Case Study: Variable Frequency Peak at Constant RPM

BACKGROUND:

Direct coupled Steam Turbine – Generator had developed high vibration. The unit had been running for a
long time without any visible or recordable vibration problem. “Lately” the Turbine Non Drive End (NDE)
proximity probes “had seen” vibration and would trip the unit after 45% of the full load was exceeded.

After correcting the minor Proximity Probe cabling deficiencies [“YES the culprit” – NOT!] the unit was started and
set of data was collected. The overall trend indicated an increase in vibration dependent on the main steam valve
opening. The unit would exhibit two vibration increases strictly related to the two (2) particular load conditions.
First, the vibration increase “would calm down” to the previous and acceptable levels while second, the increase
would spike and trip the unit.

Data:

With the speed constant @ 6015 RPM a “Ghost” peak would “speed up” as can be seen below from F1 to F2 before
the Overall vibration amplitude increased and eventually tripped the unit.

F1

Speed
Overshoot?

Ghost F2

1 x RPM

1
 Although the unit tripped, as seen by blue 1X
Cursor denotes zero
trace, the “Ghost” peak was still there and
RPM
contributing to the Overall Vibration level

Overall

1X Trace

Something is speeding up, slowing down, still running and the “Ghost” peak is exciting a resonance – BUT WHAT,
WHERE, WHY- HOW?

As a next step in testing, the unit was de-coupled and the Turbine was ran “solo” with the same results. At this point
we at, least, isolated the “Ghost” peak to the Turbine. Based on the “solo” run a simplified FE rotor model was
made to determine the natural modes as denoted below.

NDE
Coupling
End

Model
Material: Steel
Sleave Bearings / No Foundation Effect

2
Two calculated modes of interest were found based on the FE rotor model:

5982 RPM 10961 RPM

The two modes of interest shown above illustrate the Turbine NDE whipping mode @5982 RPM and system “S”
mode @ 10961 RPM. Hmmmm….. 1st calculated mode is about half (1/2) of the recorded F2 “Ghost peak”
frequency but coincides with the Turbine running speed while the “S” calculated mode matches the “Ghost peak
frequency” of 10961 RPM.

The Turbine NDE “Whipping mode” corresponds (and it should) to the recorded 1X peak of the first page stacked
FFT plots, while the “S” mode matches quite well with the region where the “Ghost” peak frequency was cropping
up. The next step was to determine at which bearing the rotor is more sensitive.

DE Bearing NDE Bearing

The DE Bearing Amplification (AF) factor @ the running speed of 6000 RPM is definitely visible and confirms that
it will affect the calculated “S” mode; the NDE bearing AF @ 6000 RPM produced negligible effect.

Conclusion: The turning rotor produced a force causing the DE shaft to respond which caused an unknown
condition to excite the shaft “S” mode. We did, however, know that the “Ghost peak frequency” would present
itself with additional loading demand i.e. the Turbine steam valves opening.

Action Taken: As the “Problem i.e. cause” was narrowed to the Turbine alone it was agreed to check the Steam
valve mechanism as well as taking an additional step of opening the Turbine case.

Findings: It was discovered that the last turbine wheel; which was the closest wheel to the coupling side
(DE) broke loose from its keyed to the shaft. (Note the picture on the following page)

3
 The picture clearly shows that the wheel rotated 90
degrees CW from the shaft Key-Way. It also shows
shaft damage caused by the freewheeling disk.

Conclusion: The Turbine wheel, with its randomly assumed out of balance location, was exciting the rotational
speed (FFT - 1X) manifesting itself as unbalance. With the load demand as well as the consequent blast of
additional steam, the non-keyed wheel would speed up and coincide with the shaft’s First Bending or “S” mode. At
least that’s what we concluded

Moral of the story: Even with the best instrumentation and years of experience it was not possible to definitely
make only one conclusion, without physically opening the turbine case and “Identifying the part causing the Ghost”
peak frequency.

References:
• The FEA model was made using the commercially available DyRoBeS program.
• The data was collected using, I-Otec 8 channel box and eZ-Tomas software.