Mechanical Engineering

Use System Modeler to model and simulate dynamics problems including mechanisms and machinery with kinematic, dynamic, and thermal behaviors. Study and solve vibration problems.

Reducing Turbine Vibrations

Unchecked machine vibration can accelerate rates of wear (i.e. shorten bearing life) and damage equipment. Machines running around the critical speed have the biggest risk of failure due to resonance. This example shows how to troubleshoot excessive vibrations by adding external damping to a turbine model.

Animation of the turbine.

The Model

Flexible components from the Rotating Machinery library are used. The motor applies a rotational speed that exceeds the critical speed of the turbine.

The external damping is truncated and applied as a spring-damper support.

Simulation Results

The response of the system in the time domain.

The figure shows disc deflections for different external damping levels.

The response of the system in the frequency domain.

The system without external damping starts to heavily vibrate at the critical speed. Adding external damping ensures that the system operates with reduced vibrations at greater than critical speed.

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