Centrifugal Pumps Vibration

Causes of Mechanical Vibration

Main causes of mechanical vibrations are:

 Bad bearings
 Shaft beanding
 Unbalanced rotor
 Misalignment
 Soft foot
 Clogged Impeller or suction line
 Piping stresses
 Thermal growth of pump parts
 Looseness of foundation bolts and maximum impeller size
 Operating pump at other than best efficiency point (BEP)
 Internal recirculation
 Water hammer.


Vibration causes

 Noise
 Turblance in pumps
 Premature failures of pump parts etc

This documents carries vibration limits of centrifugal pumps according to various

standards and way to measure vibration according to API-610 Eleventh Edition

 Vibration limits for Centrifugal Pumps
Location
of
Antifriction Vibration
S/N Pump vibration Load Vibration Peak
Standard Bearing RPM'S Other Parameters RMS
o Type measure (KW) (mm/sec)
Type (mm/sec)
ment
Pump
Over hung
Up to 300
and Bearing Up to
KW (400 N/A 3 4.24
ANSI/API Between Housing 3600 RPM
hp)
STANDARD Bearing
610 Pump
1 ELEVENTH thrust For all types
Vibration at any flow
EDITION, bearing
vertically- within the pump's
SEPTEMBE housing or N/A 5 7.07
suspended preferred operating
R 2010 motor
region
mounting
flange
Less than
20HP (15 N/A 3 4.24
End Bearing KW)
2 ANSI B-73 For all types N/A
Suction Housing More than
100HP N/A 4.6 6.5
(75 KW)

Centerline heights
below 225 mm (Height
from base plate to shaft 2.8 3.95
centerline for horizontal
Up to pump)
N/A
single 1800 RPM
stage,
ISO 9908 -
multistage, Centerline heights
Technical
horizontal above 225 mm (Height
specification
or Bearing from base plate to shaft 4.5 6.36
3 for For all types
vertical Housing centerline for horizontal
centrifugal
constructio pump)
pumps –
n (coupled Centerline heights
Class 3
or close below 225 mm (Height
coupled) from base plate to shaft 4.5 6.36
Between centerline for horizontal
1800 RPM pump)
N/A
and 4500 Centerline heights
RPM above 225 mm (Height
from base plate to shaft 7.1 10.04
centerline for horizontal
pump)
Rigid Horizontal Rigid Horizontal =
Centerline heights
= 3.0 4.24
below 225 mm (Height
with any with any Flexible Flexible horizontal
single from base plate to shaft
drive and drive and horizontal = 5.50 = 7.70
stage, centerline for horizontal
any any All Vertical = All Vertical =
multistage, pump)
Bearing installatio installatio 7.10 10.04
4 ISO 5199 horizontal For all types
Housing n for n for Rigid Horizontal Rigid Horizontal =
or vertical Centerline heights
general general = 4.5 6.36
constructio Above 225 mm (Height
applicatio applicatio Flexible Flexible horizontal
n from base plate to shaft
n n horizontal = 7.10 = 10.04
centerline for horizontal
All Vertical = All Vertical =
pump)
7.10 10.04