Fan Application

FA/108-00

A technical bulletin for engineers, contractors and students in the air movement and control industry.

Balance, Vibration, and Vibration Analysis

There are many factors that can have a substantial Based upon its particular operation and
effect on the vibration level of air movement performance, every fan belongs to a Fan Application
equipment; such as wheel balance, rotational speed, Category. (See Fan Application Categories chart.)
drive components, motor operation and wiring.
Responsible fan manufacturers balance the fan
Providing equipment that operates well within
impeller assemblies to allowable residual unbalance
acceptable vibration levels requires consistent
prior to assembly of the unit. These limits are based
quality in production and attention to details. Only
on ANSI S2.19 Balance Quality of Rigid Bodies.
quality-driven companies spend the extra time and
money required to make this kind of commitment. Fan Application Balance Quality Grade
In this article, we will discuss wheel balancing, Category for Rigid Rotors/Impeller
define the parameters and process of conducting BV-1 G 16
vibration tests, and review some typical vibration BV-2 G 16
analysis techniques. First lets look at wheel BV-3 G 6.3

balancing. BV-4 G 2.5

BV-5 G 1.0
Balancing
This standard establishes allowable residual
Many fan manufacturers, including Greenheck,
unbalance based on the balance quality grade,
produce a full line of products ranging from small
impeller weight and impeller rotational speed. Refer
ceiling fans to large industrial centrifugal fans. There
to ANSI S2.19 and AMCA Standard 204-05 for further
are many application standards for different sizes
information on balancing standards.
and types of fans.
Fan Application Categories Balancing is defined as the process of adding (or
removing) mass in a plane or planes on a rotor in
Driver Power Fan
Application Examples kW (HP) Application
order to move the center of gravity towards the axis
Limits Category, BV of rotation. As the definition of balancing implies,
Residential
Ceiling fans, attic fans, <= .15 (0.2) BV-1 material is either added to or removed from the
window AC > .15 (0.2) BV-2 rotating element to attain an acceptable balance
Building ventilation
HVAC&
and air conditioning;
<= 3.7 (5.0) BV-2 level. In most cases adding weight is preferable,
Agricultural > 3.7 (5.0) BV-3
commercial systems and depending on the type of fan and the fan
Industrial Baghouse, scrubber, design duty, different methods of adding weight
Process mine, conveying,
and Power boilers, combustion air,
<= 298 (400) BV-3 are employed. In some cases weight is added by
> 298 (400) BV-4
Generation,
etc.
pollution control, wind
tunnels
means of a metal clip placed on the blade or wheel
Transportation Locomotives, trucks, <= 15 (20) BV-3
tip. Typically this method is used for lighter duty
and Marine automobiles > 15 (20) BV-4 fans operating at low speeds. As the speed and
Subway emergency
<= 75 (100) BV-3 size of the fan increases, stainless steel bolts, nuts,
ventilation, tunnel fans,
Transit/Tunnel
garage ventilation,
> 75 (100) BV-4 or washers on steel products or aluminum bolts,
ANY BV-4
tunnel jet fans nuts or washers on aluminum products are used as
Petrochemical Hazardous gases,
Process process fans
<= 37 (50)
> 37 (50)
BV-3
BV-4
balancing weights instead of clips. These methods
Computer are employed on impellers that are balanced after
Clean room ANY BV-5
Chip Mfg they have been painted, because the added weight of

P.O. Box 410 Schofield, WI 54476 715.359.6171 Fax 715.355.2399

Copyright 2013 Greenheck Fan Corp.

Greenheck Product Application Guide

the paint could have an effect on the overall balance only requires dynamic balancing. Static balancing
of the assembly. In other cases where the weight of would be redundant.
the paint is negligible compared to the weight of the
impeller, metal plates of varying sizes are welded Vibration
onto the impeller in the appropriate location to Vibration analysis is a cost-effective and useful
attain adequate balance diagnostic tool to ensure smooth
and then the impeller is running fans. Smaller units may not be
painted. vibration tested after assembly because
the vibratory energy is much lower and
In some cases, notably has little impact on the installation or
those units with very the life of the fan. Vibration is defined as
small unpainted fan the alternating mechanical motion of an
rotors weighing less elastic system, components of which are
than eight ounces, amplitude, frequency and phase. The
residual unbalance can two components of vibration that fan
be difficult to determine manufacturers are most concerned with
accurately. Therefore, are amplitude and frequency. Amplitude
Welding balance plates to a centrifugal wheel
the fabrication process defines how far the rotating body moves
prior to painting.
alone of these products (Shown on dynamic balancing stand) from the center rotating axis, and the
must ensure that the frequency is the number of cycles, or
weight is distributed revolutions that occur within a
equally about the axis of rotation specified time period.
because these smaller fan rotors do
not undergo the same balancing Frequency is most often
process. measured in either Hz (cycles
per second) or CPM (cycles
It is important to understand the per minute). Amplitude can
difference between static and be measured in displacement
dynamic balancing. (mils), velocity (in./sec.), or
Static balancing is usually used on acceleration (gs). Of these
a very thin rotor, like a flywheel, three, velocity is typically used
Permanently secured stainless steel bolts, nuts to describe the vibration of
where most of the mass lies in a and washers used as balancing
single plane. Static balancing does weights after paint a fan because it represents a
not require that the rotor rotates. fairly constant level of vibration
An example of static balancing is severity independent of the
a bubble balance on an automobile tire. Here the fan rpm. A velocity measurement gives a vibration
wheel assembly is placed horizontally on a pivot severity description that can be compared at any
point and weight is added to the front of the rim rotational speed. In contrast, displacement measures
until the wheel is level. the maximum distance of a vibrating body from
its neutral position. This gives a vibration severity
Dynamic balancing is used on most rotors where description at only one specific speed and cannot
more than one correction plane is required to be compared without measuring across a range of
balance the rotor. The rotor must be rotated to detect different speeds. Acceleration measures amplitude
and correct couple unbalance where two equal as the time rate of change of velocity, which
unbalance masses are spaced 180 degrees apart at again, is not a particularly useful description of
opposite ends of the rotor. An example of dynamic vibration severity except for some special analysis
balancing is a spin balance on an automobile tire. applications.
Here the wheel assembly is rotated and weights are
attached to both the front and back of the wheel rim. Vibration Testing
A rotor that is dynamically balanced is also statically When a fan is ready to undergo vibration testing,
balanced. For this reason, a meaningful specification it is first mounted on the test bed as either a rigidly
supported or a flexibly supported installation. A

2 Fan Application FA/108-00

Greenheck Product Application Guide

rigidly supported system should have a natural Vibration Limits for Tests Conducted in the Factory
frequency above the running speed. (An example Values shown are peak velocity, inches/second,
of a rigidly mounted fan is one that is mounted filter-in, at the factory test speed.
directly to a heavy concrete foundation.) A flexibly Fan Application Rigid Mounted Flexibility Mounted
Category in./sec. in./sec.
supported system should have a natural frequency
BV-1 0.50 0.60
below the running speed. (An example of a flexibly BV-2 0.20 0.30
mounted fan is one mounted on spring isolators.) BV-3 0.15 0.20
BV-4 0.10 0.15
A tri-axial BV-5 0.08 0.10
accelerometer
is placed near vibration level is within acceptable limits. If the
each bearing, maximum allowable vibration level is exceeded,
which measures various balancing and vibration elimination
the vibration in techniques are used to correct the unit.
the horizontal,
vertical and
Analysis
axial directions. Examination of a fans vibration signature can reveal
A tri-axial accelerometer mea-
The vibration is sures the velocity amplitude in
possible sources of excessive vibration or vibration
measured and the horizontal, vertical, and axial peaks. Identifying the specific frequency at which
recorded as either directions. the vibration occurs is one way to begin an analysis.
filter-in or filter- For example, a vibration peak occurring at the
out. A filter-in vibration reading is taken only at fan speed is most likely a sign of wheel unbalance
one frequency, typically the fan rpm. A filter-out and can most often be remedied with minor trim
vibration reading measures the vibration over balancing. A vibration spike that occurs at the
a wide frequency range and is calculated as the motor RPM could be an indication of motor pulley
square root of the sum of the squares of the filter-in unbalance. A spike at two times the fan RPM could
readings over that particular frequency range. indicate looseness, bearing misalignment or a bent
shaft. Other possible sources of vibration, which are
Once the unit has been prepared for vibration not always as easy to distinguish, are those due to
testing, it is operated at the design speed and external factors such as electrical vibrations (torque
tested to ensure the unit falls below the maximum pulses that occur at two times the line frequency).
allowable vibration. The chart to the right shows Another example would be a vibration spike caused
maximum allowable vibration corresponding to by a bearing fault in the raceway. This type of spike
each appropriate fan application category. would occur at a frequency that is a function of the
At Greenheck, a unit that undergoes vibration bearing geometry and fan speed.
testing does not ship from our facility until the

All Greenheck centrifugal, vane axial, industrial and laboratory exhaust fans are vibration-tested prior to shipment. The vibration signa-
ture of each fan (shown above) becomes a permanent record with the fan serial number, available to the customer upon request.

Fan Application FA/108-00 3

Greenheck Product Application Guide

Specifications in all three planes and at each of the bearings

Vibration specifications should be reviewed is important in getting an accurate picture of a
carefully to identify any special requirements. fans actual vibration levels.
Special requirements can add significant labor
hours and cost to the vibration testing process. Sample Specification
It is important to write a meaningful vibration Following is a typical specification example for a
specification that will ensure your system will belt-driven centrifugal fan in Application Category
operate without excessive vibration, but also one BV-3: Each fan shall be vibration tested before
that is not so stringent that it is difficult to meet shipping, as an assembly, in accordance with
without adding significant cost and time to the AMCA 204-05. Each assembled fan shall be test run
project. Following are some recommendations to at the factory at the specified fan RPM. Vibration
consider in reviewing or composing a meaningful signatures shall be taken on each fan bearing in
vibration specification: the horizontal, vertical, and axial directions. The
maximum allowable fan vibration level shall be 0.15
Select the appropriate Balance and Vibration in./sec. peak velocity, filter-in, at the fan RPMwhen
Grade. This will not only ensure a smooth- the fan is rigidly mounted.
running unit, but will also help to avoid
additional time and costs involved with meeting
Summary
unnecessarily stringent vibration levels. For We have discussed many factors that affect
example, it would not be practical or beneficial the vibration levels of operating air movement
equipment. Clearly it is a complex subject but
to expect a light duty fan to meet the same
it should be apparent to the reader that there
vibration requirements as a large, heavy-duty are numerous factors contributing to the overall
industrial unit. vibration level of an assembled fan. One of the
Specify that the vibration testing be conducted main reasons to purchase the complete package
at the fan manufacturers shop and not at the from Greenheck is that the entire assembled unit
jobsite. Conducting a vibration test at the jobsite (including the fan, motor, drives, base, bearings,
introduces additional variables, which are accessories, etc.) is vibration-tested as a whole and
outside the fan manufacturers control. verified as running within allowable vibration limits.
Specify whether the unit is to be rigidly mounted
or flexibly mounted to the vibration test
stand. A rigidly mounted unit is the standard
configuration, and is the only option if the fan is
manufactured less motor and drives. A unit can
be vibration tested while flexibly mounted upon
request if the fan manufacturer is supplying the
entire unit, including motor, drives, isolation or
isolation base.
Specify that the readings be measured in
velocity amplitude (inches per second, peak)
at the design RPM (filter-in). Filter-in readings One less worry
guarantee a good level of fan construction and With a complete package there are only a few
reasonable residual fan unbalance. Filter-out additional external factors that can adversely affect
readings become more involved and costly the vibration level of the fan once it is installed at the
due to additional components that have to be jobsite. Purchasing a complete package gives you
controlled to attain the desired vibration level. one less thing to worry about.
Specify that the vibration readings be taken in
the horizontal, vertical and axial directions on
each fan bearing. Measuring the vibration levels

Fan Application FA/108-00 4