MMI –DL WS 01 DYNAMICS LAB

WHIRLING OF SHAFT APPARATUS

AIM

To determine the whirling speed of shaft

APPARATUS REQUIRED

 Whirling shaft apparatus

 Measuring tape

THEORY

Critical or whirling or whipping speed is the speed at which the shaft tends to
vibrate violently in the transverse direction. All rotating shafts, even in the absence of
external load, deflect during rotation due to self weight. The combined weight of a shaft
and shaft-mountings can cause deflection that will create resonant vibration at some
speed. These speeds are commonly known as critical speed. In other words, the speed
at which resonance occurs is known as the critical speed.
At critical speeds, the amplitude of vibration of rotors is very large & a large
amount of force is transmitted to the bearings or foundations. The system may even fail
because of violent nature of vibrations in the transverse direction. Therefore it is
important to find the natural frequency of the shaft to avoid the occurrence of
resonance. There are two methods used to calculate critical speed, Rayleigh-Ritz and
Dunkerley’s method. Both these Ritz and Dunkerley’s equations are an approximations
to the first natural frequency of vibration, which is assumed to be nearly equal to critical
speed of rotation. In any machinery, it must be ensured that the machinery is not
running near the critical speed. In order to eliminate critical speed, the speed at which
the shaft rotates must be greater than the critical speed. This principle is used in
running high speed turbines by speeding up the rotor rapidly beyond the critical speed.
For example, in stabilization of aircrafts at high speeds, automobile propeller shafts, etc.

a = one mode
b = two mode
c = three mode

Fig 1: Modes of whirl

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SPECIFICATIONS-:
Motor (High speed sewing machine motor)
 Power : 1/8 HP
 RPM : 6000
 Volts : 210/220
 Amps : 0.32
 Cycles : 50
Shaft (3 no.s)
 Diameter : 3, 5 & 6 mm
 Length :1m
 Material : MS EN 44
 Density : 8000 kg/m3 (Approximately for stainless steel)

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
The setup consists of a shaft of diameter ‘d’ and mass ‘m’. The shaft is supported
on two bearings and the distance between the bearings can be adjusted. The shaft is
driven by a variable speed motor. The whole arrangement is mounted on a bed.

PROCEDURE
1. The dimensions of the shaft to be tested are measured using ruler and vernier
caliper.
2. Set the bearing blocks such that the centre distance between them is maximum.
3. First, the critical speed with normal bearings on both sides should be found. This
arrangement is both end fixed.
4. Fix the shaft to be tested on the chuck both sides (Head & Tail side) and tighten it
firmly. The Motor side is the head side and the other is tail side.
5. Ensure that the bearing blocks and guard are rigidly fixed to the main frame by
tightening the knob located beneath each.
6. Switch on the motor and adjust the speed using dimmer-stat until the loop
appears on the shaft which is indicated by the formation of a bow as shown in
Fig 1 (a- One mode). The shaft begins to vibrate violently.
7. Immediately note down the speed at which it is appearing using indicator. This
observed speed is Ncexpt.
8. Do not run the shaft in critical speed for a long time.
9. Rapidly increase the speed further and ensure that critical speed is eliminated
and the shaft re-stabilizes.
10. Increase the speed further, observe the second natural frequency which is
indicated by a double bow as shown in Fig 1 (b-Two mode).
11. Immediately note down the critical speed using tachometer.

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12. Decrease the speed and bring the shaft to rest.

13. Repeat the same procedure for different shafts.
14. After that, replace the bearing block on the tail side with another block with
swivel bearing.
15. Now again fix the shafts one by one to both the bearings and proceed the
experiment with the same steps done previously.
16. Now this new arrangement is Fixed-Free because of swivel bearing on the other
side.
17. After noting down the critical speed of different shafts, decrease the speed by
bringing the shaft to rest, then switch off the motor.

PRECAUTIONS
1. The shaft must be straight.
2. Deflecting in a single bow and whirling round like a skipping rope. If this speed
is maintained the deflection will become so large that the shaft will be fractured.
3. It is advisable to increase the speed of the shaft rapidly by passing through the
critical speed.
4. This is a destructive test of the shaft and it is observed that the elastic behaviour
of the shaft material changes a little after testing it for a few times, so it is
advisable to use fresh shaft afterwards.

FORMULA DETAILS

1. Natural frequency of transverse vibration, fn

fn = C
√ EIg
w L4
where
fn - Natural frequency of transverse vibration in Hz
E - Young’s Modulus for steel shaft (2.06 × 1011 N/m2)
I - Moment of Inertia (π ¿ 64 ¿ d4 in m4
C - Constant dependant on the end conditions.
g - Acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2)
L - Length of the shaft in m
w - Weight of the shaft ( m × g) in N

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d - Diameter of the shaft in m

m - Mass of the shaft in kg

Values of constants for different end conditions

Cas Ends C1 C2
e
1. Free-Free 1.572 3

2. Fixed 3.75 8.82

3. Cantilever 0.56 -

4 Fixed-free 2.459 7.96

The value of C1 is the constant for use in calculating the first natural frequency
(first mode) and C2 is necessary for the second mode.

Note: To calculate mass of the shaft (kg)

i. Find area of the shaft, A = (π/4) d2 in m2
ii. Find volume of the shaft, V = A × L in m3
iii. Density = Mass/Volume, i.e Mass = Density × Volume
Density = 8000 kg/m3 (For stainless steel)
2. Theoretical whirling speed, Nctheo
Nctheo = fn × 60 rpm
3. Deflection, δ
3
wL
δ= in m
3 EI

OBSERVATIONS READING

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Length of Weight of
Diameter of Moment of Deflection
the shaft the shaft
S.no the shaft ‘d’ inertia ‘I’ ‘ δ’
‘L’ ‘w’
(m) (m4) (m)
(m) (N)

1 0.003 1 0.55 3.97 × 10-12 0.22

2 0.006 1 2.21 6.36 × 10-11 0.013

Model Calculation

For Reading No. 2

1. Natural frequency of transverse vibration, fn

fn = C
√ EIg
w L4
π 2
i. Area of the shaft, A = ×d in m2
4

π 2
= ×0.006
4

= 2.827 × 10-5 m2
ii. Volume of the shaft, V=A × L in m3

= 2.827 × 10-5 × 1

= 2.827 × 10-5 m3

iii. Mass of the shaft, m = ρ ×V in kg

= 8000 × 2.827 × 10-5

= 0.226 kg

iv. Weight of the shaft, w = m × g in N

= 0.226 × 9.81

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= 2.21 N
π 4
v. Moment of inertia, I = ×d
64
= 0.049 × (0.006)4

= 6.36 × 10-11 m4

For Fixed-Free One mode, C = 2.459

fn = 2.459 √ 2.06 ×1011 × 6.36 ×10−11 × 9.81/(2.21 ×1 4 ¿ )¿

fn = 18.7 Hz

2. Theoretical whirling speed, Nctheo

Nctheo = fn × 60 rpm
= 18.7 × 60
Nctheo = 1122 rpm

3. Deflection, δ
3
wL
δ= in m
3 EI
3
2.21× 1
= 11 −11
3× 2.06 ×10 × 6.36 ×10
δ = 0.013 m
For Fixed-Free Two mode, C = 7.96

fn = 7.96 √ 2.06 ×1011 × 6.36 ×10−11 × 9.81/(2.21 ×1 4 ¿ )¿

fn = 60.57 Hz

Nctheo = 60.57 × 60

Nctheo = 3634 rpm

For both end Fixed One mode, C = 3.75

fn = 3.75 √ 2.06 ×1011 × 6.36 ×10−11 × 9.81/(2.21 ×1 4 ¿ )¿

fn = 28.5 Hz

Nctheo = 28.5 × 60

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Nctheo = 1710 rpm

Whirling speed of shaft, Fixed-Free

Shaft Nctheo Ncexpt

diameter Rpm Rpm
in mm One mode Two One Two mode
mode mode
6 1122 3634 1300 3200

Whirling speed of shaft, both end Fixed

Shaft Nctheo Ncexpt

diameter Rpm Rpm
in mm One mode Two One Two mode
mode mode
6 1710 - 1500 -

RESULT

Thus the theoretical and experimental values of whirling speed of shaft was
found.

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