Você está na página 1de 8

BALANCING OF ROTATING BODIES

SUMMARY
In heavy industrial machines such as steam turbines, internal combustion engines and electric
generators, unbalanced rotating bodies could cause vibration, which in turn could cause
catastrophic failure. This chapter explains the importance of balancing rotating masses. It also
explains both static and dynamic balance, i.e. balancing of coplanar and non-coplanar masses.

1. INTRODUCTION
The balancing of rotating bodies is important to avoid vibrations. In heavy industrial
machines such as steam turbines internal combustion engines and electric generators,
vibration could cause catastrophic failure. Vibrations are noisy and uncomfortable and when
a car wheel is out of balance, the ride is quite unpleasant. In the case of a simple wheel,
balancing simply involves moving the centre of gravity to the centre of rotation but as we
shall see, for longer and more complex bodies, there is more to it. For a body to be
completely balanced it must have two things: static balance and dynamic balance.

• Static Balance (Single-plane balance). This occurs when the resultant of the
centrifugal forces is equal to zero and the centre of gravity is on the axis of rotation.

• Dynamic Balance (Two-plane balance). This occurs when there is no resulting


turning moment along the axis.
2. STATIC BALANCE
Despite its name, static balance does apply to things in motion. The unbalanced forces of
concern are due to the accelerations of masses in the system. The requirement for static
balance is simply that the sum of all forces on the moving system must be zero.

Another name for static balance is single-plane balance, which means that the masses which
are generating the inertia forces are in, or nearly in, the same plane. It is essentially a two-
dimensional problem. Some examples of common devices which meet this criterion, and thus
can successfully be statically balanced, are: a single gear or pulley on a shaft, a bicycle or
motorcycle tire and wheel, a thin flywheel, an airplane propeller, an individual turbine blade-
wheel (but not the entire turbine). The common denominator among these devices is that they
are all short in the axial direction compared to the radial direction, and thus can be considered
to exist in a single plane. An automobile tire and wheel is only marginally suited to static
balancing as it is reasonably thick in the axial direction compared to its diameter. Despite this
fact, auto tires are sometimes statically balanced. More often they are dynamically balanced.

Figure l-a shows a link in the shape of a "vee", which is part of a linkage. We want to
statically balance it. We can model this link dynamically as two point masses m1 and m2
concentrated at the local CGs of each "leg" of the link as shown in Figure l-b.
These point masses each have a mass equal to that of the "leg" they replace and are supported
on massless rods at the position (R1 or R2) of that leg's CG. We can solve for the required
amount and location of a third "balance mass" to be added to the system at some location
in order to satisfy the equilibrium.

 
Figure 1: Static Balancing

Assume that the system is rotating at some constant angular velocity ω. The accelerations of
the masses will then be strictly centripetal (toward the centre), and the inertia forces will be
centrifugal (away from the centre) as shown in Figure 1. Since the system is rotating, the
figure shows a "freeze-frame" image of it. The position at which we "stop the action", for the
purpose of drawing the picture and doing the calculations, is both arbitrary and irrelevant to
the computation. We will set up a coordinate system with its origin at the centre of rotation
and resolve the inertial forces into components in that system. Writing the equilibrium
equation for this system we get:

0                          1  

Note that the only forces acting on this system are the inertia forces. For balancing, it does
not matter what external forces may be acting on the system. External forces cannot be
balanced by making any changes to the system's internal geometry. Note that the ω2 terms
cancel and equation (1-a) could be re-written as follows.

                        1  

Breaking into x and y components:

The terms on the right sides are known. Then one can solve for the magnitude and direction
of the product  needed to balance the system.

                       1

         1

After the product  is calculated from equation 1 , there is infinity of solutions


available. We can either select a value for and solve for the necessary radius at which
it should be placed, or choose a desired radius and solve for the mass that should be placed
there.

Once a combination of and is chosen, it remains to design the physical counterweight.


The chosen radius is the distance from the pivot to the CG of whatever shape we create
for the counterweight mass. A possible shape for this counterweight is shown in Figure l-c.
Its mass must be  , distributed so as to place its CG at radius and at angle  .

Example 1 (Static Balance)


The system shown in Figure 1 has the following data:
1.2  1.135  at Ѳ 113.4
1.8  0.822  at Ѳ 48.8

Find the mass-radius product and its angular location needed to statically balance the system.
Solution:

Ѳ Ѳ Ѳ
1.2  1.135 113.4  ‐0.541  1.250 
1.8  0.822 48.8  0.975  1.113 

  0.541 0.975 0.434


  1.250 1.113 2.363
2.363
      79.6 180 259.6
0.434
0.434 2.363 2.403  ·
 
This  mass‐radius  product  of  2.403  ·   can  be  obtained  with  a  variety  of  shapes 
appended to  the assembly.  Figure 1 shows a  particular shape whose CG is at radius of 
0.806  m  at  the  required  angle  of 259.6 .  The  mass  required  for  this  counterweight 
design is then: 
2.403
    2.981   
0.806
at a chosen CG radius of: 
0.806
 

3. DYNAMIC BALANCE
Dynamic balance is sometimes called two-plane balance. It requires that two criteria be met.
The sum of the forces must be zero (static balance) plus the sum of the moments must also be
zero.
0
2
0

These moments act in planes that include the axis of rotation of the assembly such as planes
XZ and YZ in Figure 2. The moment's vector direction, or axis, is perpendicular to the
assembly's axis of rotation.

Any rotating object or assembly which is relatively long in the axial direction compared to
the radial direction requires dynamic balancing for complete balance. It is possible for an
object to be statically balanced but not be dynamically balanced. Consider the assembly in
Figure 2. Two equal masses are at identical radii, 180o apart rotationally, but separated along
the shaft length. A summation of -ma forces due to their rotation will be always zero.
However, in the side view, their inertia forces form a couple which rotates with the masses
about the shaft. This rocking couple causes a moment on the ground plane, alternately lifting
and dropping the left and right ends of the shaft.
Some examples of devices which require dynamic balancing are: rollers, crankshafts,
camshafts, axles, clusters of multiple gears, motor rotors, turbines, and propeller shafts. The
common denominator among these devices is that their mass may be unevenly distributed
both rotationally around their axis and also longitudinally along their axis.

 
Figure 2: Balanced Forces – Unbalanced Moments [1] 

To correct dynamic imbalance requires either adding or removing the right amount of mass at
the proper angular locations in two correction planes separated by some distance along the
shaft. This will create the necessary counter forces to statically balance the system and also
provide a counter couple to cancel the unbalanced moment. When an automobile tire and
wheel is dynamically balanced, the two correction planes are the inner and outer edges of the
wheel rim. Correction weights are added at the proper locations in each of these correction
planes based on a measurement of the dynamic forces generated by the unbalanced, spinning
wheel.

It is always good practice to first statically balance all individual components that go into an
assembly, if possible. This will reduce the amount of dynamic imbalance that must be
corrected in the final assembly and also reduce the bending moment on the shaft.

Consider the system of three lumped masses arranged around and along the shaft in Figure 3.
Assume that, for some reason, they cannot be individually statically balanced within their
own planes. We then create two correction planes labelled A and B. In this design example,
the unbalanced masses m1, m2, m3 and their radii R1, R2, R3 are known along their angular
locations t1, t2 and t3. We want to dynamically balance the system. A three-dimensional
coordinate system is applied with the axis of rotation in the Z direction. Note that the system
has again been stopped in an arbitrary freeze-frame position. Angular acceleration is assumed
to be zero. The summation of forces is:

0             3

Dividing out the   and rearranging we get:


                                            3
Breaking into x and y components:

Equations (3-c) have four unknowns in the form of products at plane A and products
at plane B. To solve, we need the sum of the moments which we can take about a point in one
of the correction planes such as point O. The moment arm (z-distance) of each force
measured from plane A are labelled   ,   ,   , in the figure; thus
 

 
Figure 3: Two‐plane Dynamic Balancing [1] 

       3

Dividing out the  , breaking into x and y components and rearranging:


The moment in the XZ plane (i.e., about the Y axis) is:

 
       3

       3

These can be solved for the products in x and y directions for correction plane B which
can then be substituted into equation (3-c) to find the values needed in plane A. Equations (1-
d) and (1-e) can then be applied to each correction plane to find the angles at which the
balance masses must be placed and the product needed in each plane. The physical
counterweights can then be deigned consistent with the constraints outlined in the section on
static balance. Note that the radii and do not have to be the same value.

Example 2 (Dynamic Balance)


The system shown in Figure 3 has the following data:
1.2  1.135  at Ѳ 113.4
1.8  0.822  at Ѳ 48.8
2.4  1.040  at Ѳ 251.4

The z-distances in metres from the plane A are:


0.854  1.701  2.396  3.097 

Find the mass-radius products and their angular locations needed to dynamically balance the
system using the correction planes A and B.
Solution:

Ѳ
Ѳ Ѳ
1.2  1.135  0.854 113.4   ‐0.541  1.250  ‐0.462  1.067 
1.8  0.822  1.701 48.8   0.975  1.113  1.660  1.894 
2.4  1.040  2.396 251.4   ‐0.796  ‐2.366  ‐1.910  ‐5.668 

0.462
1.660 1.910
  0.23
3.097
0.462 1.660 1.91
  0.874
3.097
0.874
      75.26
0.23
0.23 0.874 0.904  ·
 
Solving equations (3‐c) for forces in x and y directions: 
 
 
 
 
0.541 0.975 0.796 0.23 0.132 
 

 
1.250 1.113 2.366 0.874 0.871 
 
0.871
      81.38
0.132
0.132 0.871 0.881 ·
 
These mass‐radius products can be obtained with a variety of shapes appended to the 
assembly in planes A and B. Many shapes are possible. As long as they provide the 
required mass‐radius products at the required angles in each correction plane, the 
system will dynamically balanced. 

4. EXERCISES

4.1 A shaft carries four masses 200 kg, 300 kg, 240 kg  and 260 kg respectively. The 


corresponding radii of rotation are 20 cm, 15 cm, 25 cm and 30 cm respectively 
and  the  angles  between  successive  masses  are  45o,  75o  and  135o.  Find  the 
position and magnitude of the balance  mass required, if its radius of rotation is 
20 cm [2].                                                                        . 110  , 201  
 
4.2 A shaft carries four masses A, B, C and D placed in parallel planes perpendicular 
to the shaft axis and in this order along the shaft. The masses of B and C are 36 
kg and 25 kg respectively and both are assumed to be concentrated at a radius of 
15 cm, while the masses A and D are both at radius of 20 cm. The angle between 
the  radii  of  B  and  C  is  100o  and  that  between  B  and  A  is  190o,  both  angles  are 
being  measured  in  the  same  sense.  The  planes  containing  A  and  B  are  25  cm 
apart  and  those  containing  B  and  C  are  50  cm  apart.  If  the  shaft  is  to  be  in 
complete dynamic balance, determine [2]: 
a) The masses of A and D; 
b) The distance between the planes containing C and D, and 
c) The angular position of the mass D. 
                                                            
                                                     . 19.5  ,   16.5    252 , 13.2   
 

5. CONCLUSION
 
Balancing of rotating masses in heavy industrial machines is very essential to reduce the 
unpleasant and dangerous vibration. Two balancing techniques have been introduced in 
this chapter, namely, static and dynamic balance. Two illustrative examples have been 
demonstrated  in  order  to  understand  the  two  different  techniques.  Two  exercises  are 
left  to  the  students  to  train  themselves  on  solving  balancing  problems  with  final 
answers given to guide them. 
 
  
6. REFERENCES
 
[1] Norton, R.L. (1999): “DESIGN OF MACHINERY”, 2nd Edition, McGraw‐Hill, ISBN: 0‐07‐
048395‐7, 1999.  
[2] Khurmi, R.S., Gupta, J.K. (1976): “THEORY OF MACHINES”, Eurasia Publishing House 
Ltd, 1976. 

Você também pode gostar