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	Coupled rotor / casing finite element model View Video: Windows Media or QuickTime

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) design audit services 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

Nonuniform pressure that develops inside centrifugal compressors adversely affects stability.

	Modal analysis of centrifugal impeller showing 3-diameter mode shape

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.
 

| Fluids Engineering Department | Mechanical & Materials Engineering Division | SwRI Home |

Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 11 technical divisions.

June 26, 2008