Specification for Pumping System Vibration Studies

MitigatingVibrationonCentrifugalandReciprocatingPumpingSystems
RecommendedPumpDesignRequirementstoAvoidPulsationandPipingVibration

Centrifugalandreciprocatingpumps,especiallylargerpumpsystems,generatevibrationonthepipingsystem.
Unlessproperlymitigated,inducedvibrationwillresultinpipingfatiguefailure,reliabilityproblemsandexcessive
maintenancecosts.
Forexample,onelargepumpoperatorreportedthatvibrationofsmallborepipingisoneofthemajorcausesof
integrityproblemsandpipingfailures(oilreleases).Anintegrityandreliabilityplanneedstoincludevibration
mitigation.
Thefollowingvibrationspecificationoutlinestherecommendedscopeandoptions,andaddressestheunique
excitationsourcesbetweenthetwoclassesofpumps.Usingthisgenericspecificationonnewprojectswillensure
thedesignofthesystemwillincludetheimportantelementsneededtocontrolvibrationofthemachineryand
pipingsystem.

DefinetheVibrationAnalysisScope
Thefollowingcharthighlightstheexcitationsourcesthatcontributetovibrationproblems.Italsosummarizes
vibrationstudiestobeconsidered.Thestudyscopeisnotablackandwhiteissue,butisbasedonassessingrisk
factorsandconsequences:
Vibrationrisks.Largeandmorecomplicatedsystemsposehighervibrationriskscomparedtosmallsimple
units.Offshoreproductionfacilities(FPSOsandplatforms)havesubstantiallymoreriskduetostructural
resonanceandrestrictivespaceforpipinglayouts.Higherpressures,higherflowvelocities,andawide
rangeofoperatingconditionsalsocontributetoincreasedvibrationrisk.
Consequences.Considertheimpactofapumporpipingfatiguefailure,includingoperatorandpublic
safety,downtimecosts,repaircosts,orotherfactors.Iftheconsequencesarehigh,avibrationstudy
shouldbespecifiedinordertohelpquantifyandreducetherisks.

Foranyproject,thevibrationstudyshouldcommenceearlyintheprocess(duringthepreliminarydesignlayout).
Oncethedesignislockeddown,itbecomesmuchmoredifficultandexpensivetomitigatevibrationrisksand
failures.

SelectionTable
Thefollowingtableoutlinesvibrationrelatedstudiesthatareperformedduringthedesignstageorifaplantis
beingmodified.ContactBETAforapplicationsupport.
Key:

Analysisisgenerallyrequired.

? Analysisissometimesrequiredbasedontheapplication(machinesize,geometry,piping
complexity,oruserpreference).

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AnalysisScope PumpingSystem
(recommendationsandoptionsforvibrationanalysis) (includingdriverandsystempiping)
VibrationRelatedStudies CentrifugalPump ReciprocatingPump

1. FrontEndEngineering&Design(FEED)ReviewEvaluationof
specifications,equipmentlayout,andvibrationrisks
2. Pulsation(Acoustical)andMechanicalAnalysis(API674)formedium
tocriticalapplications,forpumps>50kW
3. PipingFlexibility(Thermal)StressAnalysiscalculatingNozzleLoads
and/orEnvironmentalLoads(wave,wind,seismic)forlargepiping
systems,hotliquids,orwhereinlet/outletnozzlereactionloadlimits ? ?
aresevere.
4. BasePlateDesignfornewconfigurations
DynamicAnalysisfordynamicloads ? ?
LiftingAnalysisforsafety/liftingcoderequirements
5. FoundationDesignforlandbasedsystems(evaluatessoilconditions
andappliestodynamicmodel
StructuralDynamicAnalysisforonshoreandoffshorestructural ? ?
modulestoaddressdynamicloads(thisisbeyondquasistaticanalysis
ofwindorwavemotion)
6. TorsionalVibrationAnalysisfornew(unverified)pumpdrivers
combinations,loads,operatingcondition(s),andupsetconditions ? ?
7. SmallBorePipingDesignReviewforallsmalldiameterbranch
connectionsonmachinerelatedpipingorassociatedsystem.Scope
shouldincludefieldreview.AlsoincludedinPipingVibrationIntegrity
Study,see#9,below
8. WaterHammerTransientAnalysistoavoidintegrityrisksofpiping
overpressure,vacuum(pipecollapse),andfatigueduetotransient
pressuresurgesinthepipingsystem
9. PipingVibrationIntegrityStudy(PlantWideAssessment)toidentifyRiskofVibrationInducedFatigueFailureper
EnergyInstitute2008.Thisreviewhighlightscriticallocationsinpipingsystemsthathaveahighlikelihoodoffailure
(LOF).Includesmachinesandplantpipingsystem.Screensalllocationstoidentifyhighriskareas.Forlarge
plants/facilitieswithmanydifferentmachinesandcomplicatedpipingsystems.EvaluatesAcousticInducedVibration
(AIV),FlowInducedVibration(FIV),Pulsations,Surge,WaterHammer,etc.

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StudyComponentSpecifications

Approvedsupplier:BetaMachineryAnalysis

1. FrontEndEngineering&Design(FEED)Review
Vibrationconsultanttoreviewprojectscope,proposedpipingandmachinerylayout,pumpspecifications,
foundationconcepts,andproposedvibrationmitigationplan.Providecommentsandrecommendations
including:
Vibrationrisksonpumppackagesandassociatedpipingsystem
Recommendedvibrationdesignandfieldguidelines
Scopeandspecificationdetailsforvibrationanalysis
Suggestedprocess,responsibilities,timingandbudgets
Summarizecommentsinletterreport.

2. Pulsation(Acoustical)andMechanicalAnalysisperAPI674
APIStandard6743rdEdition(Dec2010)definesthepulsationandvibrationcontrolrequirementsfora
reciprocatingpump.Formediumtohighpowerpumpapplications(>50kW),thefollowingscopeis
recommended.
a. PulsationAnalysisperAPI674
i. Provenacousticalanalysissoftwareisrequired.TheanalysisshouldbebasedonaTimeDomain
(TD)solvertoensuresufficientaccuracy.
ii. Evaluateacousticsoftheentirepipingsystemandpredictpulsationsandshakingforcesthroughout
thesystemversusguidelines.Evaluatepulsationcontrolsolutionsandrecommendadesignthatis
practicalfortheapplication.
iii. Providetheminimumsuctionpressurerequiredtopreventcavitationbasedonpulsation
amplitudes.
iv. Performamechanicalreviewofthepipingsystemtoevaluatepiperunsandsupportdetails(clamp
designandspacing).
v. Reviewthepumpbaseplatedesignandmakerecommendationsforaddingbeamsorlocal
stiffness.
vi. Reviewsmalldiameterbranchconnections(forexample,instrumentconnectionsandlevelgauges)
andmakerecommendationsforsupportorlayoutchangestominimizefailurerisk.
Recommendationsarebasedonpastexperienceandbestpractices.
b. PumpValveDynamics:OptionItisrecommendedtoevaluateand,ifnecessary,adjustthepumps
valvedynamicsonceoperational.TheinformationnecessarytocompleteaValveDynamicAnalysis
(VDA)isoftennotavailableduringthepackagedesignstage.Afieldtesthasbeenfoundtobemuch
moreaccuratethanattemptingtomodelthevalvebehavior.
c. MechanicalAnalysis
i. PrepareaFiniteElementAnalysis(FEA)ofthepipingsystem.Calculatemechanicalnatural
frequencies(MNF)andrecommendchangestoensuretheMNFsare20%abovetheplunger
passingfrequency.ThereportshallincludeasummaryofcalculatedMNFsvs.orderofrunspeed
aswellasmodeshapeplots.
ii. ApprovedFEAsoftwareshallbeusedfortheanalysis.Thesoftwareshallhavecapabilitiesto
simulatestructuresusing3Dsolidandshellelements.ApprovedsoftwarepackagesincludeANSYS,
andNastran.PipingFEAsoftware,suchasCAESARII,AutoPIPEandothersimilarsoftwareprograms
shallnotbeapprovedforthisapplication.

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Beta Machinery Analysis 4

3. PipingFlexibility(Thermal)StressAnalysis
Options:NozzleLoads,andorEnvironmentalLoads
a. Appliestolargepipingsystemsorwherehotliquidisinvolved.
b. Themodelshallbeterminatedeitheratananchorpoint(whichmusthaveastiffnessanorderof
magnitudehigherthanadjacentsupports)oratapointsignificantlyfarawayfromtheedgeofscopeso
astonotinfluencetheresults.
c. EquipmentnozzleloadsshallbeevaluatedagainstAPI610,API661,orotherspecificationsorfield
provenguidelines.VesselnozzleloadsmaybeevaluatedagainstWRC107orotherfieldproven
guidelines.
d. Boundaryconditionsshallbeaccuratelymodeledwithappropriatestiffness,gaps,andfriction.
Anchororrigidboundaryconditionsaretypicallynotappropriateandresultinexcessively
conservativerecommendations.
e. Environmentalloadsshallincludeeffectsofwind,seismicmovements,snowloads,andotherloads
appropriatefortheparticularapplication.

4. BasePlateDesign
a. BasePlateReview
i. Adirectandstiffloadpathfromthepumpanchorboltstothefoundationshallbeensured.Gussets
orproperlocationofskidbeamsshallbeusedtominimizelocalflexingofbeamflanges.
ii. Concretewithinthebeamsbelowthepumpisgenerallybeneficialtominimizevibration.Nelson
Studsorsimilarshallbeusedtoensureamechanicalbondbetweenthebaseplatebeamsand
concrete.
b. BasePlate/SkidDynamicAnalysisforReciprocatingPumps
i. ANSYSFEAsoftwareshallbeusedtocreateandanalyzetheskidmodel.
ii. Allforcesandcouplesshallbeappliedtothemodelincludingpumpanddriverunbalance,forces
generatedinsidereciprocatingfluidends,andsignificantpulsationforces.
iii. SkidvibrationguidelinesshallbebasedonAPI674orotherfieldprovenguidelines.
iv. Stressguidelinesshallbebasedonappropriatefatiguefailureguidelines.
v. Reportshallincludedesignmodificationstomeetguideline.Reportshallincludeplotsofmode
shapesandvibrationplotsfor1Xplungerpassingfrequencyrunspeeds.
c. OPTIONLiftingAnalysismaybedonefornewbaseplatedesigns.Maximumbaseplatedeflectionshall
bebasedonappropriateguidelines.StressguidelinesshallbebasedonAISCASD,orotherappropriate
guidelines.Reportshallincludedesignmodificationstomeetguidelines.Reportshallincludevibration
andstressplots.
d. OPTIONTransportationandEnvironmentalLoading(includingseismic,wind,andwave)asrequired.

5. FoundationorStructuralDynamicAnalysis
a. FoundationDesign
i. Foundationdynamicmodelshallincludesoilpropertiesfromgeotechnicalreport.
ii. Suitablemodelingsoftwareshallbeusedtodeterminedynamicresponsecharacteristicsof
theloadbearingsoilstructuretocreateboundaryconditions.
iii. ANSYSFEAsoftwareshallbeusedtoaccuratelymodelsoildynamicresponse,foundation
model,andskid.
iv. Assessmodelflexiblemodesonthepumpskidandproviderecommendationstoavoid
vibrationandresonance.

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Beta Machinery Analysis 5

b. StructuralDynamicAnalysisrequiredforonshoreoroffshoreplatformsandFPSOsteelstructural
applications.
i. AStructuralDynamicAnalysisshallincludeallrequirementsdefinedinsection4babove(Skid
DynamicAnalysis).
ii. ThemodelshallincludeenoughofthesurroundingstructuretoaccuratelypredictMNFsand
vibrations.Forfloatingapplications,suchasanFPSO,thecompletemoduleortopsidestructure
supportingthepumppackage(s)mayneedtobemodeled.Forafixedstructure,suchasan
offshoreplatform,theproductiondeckintheareaaroundthepackageshallbemodeled.Insome
cases,thedecksaboveandbelowthecompressordeckmayalsoneedtobemodeled.
iii. Theeffectofvibrationofmultipleunitsoperatingincloseproximityshallbeconsidered.

6. TorsionalVibrationAnalysis(TVA)
a. Requiredfornewdriverpumpcombinations,load,oroperatingconditionsoncentrifugaland
reciprocatingpumps.
b. TVAshallincludeaForcedResponseAnalysistoensuretorsionalshaftstressesanddesignfactorsare
acceptablewithamaximummodaldampingof1%.
c. Allanticipatedmachineoperatingconditionsincludingstartup,transient,andupsetoverthefullspeed
rangeshallbeevaluated.
d. Theimpactoftolerancesforallinputsshallbeevaluated.
e. Reportshallincludeinterferenceplots,masselasticdata,torqueeffort,stresses,anddesignfactors.

7. SmallBorePipingDesignReview
a. Smallborepiping(PSVs,relieflines,drains,sightglasses,etc.typicallyNPS2orless)shallbeevaluated
forriskoffatiguefailure.
b. Atthedesignstagesmallborepipingshallbeevaluatedforlikelihoodoffailure(LOF).
c. Afterstartup,asmallborepipingvibrationauditshallbeconductedandcomparedtofieldproven
guidelines.
d. Reportshallincludedesignofmechanicalrecommendationstomitigateriskoffatiguefailure.

8. WaterHammerTransientAnalysis
a. Evaluatepipingsystem,layout,andelevationsofsystemcomponents.
b. TransientAnalysisofthesystemshallincludepumpstartups/shutdowns,upsetconditionssuchaspower
loss,emergencyshutdown(ESD)valves,PSVs,blockvalves,andcheckvalves.
c. Analysisshallincludeanevaluationofmaximum/minimumtransientpressures,overpressure,pipe
collapse,cavitation,columnseparation,andcheckvalveslam.
d. Analysisshallincludeevaluationofblockvalvetrimandclosingtimes.
e. Transientforcesonthepipingsystemshallbeevaluatedagainstindustryforceguidelinesand,if
necessary,includedinthePipingFlexibility(Thermal)StressAnalysis.
f. SimulationsoftwaretobebasedonMethodofCharacteristics.

9. PipingVibrationIntegrityStudy(PlantWideAssessment)
a. Definethescopeofthepipingsystemtobeassessed.
b. Identifyallmajorandminorpiecesofreciprocatingorrotatingmachinery.
c. Performaqualitativeandquantitativeassessmentoftherequiredpipingsystem,includingpumping
systems.

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Beta Machinery Analysis 6

d. EvaluatepipingsystempertheexcitationsourcesspecifiedintheEnergyInstituteAssessment
Guideline(2008)forVibrationInducedFatigueFailureguideline.
e. Identifylikelihoodoffailureratings,recommendations,andproposedmodifications.
f. Recommendplanandscopeforonsitesurveyandmeasurements.
g. UseEnergyInstituteAssessmentGuideline(2008)forVibrationInducedFatigueFailureascontrolling
document.

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