CASE STUDY: Tuning out a difficult torsional vibration problem in a reciprocating compressor installation.

Wan Jani Senior Principal Engineer EQT Corporation Ed Hauptmann Engineering Development Lo-Rez Vibration Control Ltd.

ABSTRACT Torsional vibrations are not always readily apparent, and are sometimes referred to as the silent killer in reciprocating compressor installations. EQT Corporation recently encountered a continuing series of failures at one of their compressor stations, which has two identical units with 1250 HP, 1190 RPM electric motors driving 4-throw reciprocating compressors. Over a period of just one year, there were five instances of either a cracked motor shaft, a cracked rotor, or both cracked rotor and motor shaft! Field measurements and torsional vibration analysis of the system with the existing flex coupling indicated torsional vibration levels at the auxiliary end of the compressor, vibration levels in the coupling, and motor shaft stress levels were all within allowable limits. A different approach was taken as a step toward solving the problem. The system was analyzed with a torsionally soft coupling in place of the existing coupling. Indications were that the soft coupling would tune the system, placing the lowest torsional natural frequency below the lowest operating speed. As a result, the largest portion of torsional vibration is taken across the coupling. A torsionally soft coupling was designed and installed to place the lowest torsional natural frequency at approximately 850 RPM. Torsional vibration levels were then measured over a range of loads and operating conditions. Results indicated that rotor shaft stresses were reduced by almost a factor of ten from those of the old coupling. The system has now operated satisfactorily since the soft coupling was installed more than one year ago.

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INTRODUCTION EQT Corporation (EQT), with a 2010 operating income of $471 million, conducts its business through three business segments: EQT Production, EQT Midstream and Equitable Gas Co. Corporate offices in Pittsburgh are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. EQT headquarters in Pittsburgh. EQT Production is one of the largest natural gas producers in the Appalachian Basin with 5.2 trillion cubic feet of proved reserves across 3.5 million acres as of May 2011. EQT offers energy products (natural gas, NGLs and a limited amount of crude oil) and services to wholesale and retail customers in the United States via EQT Midstream and Distribution. EQT Midstream provides gathering, processing, transmission, and storage services both to EQT Production and third parties, with 63 BCF of storage capacity, and more than 11,400 miles of gathering and transmission pipelines as shown in Figure 2. Over the last few years Midstream constructed more than 1,000 miles of pipeline and installed 87,000 horsepower of compression capacity, including the Big Sandy pipeline, a $150 million, 68-mile-long, 20-inch pipeline that runs through eastern Kentucky. In May 2011, EQT Midstream owned or operated 243 compressor units in total, comprising 121 compressor stations with approximately 256,000 horsepower of installed capacity. EQT Appalachian transmission and storage operations include approximately 970 miles of lines located in eastern Kentucky, north central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania. A major gathering station is located at North Big Ridge VA (Figure 3). The station has three Ariel JGK/4 compressors; two are driven by 1250 HP Reliance motors and the third by a 1750 HP TECO motor. Gas flow ranges from 8.2 to 9.5 MMSCFD, through a 6 discharge line at 300

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psig, and is combined with output from two additional gathering stations and sent to a booster station before delivery to a Tennessee Gas line at 1,000 psig.

Figure 2. Map of EQT gas transmission lines, showing projected links to the TGP Northeast Expansion Project in conjunction with El Paso.

EQT

Figure 3. Location of EQT Midstream North Big Ridge compressor station near Clinchco, VA.

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BACKGROUND analysis of unit operations Units #1 and #2 at North Big Ridge are identical compressor packages having 1250 HP, 1190 RPM Reliance electric motors driving Ariel JGK/4, four throw, three stage compressors. The initial drive trains included Rexnord Thomas AMR 700 couplings. Figure 4(a) below shows the overall package layout for Unit #1.

(a)

(b) Figure 4. (a) overall layout of Unit #1. (b) setup for laser-based measurement. Both units had experienced repeated motor shaft and rotor failures since installation. A chronology of failures and repairs for Unit #1 over a four year span is given in Table 1. To find the root cause of the failures, a field study on Units #1 and #2 was initially carried out to measure torsional vibration levels at several points along the system drive line. Figure 4 (b) shows the laser measurement setup at the motor side of the coupling hub. All field measurements and analyses of the results were carried out by third parties.

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Date of failure April 17, 2006 February 6, 2009 March 27, 2009 April 1, 2009 January 22, 2010 February 8, 2010

Description of failure Cracked motor shaft Cracked rotor and motor shaft Cracked motor shaft Cracked motor shaft Cracked rotor and motor shaft Cracked motor shaft

Table 1. Chronology of failures for Unit #1. Results of the field study are summarized in Table 2. The overall system first torsional frequency (TNF) was found to be well above the operating speed range, however the 4.0 order was indicated to be near the +/- 10% interference limit.

Table 2. Summary of measured critical frequencies.

Table 3. Measured values of vibratory amplitudes for Units #1 and #2 at different locations and for several harmonic orders under full load operation.

The compressor auxiliary end measurements were found to be within the manufacturers allowable limits. No set limits were available for the motor hub; however the torsional stress was also estimated to be within acceptable limits. Figure 5 shows results of measurement of the rotational velocity variation at the coupling hub (motor side) during a startup sweep. The 5.0 order and 7.0 order peak resonances were consistent with the first TNF at 5101 cpm.

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RPM amplitude

3.0

----- 4.0 order ----- 5.0 order ----- 7.0 order

2.0

1.0

800 1200 RPM Fig. 5. Unit #1 startup sweep. Torsional velocity variation at the coupling hub motor side. Measurement results were then matched to a conventional torsional vibration model of the system (developed by third parties and described below), with adjustment of variables in the model being made until agreement was reached between model and measurements. The resulting torsional vibration model was used to identify operating conditions that might reduce the risk of further motor failures for the North Big Ridge units. EQT provided eight typical load cases for the compressor, and a torsional vibration analysis (TVA) was carried out for each load case, as well as a no-load case, and the case having field measurements. Results of the TVA showed that three load cases were to be avoided for more reliable operation of the equipment. For the remaining loads, the TVA results indicated that torsional vibration levels at the auxiliary end of the compressor were within acceptable levels at operating speed. Torsional vibration levels in the AMR 700 coupling were within the manufacturers recommended limits. Predicted motor shaft vibration and stress levels were within allowable limits. Typical results for most of the load cases are shown in Table 4.

400

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Table notes: Speed Range: The compressor can be loaded at 1192 rpm. The torsional response has been verified from 1190 to 1200 rpm. Motor Shaft Stresses: The predicted motor shaft stresses are within allowable limits. Coupling Torques: The predicted vibratory torque for the AMR 700 coupling is within the manufacturers allowable limits. Compressor Crankshaft: The predicted alternating torque for the JGK/4 crankshaft slightly exceeds the compressor manufacturers allowable limits. However no compressor failures have been reported with torques up to 20000 Nm, which is used as a limit for all other conditions. Compressor Auxiliary End Amplitudes: The predicted vibratory amplitudes at the auxiliary end of the compressor crankshaft exceed the manufacturers allowable limits. However no compressor auxiliary end failures have been reported with amplitudes up to 0.277 degrees, which is used as a limit.

Table 4. Summary of results predicted by a TVA for Unit #1. Several additional TVA studies were made with revisions to the model in order to explore possible fixes for the load cases that were unworkable, but no acceptable arrangements could be found. For example, modifying the system with crankshaft detuners made torsional vibration levels higher. This was also the case with a flywheel added to the compressor. With no clear indication of the root cause of failure to this point, the assumptions and approximations in the TVA model were reviewed. It was apparent that the present level of modeling did not include sufficient details of the motor structure to allow complete evaluation of motor rotor or shaft failures. For example, hybrid finite element and torsional models have been successfully employed to account for motor spider and rotor bar details [1]. Rather than proceeding to more elaborate modeling studies, it was decided to consider a completely different approach: the use of a much lower (1/135) torsional stiffness coupling to torsionally isolate the motor from the compressor, so that rotor and rotor shaft failures might be avoided.

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BACKGROUND tuning out torsional vibration Torsional vibration is sometimes called the silent killer, since it usually exhibits no overt symptomsquietly setting the stage for catastrophic failure. [2]. One way to isolate torsional vibrations between system components is to install a very soft torsional coupling. The simple torsional model used in the TVA for the stiffer Rexnord coupling was used once again with a very soft coupling in order to make a side-by-side comparison of the vibratory twist with each arrangement. The traditional torsional vibration models use simplified representations of the real rotating-reciprocating parts. For example, Figure 6 shows: a shadow view of a Burckhardt 4-throw reciprocating compressor and its rotating / reciprocating components; the simplified representation as a series of disks and shafts. steady motor torque vibratory excitation torque

Figure 6. Simplified representation of a reciprocating compressor as a series of inertial disks, connected by shafts of fixed torsional stiffness. steady motor torque

vibratory excitation torque

MOTOR COUPLING COMPRESSOR Figure 7. A simplified torsional model of a compressor drive train.

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The complete compressor drive train can include many components as shown in Figure 7. The mass-elastic problem is then solved by different mathematical methods for the appropriate situation including the effects of damping and excitation torques [3, 4]. Stress levels, torques acting on specific components, and total vibratory twist can all be determined from the results. The particular motor rotor and rotor shaft failures experienced by Units #1 and #2 suggested that the model should consider a more detailed part of the motor shaft as shown in Figure 8. The results for the typical load cases shown in Table 4 were generated with this model. steady motor torque

vibratory excitation torque

MOTOR COUPLING COMPRESSOR Figure 8. Torsional vibration model used for Units #1 and #2.
1.0 0.5 0.0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 -2.0 -2.5 -3.0 -3.5 -4.0
Rexnord 700

Ariel JGK4
0 5 10 15 20

Reliance, 1250 HP @1190 RPM

82.9 Hz 4,979 RPM

-4.5 -5.0

Figure 9. Twist (relative to rotor) amplitudes with the Rexnord AMR 700.
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Figure 9 shows the twist (relative to the rotor) along the drive system predicted by a TVA of the model shown in Figure 8 (the lowest TNF mode shape). Further study of this model including torsional excitation torques and also torsional damping showed that excitation of this mode did not result in unacceptable stresses or torques (Table 4). Note that while the first TNF at 82.9 Hz (4,979 RPM) is well above the operating speed range, excitation by a 4.0 order harmonic would occur at approximately 1,245 RPM. As previously mentioned, a much more detailed model, in particular including details of the motor structure (spiders, rotor bars), could be carried out in an attempt to find the root cause of the failures experienced in the field. However at this point it was decided to try a completely different approach and consider the effect of a coupling with much lower torsional stiffness. The overall effect of a very torsionally-soft coupling is shown in Figure 10. The same model used to simulate the in-place Rexnord coupling was used once again, however the torsional stiffness of the coupling was reduced by a factor of approximately 1 / 135.
1.0 0.5 0.0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 -2.0 -2.5 -3.0 -3.5 -4.0 -4.5 -5.0
Rexnord 700 Lo-Rez F/HH

Ariel JGK4
0 5 10 15 20

Reliance, 1250 HP @1190 RPM

14.7 Hz 885 RPM

82.9 Hz 4,979 RPM

Figure 10. A comparison of system behavior with a stiff versus a soft coupling. The main features to be noted in Figure 10 are that the first TNF is now below the normal operating RPM, with very little relative twist in either the motor shaft or compressor crankshaft; the swing is across the soft coupling. In this manner the

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system is tuned so that torsional vibrations in either the motor or compressor are isolated from each other, without the need for energy loss associated with damping. Figure 11 shows how the vibratory torque on the coupling varies during a startup: as the system passes through successive orders of the first TNF, the vibratory torque peaks, then subsides to a low level during steady operation.
COMPRESSOR LO-REZ COUPLING

ALLOWABLE PEAK TRANSIENT VIBRATORY TORQUE COUPLING VIBRATORY TORQUE, TV

VIBRATORY TORQUE, TV

DRIVER

STEADY SPEED OPERATION

MEAN TORQUE

LOADED SHUTDOWN UNLOADED SHUTDOWN 2.0 3.0

1.0 order

TIME

COUPLING MEAN TORQUE

NORMAL OPERATING RANGE A B RPM

TV

MIN. STEADY OPERATING RPM

Figure 11. Schematic representation of steady and vibratory torque characteristics of a soft coupling, with a tuned first TNF below the normal running speed.

SYSTEM RESPONSE WITH A SOFT COUPLING Several styles of soft couplings are available; the best known and least expensive use rubber-like compounds as load carrying elements (typically in shear or compression). Significant deflection of the elements can result in large energy loss due to hysteresis effects. The couplings tend to lose their stiffness ratings with time, temperature and applied torque. Other types of soft coupling use metal springs for transmitting torque. The springs can be in either cantilever (leaf) or helical coil arrangements. Metal

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springs have the advantage of maintaining precise torsional characteristics, so that system operation will not change as is the case with rubber. Although initially more expensive, metallic couplings have far greater life so that life-cycle costs are lower than with rubber couplings. The particular coupling selected for trial in Unit #1 is a helical coil, steel spring coupling available from Lo-Rez Vibration Control Ltd. These couplings were developed in the mid-50s by Ted Spaetgens, P.Eng., an early proponent in North America for this style of coupling. Many thousands are now in continuous use (see www.lo-rez.com). Figures 12 (a) and (b) show the main features of the Lo-Rez couplings.

(a)

(b)

Figure 12. General features of the Lo-Rez steel spring coupling (a) helical coil springs arranged circumferentially between lugs on the driver and driven halves of the coupling (b) sketch showing inner arrangements to prevent springs from clashing, and also provision for optional friction dampers. Before proceeding with installation, further model studies were carried out, resulting in the addition of a flywheel and Ariel crankshaft detuners in order to optimize the overall dynamic system response. The previous torsional model was modified to include these features, and a TVA was carried out for the same load cases previously examined with the stiffer coupling. The results of the TVA with a soft coupling are shown in Table 5. It can be seen the maximum predicted vibratory stress in the motor shaft is reduced from 45.9 MPa with the stiffer coupling (see the portion of Table 4 reproduced below), to 4.8 MPa with a soft coupling.

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Table 4. (repeated for easy reference). Results with AMR 700 coupling.

Table 5. Summary of results predicted for Unit #1 with a Lo-Rez coupling. Note the reduction in vibratory stress in the motor shaft (Table 4 above).

Rexnord 700

Lo-Rez F/HH-72.0/1.0

Figure 13. Photos of the original and replacement couplings (approximately the same scale). Figure 13 shows photos comparing the original and replacement couplings, and also the additional flywheel and split hubs used with the Lo-Rez coupling. After a few hours of run time with all new hardware installed, torsional vibration testing was carried out with the same methods and equipment used previously. The measured values generally agreed well with those predicted by the TVA, except

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for the resonant frequencies. Table 6 indicates the measured TNFs were about 10% higher than predicted, but still about 19% below run speed.

Table 6. Summary of measured natural frequencies for the revised system. RPM amplitude 0.5

----- 1.0 order ----- 2.0 order

0.4

0.3

0.2 0 0.1

400

600

800 RPM

1000

1200

Figure 14. Rotational velocity at coupling hub - motor end during startup, showing the coupling mode first and second order response. The measured results are about 10% higher than predicted.

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CONCLUSIONS Several important points have been brought out as a result of this study: 1. Field measurements, regardless of how carefully carried out, may not fully point to a root cause of failure in a drive line. Increasingly complex measurement and analysis procedures may be required. 2. Torsional vibration analysis may not directly indicate ways to remedy operating difficulties. Assessment of model results, and the need for more complex modeling has to be balanced against the need to solve problems in a timely way. 3. Isolating torsional vibrations between driver and driven parts of a drive train can be effectively achieved by soft tuning the system so that the first torsional natural frequency is well below the lowest operating speed (coupling mode). As a precaution, second, third and perhaps higher natural frequencies should be evaluated with a standard Campbell diagram to be sure there are no further significant resonances. 4. To date, the modified system has been operating satisfactorily (est, 10,000 hrs.) with no further motor or rotor shaft failures. Other EQT stations have been retrofitted with Lo-Rez couplings. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to the EQT Midstream management team for help and assistance on this project; to Ariel Corporation for support information; to Mr. T.W. Spaetgens, PEng, at Lo-Rez Vibration Control for assistance and supply of a suitable coupling; to Mr. Jim Anderson III at Coupling Corporation for clamped hub details; and to Mr. R. Varty, PEng for information on measurement and analysis. REFERENCES 1. Motor Rotor Design & Life Evaluation Using Hybrid of Finite Element & Torsional Vibration Analysis, R Chundi, GMRC 2009. 2. Tracking the silent killer, torsional vibration, with high tech tools, J. Urban, R. Christenson, and P. Maysus, Compressor Tech 2, p. 24-26, Jan-Feb 2010. 3. Holzer method for forced-damped torsional vibrations, T.W. Spaetgens, J. Appl. Mech., March, 1950. 4. Harris Shock and Vibration Handbook, 6th ed. A.G.Piersol, T.L.Paez, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2010.

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