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Ali M. Al-Shurafa, Vibration Engineer

Saudi Electricity Company- Ghazlan Power Plant

Saudi Arabia

[email protected]
The Phenomena of Oil Whirl and Oil Whip

1. Introduction

Large machines mounted on fluid film bearings are exposed to many

vibration problems including those generated due to resonances. Fluid film bearings
contribute in the dynamic characteristics of these systems by influencing the natural
frequencies of the rotor system as a whole. Unlike the well-known mechanical
natural frequency, the fluid natural frequency is dependent upon operating factors
such as shaft speed and shaft eccentricity in the bearing.

Whirl and whip represent the major examples of fluid film resonances. They
are characterized by forward precession in a circular orbit with subsynchronous
frequency. Journal bearings (which involve radial forces) are the normal location
where these instabilities develop. Orbit and frequency spectrum plots can be used to
investigate the existence of whirl or whip vibrations.

From the theory of Complex Dynamic Stiffness, the interaction among shaft,
oil film and bearing plays a major role in the stability. Controlling oil whirl/whip
characteristics is achieved through adapting this interaction. The methods used to
overcome these instabilities are many and they include: rotor-related solutions,
bearing-related solutions and lube oil-related solutions.

In this article, a simplified physical description of the fluid induced instabilities

and the associated vibrations is given and supported with illustrative figures. More
concentration is paid for oil whirl and oil whip. Also, a basic comparison of the two is
given in the last section of this article. The theory of the rotor dynamics behind this
phenomenon and the practical approaches to control the oil whirl and whip are left
for another article.

2. Fluid Induced Vibrations

Fluid Induced Instabilities (FII) are damaging problems faced in many rotating
machinery, e.g., large turbines and compressors. The vibration resulting from these
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problems limits safe and efficient equipment operation because these problems are
directly related to the machine speed and unfortunately may exist over a range of
speeds.

Fluid Induced Vibrations (FIV) are described as a special type of self-excited

resonance vibration (refer to Figure 1). They are induced by an internal mechanism
(oil film bearing, this particular case) that transfers part of shaft rotational energy
back to the shaft as a lateral vibration. This mechanism is very much related to fluids,
hence, sometimes called Fluid Generated or Fluid Related Instability.

Vibration

Forced Self-Excited Free

Figure 1 Vibration classes based on source of excitation

Examples of the FIV are: Oil Whirl, Oil Whip, Subsynchronous Resonance
and Stall. FIV could be generated in different fluids. Figure 2 below categorizes the
instabilities based on fluid at which the instability is generated.

Fluid Instabilities
(Based on the Fluid)

Oil Instabilities Gas Instabilities Steam Instabilities

Figure 2 Instability classification based on fluid

Fluid Instabilities
(Based on the Location)

Seal Instabilites Bearing Instabilities Blade Tip Instabilities

Axial Bearing Instabilities Radial Bearing Instabilities Turbine Compressor

Figure 3 Instability classification based on location

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Moreover, FIV could be encountered in many locations in the equipment itself

like the tips of the blades, bearings and seals. Figure 3 classifies these instabilities
based on the location.

3. Rotor-Bearing: the Interaction and Effects

Oil whirl and oil whip arise when both Direct and Quadrature Stiffness reduce
to zero (for more information, refer to complex dynamic stiffness articles). For an
actual rotor, the formulas describing a rotor model, with whirl or whip vibration, are
very complicated. Machines mounted on radial fluid film bearings will have two types
of resonance: mechanical and fluid. The natural frequency of the whole system (not
only the rotor) will be affected by the interaction of the three elements: shaft, oil film
and bearing. These elements are partially mechanical (solid materials) and partially
fluid (hydraulic oil).

Complex Dynamic Stiffness

Direct Stiffness≈ Mechanical Based Stiffness
Quadrature Stiffness ≈ Fluid Based Stiffness

In the literature, if resonance is not explicitly specified, usually the mechanical

resonance is meant.

Resonances

Fluid Mechanical

Figure 4 Types of resonance

Notice that the natural frequency of a machine found by the impact test will
not be accurate for such machines because it gives you only the natural frequency at
zero rpm with minimum fluid film thickness. This explains why natural frequency
value collected by an impact test varies sometimes from that observed while the
machine runs during start up. To compensate this deficiency, Frequency Interface
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Charts are developed. These charts provide the machine natural frequency as a
function of the rotor speed and with normal fluid film thickness. The simplified figure
bellow is an example.

Figure 5 Frequency interference chart

It is important to keep in mind that:

1. The mechanical characteristics (related to the rotor, e.g. shaft

mass) are generally speed independent while the fluid
characteristics (related to the fluid film and bearing e.g. oil film
thickness) are generally speed dependent.

2. In the transient state, where speed changes, don’t confuse

Vibration frequency (in cpm) and frequency order (in nX). It is
possible have one of them fixed while the other one is variable,
however, it is impassible to have both of them constant.

Oil whip is mainly influenced by the mechanical characteristics which are,

again, generally independent on shaft rpm. Notice in the cascade plot (Figure 5) the
whip frequency is almost constant at about 1400 cpm. This value did not vary even
the shaft speed has been increased from 3000 rpm to 6000rpm. The whip frequency
order, however, is about 0.47X when the speed is 3000 rpm then the order starts to
decrease as the shaft speed increases.

On the other hand, oil whirl is mainly influenced by the fluid-related

characteristics that are, again, generally speed dependent. Notice in the cascade
plot (Figure 5) the whirl frequency changes with speed. Whirl frequency at 1400 is
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about 770 cpm then it starts to increase till it reaches 1150 cpm at 2800 rpm. The
whirl frequency order, however, is constant throughout this speed range. It is about
0.47X.

3. Whip/Whirl Vibrations: Snapshot

Whirling and whipping vibrations are similar oil induced vibrations

encountered with shaft speeds above its first critical speed. Only fluid film bearings
(axial or radial) suffer from this instability (being hydrostatic or hydrodynamic
lubricated bearing).

Typically during start up, instability starts with oil whirl and as speed
increases whirl continues and then disappears. In most cases oil whip starts
thereafter (see Figure 5). From cascade plots, one can notice that whirl (and similarly
whip) starts at a certain rpm and continues to survive till it reaches a certain higher
rpm where it diminishes. Many research works have been done to predict the starting
rpm. The Instability Threshold is a common term used for the instability starting rpm.
For example, in the cascade plot (Figure 7), the instability threshold of the whirl is
about 1550 rpm. Another example is Figure8, where the instability threshold is 6300
rpm.

Oil Instabilities
(Based on the Frequency)

Oil Whirl Oil Whip

Figure 6 Oil instability classification

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Figure 7 Cascade plot illustrating whirl and whip

Figure 8 Cascade Plot of FIV

4. Oil Whirl/Whip Symptoms

The typical symptoms of the whir/whip vibrations can be summarized as

follows:

1) Subsynchronous frequency (noticed in the frequency spectrum)

2) High amplitudes (reaching to machine’s alarm limits)

3) Circular or nearly circular orbits (noticed in the orbit plot)

4) Forward precession (noticed in the orbit plot)

4.1 A subsynchronous frequency, ω , is the one with a value less than the value
of the shaft running frequency, Ω , i.e., Ω > ω . Whirl and whip frequency order is
approximately equal to the Fluid Circumferential Average Velocity Ratio of the
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lubrication oil. It is typically between 0.42X to 0.48X. For example, at 2400 rpm, whirl
frequency is 1200 cpm or whirl order is 1200/2400 =0.5 X.

4.2 The actual value of the high amplitude generated by oil whirl/whip problems
are very much dependent on the machine design and dimensions. In practice, the
maximum allowable vibration amplitude of subsynchronous vibration is, usually, set
less than the synchronous maximum allowable vibration amplitudes. For example,
Limitwhirl = 0.25 LimitUnbalance.

4.3 Circular orbits reflect that the shaft whirls inside the bearing clearance without
being preloaded in one direction more or less compared to the other direction.

Figure 9 Orbit plot illustrating a fluid induced vibration

4.4 Forward Precession is an orbiting of the shaft about an outside center (e.g.
center of the bearing) in the same direction of the shaft rotation. This can be noticed
from either an orbit or a full spectrum plots. Some rubbing problems have similar
symptoms except that they undergo a reverse precession.

4. Comparison Between Oil Whirl and Whip

Whirl Whip

Forward precession. Forward precession.

Compared to whip, instability threshold Occurs under more specific conditions,

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usually occurs with lower rpm. typically with higher rpm

It depends on rotative speed to start It depends on rotative speed to start

and end. and end.

During its existence, During its existence,

1. Frequency order is almost 1. Frequency order changes
constant even with rpm (decreases) with rpm-increase.
increase. 2. Frequency is almost constant
2. Frequency changes (increases) with rpm increase.
with rpm-increase.

Circular or almost circular orbit. Circular or almost circular orbit.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[1] Bently, Donald E. The Description of Fluid-Induced Whirl. Orbit.

March 1996.
[2] Eshleman, Ronald. Machinery Vibration Analysis II. VIPress. 1996.
[3] Harris, Cyril M. and Charles E. Crede. Shock and Vibration
Handbook. 2nd Ed. McGraw Hill, Inc. 1976.
[4] Muszynska, A. , W. D. Franklin and D. E. Bently. Rotor Active “Anti-
Swirl” Control. Journal of Vibration, Acoustics, Stress, and Reliability in Design. April
1988. Vol. 110 p. 143.
[5] Muszynska, A. and Bently D. E. Anti-Swirl Arrangements Prevent
Rotor/Seal Instability. Journal of Vibration, Acoustics, Stress, and Reliability in
Design. April 1989. Vol. 111 p. 156.
[6] Muszynska, A. and Donald E. Bently. Fluid-induced instabilities of
Rotors: Whirl and Whip- Summary of results. Orbit. March 1996.
[7] Muszynska, A. and Donald E. Bently. Fluid-Generated Instabilities in
Rotors. Orbit. April 1989. p.6.
[8] The Difference Between Whirl and Whip. Orbit.