Basics of rotordynamics

Jeffcott rotor
M
A
3

a rigid rotor disk rotates at angular frequency W

massless shaft acts as a spring restoring displacements
disk can move only in the plane defined by axes 1 and 2
mass centre M and shaft centre A are different points
 Jeffcott rotor
2
Coordinates (y1, y2) give the
position of the shaft centre A,
coordinates (z1, z2) the position
of the mass centre M. The
j
z2 relation between them is
e M
y2
A
z1 = y1 + e cos j
O y1 z1 1
z2 = y 2 + e sin j

The rotor position is defined by

Rotor disk in the plane three variables, either y1, y2
defined by the axes 1,2 and j or z1, z2 and j.
 Force balance
Forces acting on the rotor disk:
Inertia forces related to the mass
Spring forces from the shaft
Viscose damping, for instance, from the surrounding air
gravity

mz''1 = - ky1 - dy1'

Equation of motion '' '
mz
2 = - ky 2 - dy 2 - mg

The damping force is assumed to act on point A. This is not

generally true put simplifies the model. There would be a
third equation governing the angular speed of the disk but
the problem is simplified further by assuming a constant
speed.
 Equations of motion
z1 = y 1 + e cos j
Let us choose for the variables y1, y2
z2 = y 2 + e sin j

2
'' '' d ( e cos j )
z1 = y1 +
dt 2
'' ''
( )' 2
= y1 - ej sin j - e j cos j
=> 2
z'' = y'' + d ( e sin j ) = y'' + ej '' cos j - e j ' 2 sin j
2 2
dt 2
2 ( )

Constant angular speed => j = W t ; j ' = W ; j '' = 0

my1'' + dy1' + ky1 = meW 2 cos W t

'' ' 2
my 2 + dy2 + ky 2 = meW sin W t - mg
 Steady-state solution

Solution in a steady state 6.0

r /e D = 0.01
y1 ( t ) = r cos ( W t - e ) 5.0 D = 0.10
D = 1.00
y 2 ( t ) = r sin ( W t - e ) - y g 4.0

where 3.0

meW 2
r= 2.0

( k - mW )
2 2
+ ( dW )
2
1.0
dW
e = arctan
k - mW 2 0.0
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0
mg W /w n
yg =
k
wn = k m ; D = dw n 2 k
Steady-state solution II y2

When the motion is observed from

coordinate system O set by gravity O
and bending of the shaft, points A and yg y1
M move on circular orbits at steady Wt
O
relative positions. These relative r eM
positions changes with the speed. At A e
high speeds, the centre of mass
tends to move closer to the origin
. (r e)

O O O
r r
r M
r r e
e M r M
A
e A

W < wn W = wn A W > wn
 Critical speed
The natural frequency of the lateral bending oscillation of the
rotor shaft fn = wn/2p is called the critical speed of the rotor.
The rotors are typically well balanced, but anyhow, a small
mass unbalance excitation acts on the rotor. The mechanical
damping of the rotor is small and the amplitude of the lateral
oscillation increases significantly while operating close to the
critical speed.
For large electrical machines and high-speed machines, it may
happen that the critical speed of a rotor occurs within the
normal operating speed range of the machine.
An electrical machine cannot usually be run continuously at the
critical speed. However, a critical speed can be passed quickly.
The damping of the system can be increased, for instance, by
using sleeve bearings (sliding bearings) or active magnetic
bearings.
 Eigen-value problem
The homogeneous equations of motion for Jeffcott rotor is
my 1'' + dy1' + ky1 = 0
'' '
my 2 + dy2 + ky 2 = 0
Choosing a common complex variable u = y1 + jy2 for the
displacements, leads to equation

mu'' + du' + ku = 0
Exponential trial function for the solution

u ( t ) = u0 elt => ( )
ml 2 + dl + k u0 elt = 0

Non-zero solution possible only if

( )
ml 2 + dl + k = 0
 Eigen-value problem II
The characteristic equation has two roots (eigen-values)
2
d d k 2 2
l1,2 =- - = -d j w n - d = -d jw d
2m 2m m

The solution is

u ( t ) = C1 ed t e jw dt + C 2 ed t e - jw dt = C 1u1 (t ) + C 2 u2 (t )

Functions u1 and u2 are called the natural modes of vibration

u1 ( t ) = ed t e jw dt ; u2 ( t ) = ed t e - jw dt

The first function is the forward whirling mode, the second

one is the backward whirling mode.
 Eigen-value problem III
Jeffcott rotor has only two natural modes and those have a
common damping factor d and oscillation frequency wd.

Real rotors have an infinite number of natural modes. Each of

them have their specific damping and frequency, which usually
also depends on the rotation speed of the rotor.

The speed-dependencies
of natural frequencies are - w4
presented in Campbells
diagrams. w w =W
-w 3
A mass unbalance is
efficient in exciting the w2
forward whirling modes.
These are the critical
speeds.
-w 1
w c1 W w c2
 Force on an eccentric rotor

We shall study the force Ftotal

acting between rotor and
stator when the rotor is
performing cylindrical
circular whirling motion Ftang Fradial
with respect to the stator.
This means that the rotor
remains aligned with the
stator but the geometrical
centreline of the rotor
wW
travels around the
geometrical centreline of
the stator in a circular orbit Whirling orbit
with a certain frequency,
called whirling frequency and with a certain radius, called whirling radius.
In conventional analyses of electrical machines, two special cases of
whirling motion are typically studied. They are the static and dynamic
eccentricity. In the static case, the whirling frequency is zero, in the
dynamic one, the whirling frequency is equal to the rotation speed of the
rotor. A lateral total force is commonly called an unbalanced magnetic pull.
 Need for the force analysis
Forces related to eccentricity and other kinds of deformation in the
machine structures will be discussed quite extensively.
The justification for this is related to the fact that speed-controlled electric
drives and high-speed drives are becoming more and more common. This
means that the critical bending speeds of rotors will more and more often
cause problems, especially, for large-power induction motors and high-
speed machines.
A critical speed means that the natural bending frequency of a rotor is the
same as its rotation frequency. In such a case, the centrifugal force
associated with only a small mass unbalance can cause a large amplitude
vibration. When there is simultaneously a magnetic force acting together
with the unbalance force, the rotor motion may become completely
unstable.
Normally, an electrical machine cannot be run continuously at or close to a
critical speed because of too large vibration amplitudes. These speeds
must be forbidden in the control algorithms of the drive.
In addition to the critical speeds, the varying supply frequency of a speed
control excites many other natural frequencies and resonances in the
structures of the machine. Most of the practical problems encountered with
electrical machines are related to mechanical vibrations. It is important to
know the basics of magnetic forces exciting these vibrations.
 Non-uniform cylindrical air gap
The radial air-gap length related to eccentricity can be
approximately written

d (f , t ) = d 0 - e cos (f - wn t + an )
when the eccentricity e is small. We generalise this expression
to take also into account possible other deviations in the
mechanical dimensions that may modify the shape of the air
gap

d (f , t ) = d 0 - e cos (nf - wn t + an )
By proper choice of the wave number n, we can study, for
instance, the effects of an oval stator (n = 2). The permeance
related to the distorted air-gap length is approximately
l0 e
l (f , t ) = l0 1 + cos (nf - wn t + an )
e
1 - d cos (nf - wn t + an ) d0
0
 Non-uniform cylindrical air gap
The magnetomotive force over the air gap is taken to include
the fundamental harmonic, only
B p
F (f , t ) = cos ( pf - wst + a s )
l0
The flux density in the air gap becomes
e B p
B (f , t ) = l F = l0 1 + cos (nf - wn t + an ) cos ( pf - wst + a s )
d0 l0
e
= B p cos ( pf - wst + a s ) + B p cos (nf - wn t + an ) cos ( pf - wst + a s )
d0
= B cos ( pf - w t + a )
p s s
e
+ Bp cos ( p + n ) f - (ws + wn ) t + (a s + an )
2d 0
e
+ Bp cos ( p -n )f - (ws - wn ) t + (a s - an )
2d 0
 Eccentricity, i.e. whirling of a circular rotor
If we consider the dynamic eccentricity (n = 1, ww = wr), we
have the fundamental plus the two well-known eccentricity
harmonics
e
B = B p cos ( pf - wst + a s ) - Bp cos ( p 1 )f - (ws wr ) t + (a s an )
2d 0

We shall show in the exercises that two flux-density waves

the wave numbers of which differ by one interact and
produce a radial net force between the stator and rotor.

The wave numbers of the eccentricity harmonics differ by one

from the fundamental wave number p. As the fundamental is
normally the flux-density wave having the biggest amplitude,
the eccentricity harmonics, even if their amplitudes were
relatively small, typically produce a large forces on the rotor.
 Force on an eccentric rotor
We shall show in the exercises that the force associated with
the two harmonics with wave numbers m and m+1 is
2p
m+ 1 lR j(mf -wmt +a m ) - j ( m+1 )f -wm+1t +a m+1 ) jf
F =
4 m0 Bm Bm+1 e e e df
0
p lR - j ( w -w )t -(a m -a m+1 )
= Bm Bm+1 e m m+1
2 m0

where the complex notation is used to express the x- and y-

components of a force. When this equation is applied to the
fundamental harmonic interacting with the two eccentricity
harmonics, the force becomes

p 1 p lR m j (wp -wp1 )t -(a p -a p 1 )

F = Bp Bp1 e
2 m0
 Force on an eccentric rotor
After substituting the amplitudes, frequencies and phases of the
eccentricity harmonics
e
B p 1 = Bp , wp 1 = ws ww , a p 1 = a s a w
2d 0
the two forces become equal
p 1 p lR m j (w p -w p1 )t -(a p -a p 1 )
F = Bp Bp1 e
2 m0
p lR e m j(ws -ws mww )t -(a s -a s ma w )
= Bp Bp e
2 m0 2d 0
p lR 2 j(wwt -a w )
= e Bp e
4 m0d 0
The displacement vector of the rotor associated with the
whirling motion can be defined
p = e e j(wwt -a w )
 Force on an eccentric rotor
Substituting the displacement vector, the total force becomes
p+1 p -1 p lR 2 j(wwt -a w ) p lR 2
F ecc = F +F = e Bp e = Bp p
2 m0d 0 2 m0d 0
The force depends linearly on the displacement (eccentricity)
and points in the direction of the displacement vector.

In the derivation above, many factors were neglected that

affect a lot the forces caused by the eccentricity. Such factors
are the eddy and circulating currents the eccentricity
harmonics induce in the rotor conductors and parallel
branches of the stator winding, saturation of the iron core and
harmonics associated with the stator and rotor slotting.

The following slides try to show the importance of the these

factors on the eccentricity force. A small 15 kW four-pole cage
induction motor is studied. As a reference, the weight of the
rotor is 300 N.
 Unbalance magnetic bull on an eccentric rotor
2000

1500

1000

500
Fy [N]

-500

-1000

-1500

-2000
-2000 -1000 0 1000 2000
Fx [N]

Unbalanced magnetic pull in a four-pole 40 kW synchronous reluctance

machine. The machine runs at the rated load and its rotor is 20 % dynamically
eccentric. The force vector rotating at the synchronous speed draws a slightly
distorted circle.
 Force on a whirling rotor of the 40 kW motor
The left-hand figure below show the radial (Fr) and tangential (Ft) force
components acting on the rotor. The eccentricity is 10 % of the average air
gap. The stator winding is connected in series (no parallel paths). In this
case, the force is independent from the whirling frequency. The force vector
points exactly in the direction of the shortest air gap.
The right-hand figure shows the amplitudes of the two eccentricity
harmonics p1. These are also independent from the whirling frequency.
800 0.012
700
0.010
600

Flux density [T]

500 0.008
Force [N]

400
0.006
300
200 0.004

100
0.002
0
-100 0.000
-100 -50 0 50 100 -100 -50 0 50 100
Whirling frequency [Hz] Whirling frequency [Hz]
Fr Ft Bp-1 Bp+1

Four-pole machine; No parallel branches in the stator winding

 Effect of parallel branches of the stator winding
There are now four branches in each stator phase winding connected in
parallel. The amplitudes of the two eccentricity harmonics p1 strongly
depend on the whirling frequency. They have clear peaks at the frequencies
of 50 Hz. The radial force follows the behaviour of the eccentricity
harmonics and peaks at the same frequencies. The tangential component of
the force is also significant. This means that the direction of the force clearly
deviates from the direction of the shortest air gap.
Why do the parallel stator branches have such a strong effect on the force?
450 0.007
400
0.006
350
300 0.005

Flux density [T]

250
Force [N]

200 0.004
150
0.003
100
50 0.002
0
0.001
-50
-100 0.000
-100.0 -50.0 0.0 50.0 100.0 -100.0 -50.0 0.0 50.0 100.0
Whirling frequency [Hz] Whirling frequency [Hz]

Fr Ft Bp-1 Bp+1

Four-pole machine; Four parallel branches in the stator winding

 Effect of parallel branches of the stator winding
The eccentricity harmonics interact with the fundamental harmonic and
produce the force. The machine is supplied from a voltage source and this
should keep the fundamental harmonic approximately constant. Thus, the
frequency-dependence of the force probably follows from the variation of the
eccentricity harmonics. However, as the eccentricity is also constant, the
sources of the eccentricity harmonics (the fundamental harmonic and
permeance wave) should not change.
The peak flux densities are at about the same values as obtained earlier
when there was no parallel branches. Is it so that the parallel branches
brought something to the system that dampens the eccentricity harmonics at
all the frequencies except at 50 Hz? We have to study the interaction of
the harmonics with the stator winding and its parallel branches.
The winding factor of the simple stator winding without parallel branches is

1 a
sin 1 n qb
2 sin (n + 1 ) p
xn = sinn 2
k q sin 21 nb sin (n + 1 ) p
m
Substituting n = p 1 = 2 1, m = 4 gives x = 0 for both the eccentricity
harmonics. This means that these harmonics do not interact with the series
connected stator winding.
 Effect of parallel branches of the stator winding
When there are four parallel branches in a four-pole machine, we have a
double layer winding and all the four coil groups of a phase are connected in
parallel. The figure below shows the situation except that in the case the 40
kW motor the coils are not chorded and q = 4.

+ + + - - -
+ + + - - -

We must study the winding factor for a coil group, which is

1 a sin 21 n qb p p
xn = sinn 2 1
, a= , b= , q=4
k q sin 2 nb 2 48

This winding factor has a non-zero value for both the harmonics, which
means that the eccentricity harmonics interact with the coil groups.
 Effect of parallel branches of the stator winding
The two eccentricity harmonics presented in the stator frame of reference
are
e
p + 1 2d Bp cos ( p + 1 ) f - (ws + wn ) t + (a s + an )
B =
0

Bp - 1 = e B p cos ( p - 1 ) f - (ws - wn ) t + (a s - an )
2d 0

If the supply frequency is 50 Hz, the frequency of the first harmonic

becomes zero at a whirling frequency of 50 Hz. This means that at 50 Hz
whirling frequency the harmonic is a dc-field and cannot induce any
electromotive force or current in the coil groups. At all the other frequencies,
the eccentricity harmonic generates some circulating currents in the parallel
coil groups. The circulating currents induce their own counter-acting fields
that dampen the eccentricity harmonic.
The second eccentricity harmonic becomes a dc-field at the +50 Hz whirling
frequency. For this harmonic, the damping vanishes at +50 Hz but all the
other whirling frequencies cause circulating currents that dampen the
second eccentricity harmonic.
 Computed and measured forces
15 kW induction motor; No load; 10 % eccentricity
700 250

200
600
150
500

Tangential force [N]

100
Radial force [N]

50
400
0
300
-50

200 -100

-150
100
-200

0 -250
-50 -25 0 25 50 -50 -25 0 25 50
Whirling frequency [Hz] Whirling frequency [Hz]
Computed Measured Computed Measured

Force in radial direction Force in tangential direction

 Computed results
Rated load; 10 % eccentricity

700 250
200
600
150

Tangential force [N]

500
Radial force [N]

100

400 50
0
300
-50
200 -100
-150
100
-200
0 -250
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50
Whirling frequency [Hz] Whirling frequency [Hz]

Force in radial direction Force in tangential direction

 Interpretation of the results
A force in x,y-plane can be presented as a complex number. The real part
represents the x-component, imaginary part the y-component of the force.
In this presentation, the force versus frequency curve of the previous slide
can be interpreted as a product of a complex frequency response function
and complex displacement vector u of whirling motion

F (s) = K (s) u (s) , where s = jw

The frequency response function seems to have two poles, which are
shifted away from the synchronous speed, when the loading (slip) of the
motor is increased. The frequency response function could probably be
parametrised to have the form
c1 c2
K ( s ) = c0 + +
s - a1 s - a2
If reasonable estimates for the parameters ci and ai can be obtained either
by using FEA simulations or measurements, a parametric force model has
been identified. If the system is linear and time invariant, we should be
able to extend the model to also represent transient response.
 Interpretation of the results II
In this case, the frequency-response function K(s) is interpreted as a
transfer function and variable s is taken as the Laplace variable. The
following second-order state-space model is obtained for the force
q&1 = a1 q1 + c1u ( t )
q&2 = a2 q2 + c2 u (t )
F ( t ) = q1 + q2 + c0 u ( t )
The auxiliary variables q1 and q2 are some kind of force variables but their
physical origins are unknown. Obviously, we have identified a black-box
model.
Studying the problem of a whirling rotor analytically using Maxwells
equations, it can be shown that the auxiliary variables are related to the
harmonics of wave number p1 produced in the air gap of the machine by
the eccentric motion [Holopainen 2004]. The variables can be expressed as
linear functions of the p1 harmonic currents induced in the rotor cage. In
this way, the physical meaning of the auxiliary variables was gradually
revealed.
 Electromechanical Interaction

Jeffcott rotor model

Combined equations of motion

mu&& + du& + ( k - c0 ) u + q p -1 + q p +1 = f

q& p -1 = a p -1q p -1 + c p -1u
q& = a q + c u
p +1 p +1 p +1 p +1
 Campbell diagram

Non-rotating damping
factor:
z n = 0.0
Modes:
1. Forward whirling
2. Backward whirling
3. Electromagnetic
 Decay rates

Non-rotating damping
factor:
z n = 0.0
Modes:
1. Forward whirling
2. Backward whirling
3. Electromagnetic
 Stability chart

A super-critical
induction motor
A typical ratio for the
spring coefficients of
induction machines
is 0.15

zn = factor for non-

rotating damping
 Whirl amplification factor for mass
unbalance
Non-rotating
damping factor:

z n = 0.025

Stability limit:

z n 0.023
 Conclusions
1. A new simple electromechanical rotor model was constructed
2. Electromechanical interaction affects the vibration
characteristics of the machine (stiffness, damping, stability)
3. These effects are significant in large-power induction motors
with a flexible shaft, large bearing span, and narrow air gap
4. Previously used models overestimate the electromagnetic
stiffness coefficient at most whirling frequencies
5. An unstabilising electromagnetic force is always present at the
supercritical speeds
6. Electromechanical interaction reduces the unbalance response
close to the critical speed