ME 351 Machine Dynamics and Vibrations

Core Course for VI Sem B.Tech.

Lecture Notes on Whirling of Rotating Shafts

Prepared by

Dr. S. M. Murigendrappa
Dept. of Mech. Engg.
NITK, Surathkal

CONTENTS
1)

Introduction to whirling of rotating shafts

2)

Critical speed of a light shaft having a single disc without damping

3)

Example 1

4)

Critical speed of a light shaft having a single disc with damping

5)

Example 2

6)

Critical speeds of a shaft having two discs without damping

Introduction to Whirling of Rotating Shafts

In the rotor system, the shaft as well as the rotating disc is assumed to be
rigid.

In many practical applications such as turbines, compressors, electric

motors and pumps, a heavy rotor is mounted on a lightweight, flexible
shaft that is supported in bearings

When a shaft is rotating about its longitudinal axis bends above that axis
(line AB), the bent shaft will whirl about it original axis of rotation as well as
continuing to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

Whirling is defined as the rotation of the plane made by the line of

centers of the bearings (AB) and the bent shaft.

Whirling of shafts results from

unbalance in all rotating parts due to manufacturing errors,
Hysteresis damping in the shaft,
Gyroscopic forces,
Fluid friction in bearings,
Loose or worn bearings,
Eccentric mounting of the disc,
Bending of shaft, etc.
B

When the natural frequency of the rotating system coincides with the
external forcing frequency, it is called resonance, the speed at which
resonance occurs are known as the critical speeds or whirling speeds
or whipping speeds

At these speeds the amplitude of vibration or transverse displacement

of rotors is excessively large and the large amount of forces or stresses
will be developed.

In this region of critical speeds the system may fail.

To avoid the occurrence of critical speeds, it is very important to find

the natural frequency of the rotating system.
B

Case (i): Critical Speed of a Light Shaft having a Single Disc

without Damping

Let us consider the steady-state motion of the light shaft, which is whirling
because of the disc attached at the centre to it and not balanced.

Let, O- intersection of the bearing centre line with the disc

S geometric centre of the disc through which the centre
line of the shaft passes
G centre of gravity of the disc which is displaced from the
geometric centre
e eccentricity of the disc = SG
r lateral deflection of the shaft centre from O
k - stiffness of shaft
- uniform angular velocity of shaft
n- lateral natural frequency of rotating system

m mass of the disc

B
O

+ r

O
A

+
S

kr

+
e

m2(r+e)

Considering the equilibrium of the disc, there are two forces acting on it
Centrifugal force at G acts radially outwards

m 2 (r e )

Restoring force at S acts radially inwards

kr
O

+ r

kr

m2(r+e)

For the equilibrium of the disc, these two forces must act along the
same line and therefore the points O, S and G must lie on the same
straight line
m 2 ( r e ) kr
Thus,
2

r
m 2
n

Which gives, amplitude ratio as,

2
2
e k m
1 n

where, lateral natural frequency of rotating system,

k m

(1)

There are four possible combinations of speeds

a) when = n
Amplitude ratio becomes infinite which causes severe vibration
and excessive stresses on shaft and bearings will try to fly out.
Thus the critical speed of the shaft is equal to the natural
frequency of rotating system.
b) when < n
amplitude ratio will be positive and S will lie between O and G
this means that the disc rotates with heavy side (centre of gravity)
it is corresponds to 0 phase difference

+ r

G
e

c) when > n
amplitude ratio will be negative and G will lie between O and S
this means that the disc rotates with light side
it is corresponds to 180 phase difference
d) when > > n
r=-e
this means that the point G approaches to O and the disc rotates
about its centre of gravity and thus vibrations are minimum.

+
r

e+

O +G + S
e
r

Example 1

The rotor of a turbo super charger weighing 9N is keyed to the centre of

a 25mm diameter steel shaft 40cm between bearings. Determine:
(a) the critical speed of shaft
(b) the amplitude of vibration of the rotor at a speed of 3200rpm, if the
eccentricity is 0.015mm and
(c) the vibratory force transmitted and that the shaft material has a
density of 8gm/cm3. Take E=2.1 106 N/cm2.

Case (ii): Critical Speed of a Light Shaft having a Single Disc

with Damping

When damping is present in the form of air resistance, etc. in the system,
three forces act on the system:
Centrifugal force at G along OG produced = m2a
Restoring force at S along SO = kr and
Damping force at S in direction a opposite to velocity of the point S = cr.

Due to these forces, the points O, S and G dont lie in a straight line as we
found in case (i).

Resultant of restoring force and damping force at point S must be equal

to centrifugal force and parallel to it to give a clockwise moment which has
to be overcome by the driving torque in the anti-clockwise direction.

This is because of the damping

present in the system which
requires the driving torque equal
to cr2.

kr
r

S+

cr

m2a

a sin e sin

a cos r e cos

Referring to the triangle OSG,

(2)
O

kr

m2a

+
cr
S

For equilibrium condition at a given time, we have

2

X 0 kr m a sin

Y 0 c r m a sin
2

Inserting equation (2) in to equation (3) , we get

0 kr m 2 ( r e cos )

2
0 c r m ( e sin )

(3 )

(4)

Re-arranging above equations, we get amplitude ratio as

m 2
( k m 2 ) 2 ( c )2

( n ) 2
2 2

[1 ( n ) ] ( 2 n )

( 4a )

and phase angle as

tan

c
2 n

k m 2
1 ( n ) 2

( 4b )

c
where damping factor,
2 km

S+

From above relations, following cases have been observed:

a) when < < n, then = 0 (i.e., heavy side out)
b) when < n, then 0< < 90 (i.e., heavy side out)
c) when = n, then = 90 (i.e., heavy side out)
d) when > n, then 90< < 180 (i.e., light side out)
e) when >> n, then = 180 and r = -e (i.e., light side out and disc rotates
at centre of gravity)

Example 2

A disc of mass 4kg is mounted midway between bearings which may be

assumed to be simple supports. The span is 48cm. The steel shaft which
is horizontal, is 9mm in diameter. The centre of gravity of the disc is
displaced 3mm from the geometric centre. The equivalent viscous
damping at the centre of the disc-shaft may be taken as 49Ns/m. If the
shaft rotates at 760rpm, find the maximum stress in the shaft and compare
it with dead load stress in the shaft. Also find the power required to drive
the shaft at this speed. Take Youngs modulus as 196GPa.

Data:
m=4kg, d =0.009m, L = 0.48m, E= 1.961011, I = d4/64, e = 0.003m,
N=760rpm, c = 49Ns/m.

48 EI
Stiffness of the shaft, k
27 . 4 kN / m
3
L
k
A
Natural frequency, n
m
82 . 8 rad / s

2 N
79 . 5 rad / s
60
c
Damping factor,
0 . 074
2 km
Forcing frequency,

Frequency ratio,

0 . 96
n

Amplitude ratio,
e

( n ) 2
[1 ( n ) 2 ] 2 ( 2 n ) 2

Thus, the deflection of the shaft due to centrifugal effect, r = 0.017m.

Dynamic load on the bearings is equal to the resultant force due to

restoring force and damping force or is equal to centrifugal force of the
disc, i.e.,

Fd

( kr ) 2 ( c r )2 470 N

Due to dynamic force, the shaft is deflected

under operating
conditions, but shaft is subjected with both dynamic load and static
load, thus, the total or maximum load is given by

Fmax Fd Fstatic 470 mg 470 4 9 . 81 509 .2 N

Bending stress in the shaft due to the load, say F acting at the midway of
the shaft is obtained from moment equation. i.e.,

I
y
FL
d 4
d
where, M
0 .12 F , I
3 . 2 10 10 , y 0 . 0045 m
4
64
2

168 10 4 F

Thus,

Total maximum bending stress due to the maximum load Fmax is given by

max 168 10 4 Fmax

168 10 4 509 . 2 8 .55 10 8 N / m 2

Bending stress due to the static or dead load Fstatic is given by

static 168 10 4 Fstatic

168 10 4 39 . 2 6 . 59 10 7 N / m 2

FDamping c r 66 .2 N

Damping force,

Damping torque, Tdamping Fdamping r 1 . 125 Nm

Power required to overcome the damping torque,

Pdamping

2 NT damping

90 Watts
60

Critical Speeds of a Shaft having Two discs without damping

For a shaft having more than one disc, there will be as many critical speeds
as the number of discs.

M1 and M2 be the masses of discs

r1 and r2 be the deflections of the two discs from the centre line of the bearings.
e1 and e2 be the distances from the center of gravity to the geometric centre.
F1 and F2 be the centrifugal forces are given by

F1 M 1 2 ( r1 e1 )

2
F2 M 2 ( r 2 e 2 )

(5 )
B

Deflections may be written in terms of Influent coefficients as

r1 a11F1 a12 F2

r2 a 21F1 a 22 F2

(6 )

r2

r1
A

F2

Substituting values of F1 and F2 in to above equations,

r1 a11M 1 2 ( r1 e1 ) a12 M 2 2 ( r2 e 2 )

r2 a 21M 1 2 ( r1 e1 ) a 22 M 2 2 ( r2 e 2 )

(7 )

F1

Equation (7) may be rearranged as

0 ( a11M 1 2 1)r1 ( a12 M 2 2 )r2

2
2
0 ( a 21M 1 )r1 ( a 22 M 2 1)r2

Equation (8) can be written in matrix form as

2
0 ( a11M 1 1)

2
0 ( a 21M 1 )

( a12 M 2 2 ) r1

( a 22 M 2 2 1) r2

For non-trivial solutions is possible only if

( a11M 1 2 1)
0
( a 21M 1 2 )

( a12 M 2 2 )
( a 22 M 2 2 1)

Thus, the natural frequency of the system is given by

P 2 4Q
2Q

(11)

where, P a11M 1 a 22 M 2
2
Q M 1M 2 ( a11a 22 a12
)

(8 )

-ve gives lower or first natural frequency or critical speed

+ve gives higher or second critical speed

(10 )

(9 )

---------------END---------------