TAC121-E001E

Second Edition: April 1, 2006

Remote Turbine Vibration

Diagnostics Service
(Technical Data)

TAC121-E001E

Notes

Due to product improvements and modifications, the product description in this document may
differ in certain respects from the actual product.

This document may not be used or reproduced in whole or in part without permission. This manual
may not be distributed or reproduced in whole or in part without permission.

The information in this document may change without notice.

We shall not have any liability in regard to any loss or damage caused by the instructions contained in
this document.

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, if you have any
questions or comments or find mistakes, please notify us.

TAC121-E001E

Table of Contents
1. Analyzing and Diagnosing Turbine Vibration .................................................. 1
1.1 Overview............................................................................................... 1
1.2 Unbalance-induced Vibration ............................................................... 1
1.3 Oil Whip ................................................................................................7
1.4 Rub .......................................................................................................8
2. About the Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service ............................ 12
2.1 Overview .............................................................................................12
2.2 Details about the Remote Support ......................................................12
2.3 System Configuration ..........................................................................14
2.4 Number of Input Points for Monitoring ................................................15
2.5 Intervals of Collecting and Analyzing Data ..........................................15
2.6 Method of Detecting Abnormalities..................................................... 16
2.7 System Operation ...............................................................................19

TAC121-E001E

Analyzing and Diagnosing Turbine Vibration

1.1

Overview
The vibration of a turbine occurs because of many reasons. To analyze the vibration phenomenon,
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries provides an assured technology that is developed based on the years
of experiences in designing, manufacturing, and installing steam turbines for power plants.
The vibration of a turbine differs greatly due to the status of the turbine. Therefore, by measuring
and analyzing the vibration, you can determine whether the turbine is running normally.
Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service collects vibration data, analyzes
frequencies and phases, and compares the vibration of the target turbine in the normal and
abnormal states. Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service analyzes and
diagnoses the vibration of the target turbine based on the highly accurate, useful data that is
collected.
The following subsections describe some main causes of vibration.

1.2

Unbalance-induced Vibration
The most typical vibration of a rotating machine is caused by unbalance of the machine. More
than 90% of vibration problems is due to unbalance. Therefore, in analyzing and diagnosing
vibration, the basic method of determining the cause of vibration is checking the unbalance of the
target machine since unbalance can be caused by many reasons. To determine the cause of selfexcited vibration or other abnormal vibration, we usually check the difference from the
unbalance-induced vibration such as the nature of vibration, chronological changes, and
components of frequencies.
The cases and features of unbalance-induced vibration, which is the base for analyzing and
diagnosing all types of vibration, are described below.

(1)

Normal unbalance-induced vibration

This type of vibration is caused by inherent elements of unbalance, such as poor manufacturing
precision of rotating shafts and installed parts.

1.1 Overview
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TAC121-E001E

Features (see Figure 1.1)

The vibration is great at the critical speeds and it can be reproduced.

The vibration value changes little over time.

The dominant component of the vibration frequency is the rotation count.

Vibration value

Vibration
Vibrationvalue
value

Second critical speed

First critical speed

Rated rotation count

Vibration value

Vibration value

Rotation count

Vibration value

Vibration value

Time

Frequency
Figure 1-1 Normal Unbalance-induced Vibration

1.2 Unbalance-induced Vibration

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Figure 1.2 shows a Bode diagram of normal unbalance-induced vibration and Figure 1.3 shows a
Nyquist plot of normal unbalance-induced vibration.

Trend of status and measurements of the turbine and generator operation

Measurement of shaft vibration (Bode diagram: rotation count component)
Date of report: August 14, 2005

Shaft vibration No. 6 (PmP-P)

Shaft vibration No. 5 (PmP-P)

Shaft vibration No. 4 (PmP-P)

Shaft vibration No. 3 (PmP-P) Shaft vibration No. 2 (PmP-P)

Shaft vibration No. 1 (PmP-P)

File name

Time (hour)

Figure 1-2 Case 1 of Unbalance-induced Vibration

1.2 Unbalance-induced Vibration

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TAC121-E001E

Trend of status and measurements of the turbine and generator operation

Measurement of shaft vibration (Nyquist plot: rotation count component)
Frequency
Date of report: August 14, 2005
File name
I: Initial
P: Previous
C: Current

Shaft vibration No. 2

Shaft vibration No. 3

I: Initial
P: Previous
C: Current

Shaft vibration No. 4

I: Initial
P: Previous
C: Current

Shaft vibration No. 5

I: Initial
P: Previous
C: Current

Shaft vibration No. 6

I: Initial
P: Previous
C: Current

Shaft vibration No. 1

Figure 1.4

I: Initial
P: Previous
C: Current

Unbalance-induced Vibration That Changes Over Time

Figure 1-3 Nyquist Plots of Unbalance-induced Vibration

1.2 Unbalance-induced Vibration

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Unbalance-induced vibration that changes over time

This type of vibration is caused by the elements that change over time, such as loosening or
degradation of parts installed on rotating shafts and changes in basic alignment. In this case, the
vibration value changes over time.

Features (see Figure 1.4)

The vibration at the criticales speeds becomes greater as time elapses and the critical speeds
may slightly change in some cas.
The vibration value becomes greater over time.
The dominant component of the vibration frequency is the rotation count.

Second critical speed

Vibration value

Vibration value

First critical speed

Rated rotation count

Vibration value

Vibration value

Rotation count

Time
Vibration value

Vibration value

(2)

Frequency
Figure 1-4 Unbalance-induced Vibration That Changes Over Time

1.2 Unbalance-induced Vibration

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(3)

Unbalance-induced vibration that suddenly changes

This type of vibration is caused by scattering of parts installed on rotating shafts or slipping of
interlocked parts. In this case, the vibration value suddenly changes.

Features (see Figure 1.5)

The vibration at the critical speeds becomes greater compared to the initial status. However,
the change of vibration is not proportional to the elapsed time.

The vibration value suddenly changes in the course of time. However, the value may return to
the previous value in rare cases.

The dominant component of the vibration frequency is the rotation count.

Second critical speed

First critical speed

Vibration value

Vibration value

Rated rotation count

Rotation count

Vibration value

Vibration value
Time

Vibration value

Vibration value
Frequency
Figure 1-5 Unbalanced-induced Vibration That Suddenly Changes

1.2 Unbalance-induced Vibration

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1.3

Oil Whip
Oil whip occurs in rare occasions if an error occurs in a turbine shaft for a generator. Oil whip is
mainly caused by the cross term (Kxy - Kyx) of spring moduli. A spring modulus is one of the oil
film characteristics of a hydrodynamic bearing. The features of oil whip are as follows.

(1)

The vibration count is the same as that of the critical speed of the rotor.

(2)

Oil whip occurs when the rotation count becomes twice or greater than that of the first
critical speed of the rotor.

Shaft vibration count

Shaft vibration count

Critical
speed

Rotation
count
component

Critical
speed

Oil whirl

Oil whip

Rotation
count
component

Self-excite
d vibration
component

Shaft rotation count

Shaft rotation count

Shaft vibration count when oil whirl or oil whip occurs

Normal shaft vibration count

Note: L indicates the safe limit speed.

(3)

Oil whip suddenly occurs and stops.

(4)

Once vibration occurs, it does not decrease even if the rotation count increases.

(5)

The direction of shaft center orbit is the same as that of shaft rotation.

Figure 1.6 shows a case of oil whip.

In this case, the oil whip occurring at a rated speed of 3600 rpm disappears when the speed
becomes twice (about 3400 rpm) of the first critical speed of the rotor (1680 rpm: 28 Hz). Since
the vibration count is almost the same as that of the first critical speed of the rotor (1680 rpm: 28
Hz), you can determine the anomaly is oil whip.
We can detect oil whip and prevent damage to turbines by always monitoring the vibration
spectrum when the turbine rotation speed increases.

1.3 Oil Whip

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Trend of status and measurements of the turbine and generator operation

Measurement of shaft vibration (water fall diagram: speed-up condition and speed-down condition)
Date of report: August 14, 2005
File name
Shaft vibration No. 2

Amplitude (PmP-P)

Shaft vibration No. 1

Frequency (Hz)

Frequency (Hz)

Shaft vibration No. 4

Amplitude (PmP-P)

Shaft vibration No. 3

Frequency (Hz)

Frequency (Hz)

Shaft vibration No. 6

Amplitude (PmP-P)

Shaft vibration No. 5

Frequency (Hz)

Frequency (Hz)

Figure 1-6 Case of Oil Whip

1.4

Rub
In a steam turbine generator, if the gland seal or the bearing oil thrower comes in contact with the
rotor, vibration of the rotating component occurs. This type of vibration changes over time in a
peculiar way. Figure 1.7 shows the mechanism of this phenomenon. Note that when the rotating
part and the stationary part contact, the generated heat bends the shaft and unbalance-induced
vibration occurs.
Since the direction of the heat-induced bending caused by the contact (that is, direction of
unbalance) and the vibration vector caused by this bending have a phase difference, the direction
of contact always changes and the vibration vector changes as well.

1.4 Rub
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Point of contact

Direction of rotation

Vibration vector caused by

New vibration
vector

heat-induced bending due

to contact
Point of heat-induced
bending

Original
vibration vector

Figure 1-7 Mechanism of Vibration Caused by Heat-induced Bending Due to Contact

Figure 1.8 shows the typical patterns of vibration vector changes. Each pattern has the following
features:

(1)

Spiral pattern
The vibration vector continuously increases up to a certain size and draws a spiral.

(2)

Stationary rotation pattern

The vibration vector circles around the original point of bending.

(3)

Constant change pattern

The vibration vector changes a little around the original point of bending and stops at a
certain point.

(1) Spiral

(2)

Stationary rotation

(3)

Constant change

Figure 1-8 Vibration Spectra of Rub-induced Vibration When the Turbine Rotation
Speed Increases

Figure 1.9 shows a case of rub-induced vibration in a steam turbine generator. In this case, the
turbine successfully restarted a continuous operation at rated 3600 rpm after an inspection. About
ten minutes later, the vibration amplitude increased rapidly and the rotation failed. As shown in
Figure 1.7, the phase of the vibration vector changes in a wide range of amplitude (greater than
180 degrees) in the polar diagram, which is a typical behavior of rub-induced vibration.
1.4 Rub
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TAC121-E001E

Decreased amplitude at a specific phase angle

Initial change of the phase

Gradual phase lag

Figure 1-9 Polar Diagram of Rub-induced Vibration in a Steam Turbine Generator

In addition to the vibration abnormalities described so far, Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration
Diagnostics Service can diagnose the following abnormalities. The items that can be diagnosed
differ depending on which bearing a vibration pickup is installed on. Table 1.1 lists the
abnormalities that can be diagnosed.

1.4 Rub
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TAC121-E001E

Table 1-1

Abnormalities That Can be Diagnosed

No.

Cause of Vibration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Initial unbalance
Permanent bending of the rotor or missing parts of the rotor
Temporary bending of the rotor
Seal contact
Misalignment
Eccentricity of the shaft and bearings
Damage to bearings
Vibration added by a bearing or a support such as oil whirl
Horizontal and vertical anisotropic stiffness of bearing oil film
characteristics
Insufficient adhesion of setting shims
Insufficient tightening of the bearing housing
Critical speed of the rotor and bearings
Basic structural vibration
Transmission of vibration
Low-frequency resonance
Harmonic resonance
Dry frictional vibration
Critical speed
High-frequency vibration
Oil whip
Oil whirl

10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

One
Vibration
Pickup
per
Bearing
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
P
P
P
N

Two
Vibration
Pickups
per
Bearing
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y

N
N
Y
P
P
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y

P
P
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
P
Y
Y
Y
Y

Y: The abnormality can be diagnosed with sufficient reliability.

P: The abnormality can be diagnosed with adequate reliability.
N: The abnormality cannot be diagnosed due to insufficient data.

1.4 Rub
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TAC121-E001E

About
the
Remote
Diagnostics Service

2.1

Overview

Turbine

Vibration

This service helps to assure the reliability of the operation and maintenance of the steam turbine
that we delivered to you. We hope that this service helps you to increase your trust in our product
and allows you to run the power plant more successfully.
The outline of the support is as follows. At your power plant, Mitsubishi Remote Turbine
Vibration Diagnostics Service collects, modifies and analyzes the shaft vibration data and process
signals of your steam turbine, and sends the results to Nagasaki Shipyard via a telephone line or
the Internet. Then we diagnose the data in our design, manufacturing, and installation
departments.

2.2

Details about the Remote Support

We monitor and analyze the shaft vibration in the steam turbine and the related process signals to
determine if there is a problem in the operation.
Nagasaki Shipyard makes diagnoses and sends the results to you in the following formats:

Monthly report
We send the results of diagnostics once every month. Table 2.1 lists the criteria of diagnostics in
the monthly report.

Report and follow-up if an abnormality is found

If an abnormality occurs, we automatically receive a report in real time. Then we collect the
process data and other data that is required to determine the cause and take a necessary action. We
promptly provide you with the information.

Report and follow-up if a sign of a future failure is detected

We daily collect the previous 24-hour data at the specified time, monitor the long-term trend of
the process, identify the part that may cause a failure in the future, and report the action to be
taken in advance.
If a sign of a future failure is detected in the middle of a month, the monthly report cannot cover it.
Therefore, we report such a sign when it arises if it cannot be included in the monthly report.

2.1 Overview
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Table 2-1
No.
1

5
6
7
8

9
10
11

12

13

Criteria of Diagnostics in the Monthly Report

Item

Criteria

Rotation
count
vibration
(selected
channel)
Rotation
count
vibration, phase (per
channel)
Time - rotation count,
amplitude, phase (per
channel)
Time - load, vibration
(per channel)

Is there a large vibration that exceeds the permitted value or the threshold
in the speed-up condition?

Time - temperature,
pressure
Nyquist
plot
(all
channels)
Nyquist plot, rotation
count - amplitude
Nyquist plot, time load, amplitude

Overall
vibration
levels
Generated waveform
FFT data

Cascade
diagram
(based on the rotation
count)
Water fall diagram
(based on time)

14
15

Data list
Orbit plot*

16

Shaft centerline*

17

Absolute vibration**

Is the large vibration at a critical speed?

Does the data match the existing data?
Does the vibration change over time or when the load changes?

Can the vibration change be reproduced?

Does the data match the existing data?
Is there any sudden change of the vibration value that may be abnormal?
Do the temperature and the pressure differ from the usual data?
Is there a large vibration that exceeds the permitted value or the threshold
in the speed-up condition?
Is the large vibration at a critical speed?
Does the data match the existing data?
Does the vibration change over time or when the load changes?
Can the vibration change be reproduced?
Does the data match the existing data?
Is there any sudden change of the vibration value that may be abnormal?
Are the overall vibration levels constant without a vibration change?
Is there a spike noise?
Does the vibration spectrum contain a self-excited vibration component
such as low-frequency vibration?
Is there high-frequency vibration?
Is there resonance with the structure?

Does the vibration change over time or when the load changes?
Can the vibration change be reproduced?
Does the data match the existing data?
Is there any sudden change of the vibration value that may be abnormal?
Does the list of measurement data have an error?
Determine the direction of shaft center orbit (forward whirl: normal
unbalance-induced response vibration, backward whirl: high possibility of
contact-induced vibration).
Do the shaft center eccentricity float characteristics change in the speedup condition?Do the shaft center eccentricity float characteristics change
over time or when the load changes?
Is there a large difference between the shaft vibration (normally the
relative vibration of the bearing pedestal and the shaft) and the absolute
vibration?Does the absolute vibration value change over time or when the
load changes?

*The vibration data of two orthogonal directions is required.

**The vibration data of the bearing pedestal is required.

2.2 Details about the Remote Support

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2.3

System Configuration
Figure 2.1 shows the system configuration for enabling the remote support of a steam turbine.
Customer power plant and vibration diagnostics device (additionally installed)


Customer power plant and vibration diagnostics device (additionally installed)

DCS

TSI

Operation
data input

Vibration
data input

Vibration
diagnostics device

DCS:Digital Control System

TSITurbine Supervisory Instrument

Communication line or

Data

Internet

Nagasaki Shipyard Remote Monitoring Center

Vibration
analysis system
Firewall
FireWall

Evaluation and

reports by
turbine
experts

Printer

Figure 2-1 Configuration of the Remote Support System for a Steam Turbine

2.3 System Configuration

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2.4

Number of Input Points for Monitoring

Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service samples the following signals from the
existing steam turbine controller (DSC: Digital Control System) and the turbine monitor (TSI:
Turbine Supervisory Instrument):
Signal Name
One-pulse signal
Generated waveform
vibration
Process signal

2.5

of

Number of Points
1
6 (up to 12)

TSI
TSI

Source of Signal

Up to 20

DCS

Intervals of Collecting and Analyzing Data

Table 2.2 lists the intervals of collecting and analyzing data when the steam turbine is run at the
rated operation count, when it is started and when it is stopped, and the intervals of saving data.
Table 2-2

Type of
Data to be
Analyzed
Vibration
data

Intervals of Saving Collected Data

Operation Mode

Outline of Analysis

(1) Rotation count

mode

Mode determination: (1) Every second, (2) Generator load =

0.0 MW
Low speed rate: 2 rpm < Rate < 70 rpm => Data storage: Every
3 seconds
High speed rate: When Rate > 70 rpm continues 5 seconds =>
Data storage: None
Mode determination: (1) Every 3 seconds, (2) Generator load
= 0.0 MW, (3) Rate < 2 rpm
Data storage: 5 consecutive times/60 seconds
Mode determination: (1) Every 60 seconds, (2) Generator load
> 0.0 MW
Low load rate: Rate < 0.5% => Data storage: Every 10 minutes
High load rate: Rate > 0.5% => Data storage: Every minute
Mode determination: (1) Every 60 seconds, (2) Generator load
= 0.0 MW
Data storage: Every 60 seconds
Mode determination: (1) Every 60 seconds, (2) Generator load
> 0.0 MW
Low load rate: Rate < 0.5% => Data storage: Every 60 minutes
High load rate: Rate > 0.5% => Data storage: Every minute
Mode determination: (1) Every 60 seconds, (2) Generator load
= 0.0 MW
Data storage: Every 60 seconds
Mode determination: (1) Every 60 seconds, (2) Generator load
> 0.0 MW
Data storage: Every 60 minutes

(2) Rotation count

hold mode
(3) Load mode

FFT data

(1) Rotation count

mode
(2) Load mode

Plant data

(1) Rotation count

mode
(2) Load mode

2.4 Number of Input Points for Monitoring

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TAC121-E001E

2.6

Method of Detecting Abnormalities

The collected or processed overall vibration levels and vibration (1N component) spectrum values
are checked against the following threshold values each time they are collected. Figure 2-2 shows
the procedure for detecting an error in overall vibration levels and Figure 2-3 shows the procedure
for detecting an error in vibration (1N component) spectrum values.

Overall vibration levels

Level determination
Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service compares the overall vibration
levels and the threshold values (alarm values). When the OA value is greater than the
threshold value, Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service determines
that an abnormality has occurred.
Abnormality diagnosis

If an abnormality is detected in the level determination, Mitsubishi Remote Turbine

Vibration Diagnostics Service performs a detailed diagnosis.
Change rate determination
Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service determines the absolute value
of the level difference between the current value and the previous value, and compares
the absolute value with the threshold value. If the absolute value is greater than the
threshold value, Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service issues a
prealarm indicating that the rate of change is abnormal.

Vibration (1N component) spectrum

Amplitude determination
Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service compares the amplitude of the
1N component and the threshold value (alarm value). If the amplitude of the 1N
component is greater than the threshold value, Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration
Diagnostics Service determines that an abnormality has occurred.
Abnormality diagnosis

If an abnormality is detected in the amplitude determination, Mitsubishi Remote Turbine

Vibration Diagnostics Service performs a detailed diagnosis.
Amplitude change rate determination
Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service determines the absolute value
of the amplitude difference between the current value and the previous value, and
compares the absolute value with the threshold value. If the absolute value is greater
than the threshold value, Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service issues
a prealarm indicating that the rate of change is abnormal.
Phase change rate determination
Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service determines the absolute value
of the phase difference between the current value and the previous value, and compares
the absolute value with the threshold value. If the absolute value is greater than the
threshold value, Mitsubishi Remote Turbine Vibration Diagnostics Service determines
that an abnormality has occurred.

2.6 Method of Detecting Abnormalities

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TAC121-E001E

Enter data

OA value

1N component
Alarm
See
SeeFigure
Figure2-3.
2.4(b)

NO

OA value
< alarm value

Abnormality

YES

diagnosis
NO

Rate of change from

previous value < 25%

YES

-25% or greater
Rate of change

+25% or greater
1N Phase

YES

Current measured value is

75% or less of alarm value

Phase difference from previous

value < r20 degrees

YES

NO

NO

Prealarm

Prealarm

The current measured data is normal.

Figure 2-2 Detecting an Error in Overall Vibration Levels

2.6 Method of Detecting Abnormalities

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1N component data

Amplitude

Phase
Alarm
1N phase

NO

1N value <
alarm value

YES

Phase difference from previous

value < r20 degrees

YES

NO
Abnormality
Abnormality
diagnosis
diagnosis

Rate of change from

previous value < 25%

NO

Prealarm

YES

-25% or greater

Rate of change

+25% or greater

1N phase

YES

Phase difference from

previous value < r20
degrees

Current measured value is

75% or less of alarm value

YES

NO

NO

Prealarm

Prealarm

The current measured data is normal.

Figure 2-3 Detecting an Error in the 1N Component

2.6 Method of Detecting Abnormalities

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2.7

System Operation
Before you use this system, please note the following:

Cost of the device to be added in your power plant

We provide the device without any charge. However, you are asked to pay for the work that is
required to install the leased line for transmitting data.

System operation cost

The first year of the contract is a trial period and we pay for the following items:
Cost of the leased line
Follow-up work we provide such as monthly reports
After the first year of the contract when you understand the effect of this service, we switch to the
paid service.

2.7 System Operation

19