2/21/2014 How proper shaft sizes are determined

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How proper shaft sizes are determined
Consider modifying a shaft only with good engineering support. Even then, remember that the greater the
consequence of failure, the more generous the safety factor should be.
By: Chuck Yung And Cyndi Nyberg
2010-11-01
Have you ever wondered why various types of electric motors with the same hp/kW ratings have different shaft
diameters, or why some pump shafts are so much smaller than the shafts of the motors that drive them? And what
about those hollow-shaft motors? Knowing the answers to some of these questions, and some of the basics of how
shaft sizes are determined, can be helpful to anyone who works with pumps and motors.
Bigger is better, at least it used to be
Owing partly to tradition, the shafts of electric motors are often larger than those of the equipment they drive.
Engineers were very conservative a century ago when electric motors first came into widespread industrial use, so
they typically designed in a sizable margin of error.
Today's engineers haven't changed much in this respect. For example, standard NEMA frame dimensions, which
have been revised only once since 1950, still specify much larger shaft sizes than commonly accepted principles of
mechanical engineering would require.
Shaft design basics
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Shaft size is dictated by torque, not horsepower. But changes in horsepower and speed (rpm) affect torque, as the
following equation shows: Torque (lb-ft) = hp x 5252/rpm.
Accordingly, an increase in horsepower would require more torque, as would a decrease in rpm. For example, a 100-
hp (75-kW) motor designed for 900 rpm would require twice as much torque as a 100-hp motor designed for 1,800
rpm. Each shaft must be sized for the torsional load it is expected to carry.
Two basic approaches are used to determine the required minimum shaft size for motors, both of which are quite
conservative. One method calls for making the shaft large enough (and therefore strong enough) to drive the specified
load without breaking. Mechanical engineers define this as the ability to transmit the required torque without
exceeding the maximum allowable torsional shearing stress of the shaft material. In practice, this usually means that
the minimum shaft diameter can withstand at least two times the rated torque of the motor.
Another way to design a shaft is to calculate the minimum diameter needed to prevent torsional deflection (twisting)
during service. To engineers, this means the allowable twisting moment, or torque, is a function of the allowable
torsional shearing stress (in psi or kPa) and the polar section modulus (a function of the cross-sectional area of the
shaft).
Machinery's Handbook provides the following equations for determining minimum shaft sizes using both design
approaches: resistance of torsional deflection and transmission of torque. Both sets of equations are based on
standard values for steel, with allowable stresses of 4,000 psi (2.86 kg/sq mm) for power-transmitting shafts, and
6,000 psi (4.29 kg/sq mm) for line-shafts with sheaves (the proper name for what most of us incorrectly call pulleys).
Some of the equations also are specific to keyed or non-keyed shafts, which is handy for pump users who need to
know how to calculate the size of each kind. (see Formula 1)
Most motor shafts are keyed, which increases the shear stress exerted on the shaft. Considering this, motor shaft
designs typically use no more than 75% of the maximum recommended stress for a non-keyed shaft. This is another
reason why the shafts of electric motors are often larger than the pump shafts they drive.
Example 1: Consider a 200-hp (150-kW), 1,800 rpm motor. For a direct-couple application, the standard frame size is
445TS, with a (keyed) shaft diameter of 2.375 in. (60 mm). Using equation [1] (from Formula 1), the minimum shaft
size would be as shown in Formula 2.
To see how much of a safety factor is built into the Formula 2 equations, substitute 400 hp for the 200 hp power
rating. (see Formula 3)
Since the calculated shaft diameter for a 200-hp motor is designed to withstand twice the rated torque, the shaft
diameter of 2.371 in. is at the absolute minimum for the 400-hp rating.
Resistance to twisting method
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The other way to calculate minimum shaft size for a motor is to set a limit on the amount of torsional deflection
(twisting) that may occur. Resistance to torsional stress is directly proportional to shaft size: the larger the diameter,
the greater the resistance to twisting.
A rule of thumb with this method is that the shaft must be large enough that it will not deflect more than 1 degree in a
length of 20 times its diameter. To calculate the minimum shaft size to meet this specification, see Formula 4.
Example 2: For the 200-hp, 1,800-rpm motor from Example 1, the minimum shaft size to limit torsional deflection
would be as shown in Formula 5.
The minimum shaft diameters calculated by the torque transmission and torsional deflection methods are essentially
the same for Examples 1 and 2. Still, a good approach is to calculate the size both ways, and then use the larger
value as the absolute minimum.
Hollow-shaft designs
Direct-coupled loads exert a twisting force (torsion) on the shaft, placing the greatest strain near the surface or radius
and very little on the inside portion. That makes hollow-shaft designs practical for vertical motors.
These designs allow the pump shaft to pass through the hollow motor shaft, which simplifies the coupling process for
pump shafts that must support the heavy water column associated with a deep well.
The calculations for shaft diameter are not quite as straightforward for a vertical hollow-shaft motor. Two variables --
the outside and inside diameters of the hollow-shaft -- are not standardized, making it impossible to simplify the
calculation with a ratio. For this reason, it is easier to demonstrate if a specific hollowshaft is sufficient for a given
power rating.
Example 3: A 200-hp, 1,800 rpm hollowshaft motor has an outside shaft diameter of 3 in. (76 mm) and inside
diameter of 2 in. (51 mm). To determine if this shaft size is sufficient to transmit the required torque, solve the
following equation for P: 80 P/N = (D4 -d4)/D [5]
Where: P = power in horsepowerN = rpm
D = outside diameter of hollow shaft (inches) d = inside diameter of hollow shaft (inches).
For this example, P must be greater than 200 hp to ensure that the shaft will be large enough to handle the torque of
the motor: 80 P/1800 = (34 -24)/3 P = 1,702 hp.
Theoretically, this shaft is capable of transmitting 1,700 hp, so it is more than sufficient for the 200-hp requirement.
Example 4: The amount of torque that a hollow shaft can transmit depends on thickness of the wall between its inside
and outside diameters. A thinner wall cannot handle as much torque as a thicker one.
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The 3-in. shaft in Example 3 was capable of transmitting 1,700 hp and had a wall that was 0.5 in. thick: (3 -2)/2 = 0.5
in. How much horsepower could a 3-in. shaft transmit if the wall were only 0.25 in. thick? 80 P/N = (D4 -d4)/D 80
P/1800 = (34 -2.54)/3 P = 314 hp
The effect of a thinner wall is dramatic. The shaft with the 0.25-in. wall can carry less than 20% of the torque of the
shaft with 0.5-in. wall.
Summing up
Engineers tend to design using an ample safety factor, and older equipment in particular was over-designed by even
today's standards. Of course, that is one reason many of us appreciate older machinery. It was darned reliable!
In any case, keep in mind that adding a keyway to an existing shaft weakens the shaft. Likewise, increasing the bore
diameter of a hollow-shaft reduces the torque capacity. Consider modifying a shaft only with good engineering
support. Even then, remember that the greater the consequence of failure, the more generous the safety factor should
be. After all, who wants to board an elevator that was designed and built with no safety factor?
Chuck Yung is a technical support specialist at the Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA), and Cyndi
Nyberg is a former EASA technical support specialist. EASA is an international trade association of more than 2,100
firms in 50 countries that sell and service electrical, electronic and mechanical apparatus. For more information,
contact EASA at 314-993-2220 or visit www.easa.com.
Reader Service Card No. 406
Photos
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Caption: Fig 2. Effluent pumps application.
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Caption: Fig 3. This shaft failure started at a shoulder on the ...
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