbalance is the most common issue
affecting the turbomachinery rotors. A machine operation at high vibration level due to the rotor
disk unbalance will result in the damage to rotor bearings. The vibration level in industrial
turbomachinery is hardly ever monitored in online systems to record all exceeded parameters. It
is usually monitored in the key process machines. The operation of a supervision system will
result in their deactivation at reaching the alarm threshold vibration level. The rotor disk is in
almost all cases balanced in its own bearings supporting the shaft using the influence coefficient
method. In some cases, the rotor disk is balanced in normal operation using automatic balancers.
Although they do not solve the rotor unbalance issue, they reduce the vibration level at any given
time. The main disadvantage of the system is its high price, often exceeding the costs of a new
pump or fan. If technical conditions allow to stop the rotor for a short period, the disk can be
balanced using manual balancers, with a significantly lower cost compared to the automatic
balancing equipment.The unbalancing causes low of productivity because the machines operate
at low speed and its not allowed in industry . Unbalance is the most common source of vibration
in machines with rotating parts. It is a very important factor to be considered in modern ma-
chine design, especially where high speed and reliability are significant considerations.
Balancing of rotors prevents excessive loading of bearings and avoids fatigue failure, thus in-
creasing the useful life of machinery.
GOAL OF BALANCING
The goal of balancing is to obtain good running characteristics Of the rotor over the entire speed
range, this is particularly Important at operating and critical speeds Good running characteristics
can be defined as:
1. Reduce dynamic loads on bearings
2. Reduce shaft deflection within operating clearance confines
3. Reduce transmission of forces to the outside environment
4. Reduce shaft dynamic stress
If unbalance has exceeded the limits it causes
1. Damages to the structure
2. Increases stress
3. Damages to the bearings and seals
Which all leads to reduce the life of the machine The aim of rotor balancing is to achieve
satisfactory running when installed on site. It means no more than an acceptable magnitude of
vibration is caused by the unbalance remaining in the rotor. In the case of a flexible rotor, it also
means that not more than an acceptable magnitude of deflection occurs in the rotor at any speed
up to the maximum service speed. Most rotors are balanced before machine assembly because
afterwards, there may be only limited access to the rotor. ISO classifies rotor in accordance with
their balancing requirements and establishes methods of assessment of residual unbalance. The
ISO also shows how criteria for use in the balancing facility maybe derived from vibration limits
specified for the assembled and installed machine or unbalance limits specified by the rotor.
Basic Theory and Definitions
Unbalance in a rotor is the result of an uneven distribution of mass, which causes the rotor to
vibrate. The vibration is produced by the interaction of an unbalanced mass component with the
radial acceleration due to rotation, which together generate a centrifugal force. Since the mass
component rotates, the force also rotates and tries to move the rotor along the line of action of
the force. The vibration will be transmitted to the rotor's bearings, and any point on the bearing
will experience this force once per revolution.
Balancing is the process of attempting to improve the mass distribution of a rotor, so that it
rotates in its bearings without uncompensated .
Static Unbalance is defined as the eccentricity of the centre of gravity of a rotor, caused by a
point mass at a certain radius from the centre of rotation (see Fig. 1). An equal mass, placed at an
angle of 180° to the unbalanced mass and at the same radius, is required to restore the centre of
gravity to the centre of rotation. where the PIA is displaced parallel to the geometric centerline.

Fig1 Static unbalance

Couple (Moment) Unbalance may be found in a rotor whose diameter is less than 7 to 10 times
its width. In the case of a cylinder, shown in Fig. 2, it is possible to have two equal masses
placed symmetrically about the centre of gravity, but positioned at 180° from each other. The
rotor is in static balance, i.e. there is no eccentricity of the centre of gravity, but when the rotor
turns, the two masses cause a shift in the inertia axis, so that it is no longer aligned with the
rotation axis, leading to strong vibrations in the bearings. The unbalance can only be corrected
by taking vibration measurements with the rotor turning and adding correction masses in two
planes. The difference between static balance and couple balance is illustrated in Fig. 3. It can be
seen that when the rotor is stationary, the end masses balance each other. However, when it
rotates, a strong unbalance is experienced. where the PIA intersects the geometric centerline at
the center of gravity.

Fig2 Couple unbalance

Fig3 Static and coupling unbalance

Dynamic Unbalance, illustrated in Fig. 4, is a combination of static and couple unbalance and is
the most common type of unbalance found in rotors. To correct dynamic unbalance, it is
necessary to make vibration measurements while the machine is running and to add balancing
masses in two planes. Rotors are classified as being either rigid or flexible. This Application
Note is concerned with rigid rotors only. A rigid rotor is one whose service speed is less than
50% of its first critical speed. Above this speed, the rotor is said to be flexible. A rigid rotor can
be balanced by making corrections in any two arbitrarily selected planes. The balancing
procedure for flexible rotors is more complicated, because of the elastic deflections of the rotor.
where the PIA and the geometric centerline do not coincide or touch.

Fig4 Dynamic unbalance

Types of balancing
Static Balancing:
i) Static balancing is a balance of forces due to action of gravity.
ii) A body is said to be in static balance when its centre of gravity is in the axis of rotation.
Dynamic balancing:
i) Dynamic balance is a balance due to the action of inertia forces.
ii) A body is said to be in dynamic balance when the resultant moments or couples, which
involved in the acceleration of different moving parts is equal to zero.
iii) The conditions of dynamic balance are met, the conditions of static balance are also met.
In rotor or reciprocating machines many a times unbalance of forces is produced due to inertia
forces associated with the moving masses. If these parts are not properly balanced, the dynamic
forces are set up and forces not only increase loads on bearings and stresses in the various
components, but also unpleasant and dangerous vibrations. Balancing is a process of designing
or modifying machinery so that the unbalance is reduced to an acceptable level and if possible
eliminated entirely.
Causes of unbalancin
Manufacturing – Causes
Many causes are listed as contributing to an unbalance condition, including material problems
such as density, porosity, voids and blowholes. Fabrication problems such as misshapen castings,
eccentric machining and poor assembly. Distortion problems such as rotational stresses,
aerodynamics and temperature changes. Even inherent rotor design criteria that cannot be
avoided. Many of these occur during manufacture, others during the operational life of the
machine. Whilst some corrections for eccentricity can be counteracted by balancing, it is a
compromise. Dynamic balancing should not be a substitute for poor machining or other
compromise manufacturing practices. In the manufacturing process, if proper care is taken to
ensure that castings are sound and machining is concentric, then it follows that the two axis will
coincide and the assembled rotor will be in a state of balance.

Assembly – Causes
As previously stated, there are many reasons why unbalance occurs when a rotor is being
fabricated. Principle among these is a stack up of tolerances. When a well-balanced shaft and a
well-balanced rotor are united, the necessary assembly tolerances can permit radial displacement,
which will produce an out of balance condition. The addition of keys and keyways adds to the
problem. Although an ISO standard does exist for Shaft and Fitment Key Conventions (Ref.3), in
practice, different manufacturers follow their own procedures. Some use a full key, some a half
key, and some no key at all. Thus, when a unit is assembled and the permanent key is added,
unbalance will often be the result. The modern balancing tolerances specified by ISO, API,
ANSI and others make it imperative that the conventions listed in the ISO standard be followed.
Failure to do so will mean that the low-level balance tolerances specified in these standards will
be impossible to achieve.

Fig 5 Assembley clearances

Installed Machines – Causes
When a rotor has been in service for some time, various other factors can contribute to the
balance condition. These include corrosion, wear, distortion, and deposit build up. Deposits can
also break off unevenly, which can lead to severe unbalance. This particularly applies to fans,
blowers, compressors and other rotating devices handling process variables. Routine inspection
and cleaning can minimize the effect, but eventually the machines will have to be removed from
service for balancing. Large unbalances will of course require large weight corrections and
unless care is taken, this can have a detrimental effect on the integrity of the rotor. Concentrating
a weight adjustment (whether adding or taking away) at a given point can weaken the rotor. For
example paper rolls are fabricated from tubing and large additions or removal of weight can
effect the strength of the walls of the roll. This may cause it to deflect when spinning at operating
speed and thus induce harmful vibrations on the bearings and paper machine frame.

Other Causes
Another cause of unbalance that is not readily apparent, is the difference between types of rotors.
There are two distinct types - rigid and flexible. If a rotor is operating within 70% - 75% of its
critical speed (the speed at which resonance occurs, i.e. its natural frequency) it can be
considered to be a flexible rotor. If it is operating below that speed it is considered rigid. A rigid
rotor can be balanced at the two end planes and will stay in balance when in service. A flexible
rotor will require multi-plane balancing. If a rotor is balanced on a low speed balancing machine
assuming it is rigid and then in service becomes flexible, then unbalance and thus high vibration,
will be the result. Typical machines, which fit this category, include steam and gas turbines,
multistage centrifugal pumps, compressors and paper rolls. In the paper industry particularly, use
of roll balancing methods that were satisfactory when paper machines were running at low
speed, are now inadequate. As older machines speed up and new high-speed machines are
installed, precision roll balancing is mandatory. Failure to do so will result in roll deflections
which can effect product quality and even cause structural damage. The method used to produce
a balanced roll with minimum deflection or whip over its operating speed range is a multi-plane
technique. The choice of the balancing planes along the length of the roll is vital.
TYPES OF ROTORS
Rotors are classified into two groups. Whether or not a rotor is classified as rigid or flexible
depends on the relationship between the rotating speed (RPM) of the rotor and its natural
frequency.

Rigid rotor
When the natural frequency of some part of a machine is also equal to the rotating speed or some
other exciting frequency of vibration, there is a condition of resonance. The rotating speed at
which the rotor itself goes into bending resonance is called a "critical speed." As a general rule,
rotors that operate below 70% of their critical speed are considered rigid and, when balanced at
one speed will be balanced at any other normal operating speed below 70% of its critical speed.
Rotors that operate above 70% of their critical speed will actually bend or flex due to the forces
of unbalance and, thus are called A rigid rotor has minimal bending or distortion due to its
stiffness and rigidity. This is determined when the component is rotated at low speeds or below
the critical operating speeds. For a rigid rotor, the shaft deflection is very small, the mass inertia
forces are small and the majority of centrifugal force energy is counteracted by bearing
deflection. The bearing vibration is usually large and can be rectified by using normal balancing

methods.
flexible rotors
A flexible rotor balanced at one operating speed may not be balanced when operating at another
speed. This is because as the rotor bends or deflects, the weight of the rotor is moved out away
from the rotating centreline creating a new unbalanced condition, known as whip. This new
unbalance can be corrected by re-balancing in the two end planes; however, the rotor would then
be out of balance at slower speeds where there is no deflection. The only solution to ensure
smooth operation at all speeds is to make the balance corrections in the actual planes of
unbalance. Typical machines which contain flexible rotors are steam and gas turbines, multistage
centrifugal pumps and compressors A flexible rotor is a component or machine that has
significant bending during operation. This bending can be seen when there is a change in speed.
The change in speed affects the centrifugal force, causing bending and twist effects to occur.
These conditions are found more in components where the length to diameter ratio is at its
extreme and the component is running at critical/operating speed .

Fig6 Flexible rotor

Principle of Balancing
A rotor is balanced by placing a correction mass of a certain size in a position where it
counteracts the unbalancing the rotor. The size and position of the correction mass must be
determined. The principle of performing field balancing is to make (usually temporary)
alterations to the mass distribution of the rotor, by adding trial masses, and to measure the
resulting phase and magnitude of bearing vibration. The effects of these trial corrections enable
the amount and position of the required correction mass to be determined Any fixed point on the
bearing experiences the centrifugal force due to the unbalance, once per revolution of the rotor.
Therefore, in a frequency spectrum of the vibration signal, unbalance is seen as an increase in the
vibration at the frequency of rotation. The vibration due to the unbalance is measured by means
of an accelerometer mounted on the bearing housing.
Fig6 Frequency spectra of the vibration signal, (upper) before balancing and (lower) after
balancing.

General Balancing Procedure

Performing a Frequency Analysis Before an attempt is made at balancing, a frequency analysis
should be carried out to see whether it is unbalance that is causing the excess vibration, or some
other fault, such as mis alignment, or a bent shaft. If a rotor is unbalanced, there will be a peak in
the vibration level at its rotational frequency and this peak will usually dominate the spectrum.
By performing a frequency analysis before and after balancing, the reduction in vibration level
due to the balancing can also be clearly seen.

Selecting the Best Measurement Parameter

A frequency analysis of the vibration signal before balancing also guides us in the selection of
the best parameter for measuring the vibration. The vibration can be measured in terms of
acceleration, velocity, or displacement as a function of frequency. The three curves have
different slopes, but the peaks in the spectrum occur at the same frequencies in each case. The
same information about the vibration levels is contained in each curve, but the way the
information is presented differs considerably. The parameter selected for vibration measurement
is usually the one with the flattest curve (the most horizontally aligned spectrum). This parameter
requires the smallest dynamic range in the measuring instruments, so the signal-to-noise ratio is
higher - the parameter with the flattest curve is velocity and this is also the parameter that is most
frequently used .
FIG7 Frequency spectra produced using three different measurement parameters: acceleration,
velocity and displacement. The signal range for each parameter is shown

Determining Balance Quality

Ideally a balanced machine would show no unbalance at all. In practice however, due to
machining tolerances, perfect balance can never be achieved. For different types and sizes of
machines, the level of vibration regarded as excessive varies considerably ISO 1940 is based on
the measurement of machinery vibration velocity The ANSI spec is identical but printed by
American National Standards Institute. The API specification is written around pump
requirements in the Petro-Chemical Industries and classifies unbalance levels as a function of
rotor mass and operating speed (Norfield, 2006). ISO 1940 is famous for its classification of
vibration in terms of G codes although many people don’t know what they mean it is easy to
figure out that G2.5 is a tighter tolerance than G6.3. Notice the choice of words here, tighter not
necessarily better. G2.5 means a vibration velocity of 2.5 mm/s under specified conditions.
Unfortunately, it is the theoretical value assuming the rotor was spinning in free space so it does
not relate to actual operating conditions. ISO 1940 uses a set of criteria to classify the acceptable
vibration grade – a low speed marine diesel has a coarse grade while a high-speed grinding
spindle has a very tight grade. The tightest grades require balancing a rotor in its own bearings
and under service conditions In the image below, there is guidance for balance quality grades for
rotors in a constant (rigid) state.
Table 1 balance quality grades for rotors.
Selecting a Proper Trial Weight
The specific unbalance is used to calculate the size of trial masses, which are used during
balancing to make temporary alterations to the mass distribution of the rotor, to determine the
relationship between the specific unbalance and the bearing vibration. Proper trial weight (TW)
selection is important because a weight that is too light may not provide an adequate response for
calculating correction weights and placement. A trial weight that is too large may wreck the
machine. There are a few requirements to calculate a trial weight: • You must know the speed of
the machine. The faster the rotation, the more force from a trial weight. • The radius of weight
placement. The farther from the center of rotational mass, the more force. • The weight of the
rotor being balanced. To estimate the value of a suitable trial mass
Maximum residual mass = Specific unbalance (g mm/kg) × Rotor mass(kg) / Correction
radius(mm)
A suitable trial mass is five to ten times the value of the Maximum Residual mass.

Single and Two plane balancing

Rotors are typically balanced in one plane or two planes by adding or removing material. We
early mentioned different types of imbalance in rotating machinery, and the importance of why
machines have to be balanced. Selecting one plane or two plane balancing is not straightforward.
It generally depends on two factors. One of the factors is the ratio of the length of the rotor (L) to
the diameter of the rotor (D). The other factor is the operating speed of the rotor. As a general
rule of thumb, we can refer to the table shown below.

in fact, there is no clear distinction when one has to perform one plane or two plane balancing. It
is a common practice in industries to perform one plane balancing in relatively narrow rotors.
This is due to fact that the rotor weight distribution relatively parallels to the axis of rotation.
single-Plane balancing Procedure
1.Set up equipment and accelometer on the rotor.
2. Make "initial run" and measuring vibration. The machine has to be run up the operating speed
3.Stop the rotor and Add trial mass. A trial mass has a known weight and it is fixed at a known
radius at an arbitrary angular position on the rotor. The machine is again run-up to operational
speed. We get a new vibration velocity level and a new phase angle.
4.Start up the machine and measure and record the new vibration level and phase angle.
5.Stop the machine and remove the trial mass.
6.Calculate the values of the correction mass and angle.
7. mount the correction mass at the position.
8.Run rotor again and measure residual unbalance
9-if unbalance isn’t in limits repeat the procedure again

Fig8 single-Plane balancing Procedure

Two-Plane balancing Procedure
The procedure for two-plane balancing is very similar to that for single plane balancing.
1.Set up equipment and accelometer on the rotor.
2. Make "initial run" and measuring vibration. The machine has to be run up the operating speed
3. Measure and record the vibration and phase angle for each plane
4.Stop the rotor and Add trial mass in plan 1.
5.Start up the machine and measure and record the new vibration level and phase angle for each
plane.
6.Stop the machine and remove the trial mass.
7. and Add trial mass in plan 2.
8.Start up the machine and measure and record the new vibration level and phase angle for each
plane.
9.Stop the machine and remove the trial mass.
10.Calculate the values of the correction mass and angle.
11. mount the correction mass at the position.
12.Run rotor again and measure residual unbalance.

Fig9 Two-Plane balancing Procedure

Consequences
There are many documented “good consequences” and benefits associated with a well balanced,
smooth running rotor. Included among these are:

• Minimize vibration
Unbalance is still the major source of machine vibration.
• Minimize noise
Airborne noise is often directly attributable to mechanical vibration.
• Minimize structural stress
The forces produced by unbalance have to be absorbed by the surrounding structure.
• Minimize operator fatigue and annoyance
Exposure to high levels of vibration and noise affects operator efficiency.
• Increase machine life
The time between outages can be extended if the machine is running smoothly.
• Increase bearing life
Bearings bear the brunt of the unbalance forces.
• Increase product quality
Minimum vibration, especially on machine tools, produces better parts.
• Increase personnel safety
Dangers associated with machine failure are minimized.
• Increase productivity
Machines running smoothly have more “uptime” availability