Overview of Machinery Condition Monitoring

and Diagnostics with Case Study

Roengchai Chumai
Technical Leader, GE Oil & Gas

Agenda
Introduction
Machinery Protection System
Machinery Management System
Common Machine Malfunctions
Case Study
Q & A

MACHINERY CONDITION MONITORING

CONCEPT

Introduction
The first machine monitoring
systems employed were human
senses. Over time and through
experience, a person would gain
skill to sense when a failure was
occurring.

Unfortunately, this experience was

often gained through observation
of an actual machine failure.

Machinery Protection System

Systems that shutdown a machine or return it to a
safe or nondestructive mode of operation without
human intervention.

Machinery Protection System

Online - continuous

monitoring & protection

Machine Control System
Vibration
Card
Vibration Monitor

Portable Data Collector

Critical Assets

Gas Turbines

Compressors

Main line Pumps

Recip Compressors

Basic Trends and Status only

Machinery Management System

Use of systems that provide data and information
that is interpreted and applied by people to
correctly operate, maintain, and assess the
condition of their machinery.

Machinery Management
requires
information!

Machinery Management System

Online - continuous

monitoring & protection

Online periodic

(scanning) monitoring
Switch/Hub

SCANNING Monitor
ONLINE
Monitor
OFFLINE
Portable
Data
Collector

Critical Assets

Essential Assets

Gas Turbines

Fans

Steam Turbines

Pumps

Generators

Blowers

BFW Pumps

Etc

BOP Assets

Offline portable
(walk-around) + thermography, third
party devices & lube oil analysis

Machine Data
Direct measurement
Vibration and Position
Rotor Speed
Bearing Temperature

Indirect Measurement
Process data e.g. pressure, flow, molecular weight,
MW, MVAR, etc.
Performance data

Vibration Measurements

Overall Vibration Amplitude

Position
Frequency
nX Filtered Vibration Amplitude & Phase
Shape or Form

You must have access to this information to

properly manage your machine.

Machine Operating Modes

A. Steady State
B. Transient :
C. Slow Roll
D. Stopped

Constant Machine Speed

Process or Load Change
Start Up
Shut Down

COMMON MACHINE MALFUNCTIONS

Machine Malfunction Identification

Forces
Vibration Response
Dynamic Stiffness

When vibration is viewed as a ratio of forces to stiffness, the perspective

changes and the focus becomes What has changed in the machine, the
forces acting on it or its stiffness? rather than simply more vibration is
bad, less vibration is good.

Stiffness
Natural Frequency
Mass

Shaft Bow

Unbalance

Misalignment

Misalignment
Causes of Misalignment
1.

Thermal growth

2.

Foundation problems - include cracked grouting, a loose soleplate, and loose anchor
bolts

3.

Soft Foot the case is wrap because one or more machine feet are not coplanar after
tightening hold down bolts cause from inadequate shimming or by an excessive number
of shims

4.

Piping strain

5.

Improper alignment

Misalignment
Effects
1. Rub - cause the rotor to wipe bearings and seals
2. Shortened Bearing Life - by rub and
temperature

3. Damaged Seals/Packing - deflect shafts and

push seals and packing outside design limits

4. Cracked Shafts - deflect beyond the design limits

can create high reversal stresses

5. Shortened Coupling Life - by producing

extreme heat in elastomer couplings

Rubbing

Causes of Rub
1.

Radial Load

2.

High Vibration

3.

Axial Thrust

4.

Locked Seals

Rubbing

Rubbing

Shaft Crack
Shaft cracks begin in regions of high local stress. Shafts are subjected to
large-scale stresses due to static or dynamic bending and torsional
twisting, static radial loads, or residual stresses from heat treatment,
welding, or machining operations.

Shaft Crack

Shaft Crack

Shaft Crack

Fluid Induced Instability

When a rotor operates in fluid-induced instability, it is actually
operating in a stable limit cycle of high vibration. But the rotor is
unstable in the sense that it is operating outside desired operational
limits.

Fluid Induced Instability

Many Other Malfunctions

Surging & Rotating Stall in Compressor

Pump Cavitation
Super synchronous instability in Pump
Combustion Rumble in Gas Turbine
Thermal Sensitivity in Generator
Crack/Broken Rotor Bar in Motor
Rough Load Zone in Hydraulic Turbine
Synchronous Instability (Morton Effect)
Torsional-Lateral Coupled Vibration
Structure/Resonance Induced Vibration
etc.

MACHINERY DIAGNOSTICS CASE STUDY

Case Study#1-Steam Turbine-Generator Set

The unit was run at normal operating condition.

Fluctuating vibration amplitudes observed at Brg#3
& #4 of IP turbine
Contacted machinery diagnostic services engineer to
site for vibration analysis

Machine Information

Steam turbine-generator set, 762 MW in coal fired power plant

Well instrumented with X-Y probes each bearing plus a Keyphasor
Problem noted at Brg#3 & #4 of IP Turbine

Direct & 1X Trend Plots Brg#3

50 105 microns, pp

105 50 microns, pp

50 120 microns, pp

120 50 microns, pp

Trend Plots Brg#3 & #4

Polar Plots Brg#3

Polar Plots of Brg#3 & #4s

Waterfall Plot of Brg#3s Vibration

1X Vibration

Waterfall Plot of Brg#4s Vibration

1X Vibration

Plus Orbit Shapes vs. Trend

Obstructed Rotor Movement shown in Orbit Shape

Conclusions & Recommendations

High vibration amplitude at brg#3 was due to increasing 1X
vibration
Synchronous (1X) vibration changed in amplitude and phase at
brg#3 & #4
Obstructed orbit shape was observed at brg#3
It was suspected rubbing around brg#3 (e.g. oil deflection) and
recommended to inspect at the next opportunity available.

Inspection Results

Coke Deposits
Rubbing Marks

Case Study#2 Hydro turbine-Generator Set

Francis runner type hydro turbine &
reversible pump
Rated output at 145 MW at turbine
mode
XY probes installed at all three
guide bearings
Online machine condition
monitoring system installed
It is reported excessive vibration at
turbine guide bearing when
reducing load before shutdown

Turbine Speed & Vibration Trend vs. Spectrum

Turbine Speed

0.35X

1X Phase

Overall Amplitude
1X Amplitude

Overall vibration amplitude of turbine

increased due to 0.35X component.

Unstable Orbit Shape w/ Predominant 0.35X

368 513 um, pp@08.30.02 hrs.

Turbine bearing clearance is 500 um

382 565 um, pp@08.30.14 hrs.

Be aware of bearing worn out!

Spectrum of Unstable Vibration

232 um, pp@0.35X

102 um, pp@1X

Conclusions & Recommendations

Unstable vibration occurred in short period when reducing

load before shutdown
Predominantly at subsynchronous vibration at 0.25X to
0.35X with unstable orbit shape
Above characteristics are recognized as Rough Load Zone
or Spiral Vortex in draft tube
Recommendations

Avoid operation at 25% to 70% wicket gate

opened
Apply air injection at draft tube, if above load
range cannot be avoided

Vortex Interaction Rough Load Zone

Zone of flow separation and vortex

formation

Spiral vortex filaments

Comment! Or Question?