SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Rotating Machinery Technologies

Rotordynamics: Design Audits

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	SwRI engineers installed a strain gage transmitter at the coupling to identify damaging critical speed in a rotor train.

Design audit services offered by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) help both original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end-users avoid severe vibrations and other damaging dynamic phenomena in machinery installations. Catching problems at the design stage, instead of in the field, avoids costly schedule delays and lost production.

Design Audit Capabilities

SwRI uses both commercially available and internally developed software coupled with extensive field experience to:

Predict system dynamic characteristics
Assess the potential for problems
Identify modifications that will reduce the chance of problems
Identify operating ranges to be avoided
Define any areas of risk or uncertainty to be validated during startup

image of centrifugal compressor

Nonuniform pressure that develops inside centrifugal compressors adversely affects stability.

Design Audit Services


	Modal analysis of centrifugal impeller showing 3-diameter mode shape.

The design audit services cover:

Rotor system lateral critical speeds and stability
Steady-state and transient torsional vibrations
Bearings, stiffness, damping, and load capacity
Damper seal and labyrinth seal modeling
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of fluid forces acting on rotor
Substructure (casing, foundation, etc.) modeling coupled to the rotor using finite elements
Finite element analysis (FEA) of critical components for stress and deflection
Compressor and turbine skid dynamic prediction
Mechanical integrity evaluation for impellers, blading, and other components
Modal analysis and dynamic stress prediction using finite element methods
Modal testing for component and system characteristics

For more information about how SwRI's capabilities in rotordynamic and mechanical design audits can mitigate risk in your project, or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Jeff Moore, Ph.D., at jmoore@swri.org or (210) 522-5812.

Contact Information

Jeff Moore, Ph.D.

Rotordynamics

(210) 522-5812

jmoore@swri.org

Related Terminology

turbomachinery

rotordynamics

machine vibrations

finite element analysis

mechanical design audits

computational fluid dynamics

torsional vibrations

gas turbine

Related Web Sites

IGTI

PRCI

WTUI

Gas/Electric Partnership

Rotating Machinery Technologies

Rotordynamics: Design Audits

Design Audit Capabilities

SwRI uses both commercially available and internally developed software coupled with extensive field experience to:

Predict system dynamic characteristics

Assess the potential for problems

Identify modifications that will reduce the chance of problems

Identify operating ranges to be avoided

Define any areas of risk or uncertainty to be validated during startup

Design Audit Services

The design audit services cover:

Rotor system lateral critical speeds and stability

Steady-state and transient torsional vibrations

Bearings, stiffness, damping, and load capacity

Damper seal and labyrinth seal modeling

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of fluid forces acting on rotor

Substructure (casing, foundation, etc.) modeling coupled to the rotor using finite elements

Finite element analysis (FEA) of critical components for stress and deflection

Compressor and turbine skid dynamic prediction

Mechanical integrity evaluation for impellers, blading, and other components

Modal analysis and dynamic stress prediction using finite element methods

Modal testing for component and system characteristics

For more information about how SwRI's capabilities in rotordynamic and mechanical design audits can mitigate risk in your project, or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Jeff Moore, Ph.D., at jmoore@swri.org or (210) 522-5812.