Vibration, Rotordynamics & Machinery Diagnostics

Machinery Condition Monitoring

• Bently Nevada System 1

  Permanent protection and condition monitoring data used to reconstruct machine behavior before, during and after an event.

• Emerson AMS Machinery Manager

  Route based and online vibration data management, trending and diagnostic assessment.

• Portable analyzers, including Emerson AMS 2140 and SKF class instruments

  Field acquisition of spectra, waveforms and phase on turbines, compressors, pumps, fans and gearboxes.

• Bently Nevada ADRE 408 high resolution dynamic acquisition

  Transient, startup, run down and load change capture on turbine, gearbox and generator trains where routine monitoring resolution is insufficient.

• Flow induced vibration measurement on wellhead and piping systems

  Correlation of vibration amplitude and frequency with production rate, pump speed, gas fraction and temperature on progressing cavity pump and wellhead installations.

Generator and Electrical Machine Diagnostics

• Iris Power fibre optic end winding accelerometers and online end winding vibration monitoring

  Measurement of stator end winding motion under load where restraint loss or resonance near twice electrical frequency is suspected.

• Impact and bump testing with experimental modal analysis

  Natural frequency and mode shape of end winding, connection support and frame structures, established against electromagnetic forcing frequency.

• Rotor flux probe, shaft voltage and shaft current monitoring

  Detection of rotor winding abnormalities, shorted turns and shaft grounding problems that present as load dependent vibration.

• EL CID and core loop testing, wedge tap survey and internal inspection

  Core interlamination condition, wedge tightness mapping, blocking and tie condition, and movement evidence such as dusting and fretting.

• Partial discharge monitoring with capacitive couplers

  Insulation condition assessment where movement is suspected of having abraded groundwall or slot insulation.

Gearbox and Machine Train Analysis

• Gear mesh frequency, harmonic and sideband analysis

  Separation of tooth, contact, backlash and bearing mechanisms on high speed and low speed shafts under load.

• KISSsoft and Romax gearbox modelling

  Tooth contact, transmission error and gearbox structural analysis where a specific gear hypothesis requires a model rather than diagnostics alone.

• Torsional analysis of the machine train

  Torsional natural frequency assessment against mesh and electrical excitation on geared turbine generator sets, where lateral measurement alone is blind.

• Oil debris analysis and ferrography

  Wear particle evidence correlated with measured gear and bearing behavior.

Rotordynamic Analysis

• DyRoBeS

  Lateral and torsional rotordynamic modeling, critical speeds, stability and bearing behavior.

• XLRotor

  Independent rotordynamic verification and sensitivity study where an OEM model is disputed.

• ME'scope

  Operating deflection shape and experimental modal analysis of machines, piping and structures.

• ANSYS Mechanical modal and harmonic analysis

  Structural and support response modelling where a stiffness or resonance hypothesis requires finite element work.

Core Diagnostic Methods

• FFT spectrum and time waveform analysis

  Identification of imbalance, misalignment, looseness, bearing and gear defects.

• Phase, orbit and shaft centreline analysis

  Journal bearing behavior, rubs, instability and shaft position evidence.

• Order tracking, transient and coastdown analysis

  Resonance, critical speed and startup or trip event reconstruction.

• Historian correlation using AVEVA PI or equivalent

  Vibration behavior read against load, excitation, temperature and event history on a synchronized time base.

• Fabrication, installation and commissioning records review

  Inspection and test plans, hold and witness points, torque and preload verification, acceptance and turnover records examined where a latent installation defect is a candidate mechanism.

Root Cause and Analytical Method

• Fault tree analysis and Apollo Root Cause Analysis

  Formal linkage of the measured machine signature to a proven mechanical cause rather than a plausible one.

• Hypothesis testing against measured data

  Each candidate mechanism accepted or eliminated on recorded vibration, process and inspection evidence.

Monitoring, Sensors and Predictive Analytics

• Wireless vibration and temperature sensors

  Interim monitoring of a suspect machine while a repair or replacement decision is being made.

• Machine learning anomaly detection on historian data

  Detection of drift and early degradation across a fleet of similar machines.

3D Capture and Physical Evidence

• 3D scanning and portable CMM

  As found rotor, casing and clearance geometry captured before parts are cleaned or repaired.

• Borescope and videoscope inspection

  Internal blade, gear and bearing condition recorded before the machine is opened.

Overhaul, Rebuild and Acceptance Verification

• XLTRC2 rotordynamic analysis

  Independent lateral, torsional, stability and unbalance response verification of an as rebuilt turbine, expander and compressor train.

• Laser tracker and precision optical survey

  Train level geometry, shaft centreline elevation, casing position and foundation reference points across distances beyond the reach of shaft mounted systems.

• Prueftechnik, Easy-Laser and Fixturlaser shaft alignment systems

  Cold alignment against an engineered thermal offset target, measured machine movement and hot alignment verification where access allows.

• Schenck and Hofmann class balancing machines

  Component and assembled rotor balancing with residual unbalance certified against ISO 21940 balance quality and the OEM criterion.

• Ultrasonic babbitt bond inspection and calibrated bore metrology

  Bond integrity, bore geometry, clearance, crush or preload and surface finish demonstrated before a rebabbitted bearing is accepted.

• CAESAR II piping stress analysis

  Nozzle load evaluation against machinery allowables, thermal expansion behavior and support adequacy where pipe strain is a candidate cause of repeat misalignment.

• Ultrasonic bolt elongation measurement

  Achieved preload verification on the limited set of critical joints where torque alone cannot demonstrate it, such as coupling hubs, large casing joints and anchor bolts.

• Machinery protection system proof testing to API 670

  Probe gap and calibration, mechanical and electrical run-out compensation, channel verification, alarm and trip setpoints, voting logic and overspeed function proved before first roll.

BlackOut Power / TerraTolga Proprietary Capability

• FMECA Engine ↗

  Machine level failure mode ranking used to direct diagnostic effort at the modes that matter.

• Criticality ↗

  Ranking of machine trains by consequence of failure to set monitoring and spares priority.

• Engineering Records Intelligence ↗

  Retrieval of OEM data, prior repairs and vibration history behind the current machine condition.