Vibration Characteristics of a Synchro Clutch Coupling for Steam Turbine

증기터빈용 Synchro Clutch Coupling의 진동 특성

The vibration of steam turbine is caused by Mass unbalance, Shaft misalignment, Oil whip and rubbing etc. But in turbine which is normally operated and maintained, the Mass unbalance component possesses the greatest portion. Our power plant has two steam turbines in capacity of 200 MW and 135 MW respectively and each turbine is supported by 6 journal bearings. However, we had many difficulties because the vibration amplitude of #3 and #4 Bearings was high during the start-up and operation mode change of steam turbine. But, with this study, we completely solved the vibration problem caused by the mass unbalance of #1 steam turbine. Until a recent date, #3 and #4 bearings which support high pressure turbine for #1 steam turbine had shown about $135{\mu}m$ in vibration amplitude (sometimes it increased to $221{\mu}m$ maximum. alarm: 6 mils, trip: 9 mils) at base load. After applying the study, they decreased to about $45{\mu}m$ maximum. It is a result from that we did not change the setting value of bearing alignment and only changed the assembly position of internal parts in Synchro clutch coupling rachet wheel which links between high pressure turbine and low pressure turbine, and increased the internal gap and machining of the Pawl cage surface. In the operation of steam turbine, if the vibration value increases by 1X, we should reduce the vibration of bearing by weight balancing. However, unless the vibration of bearing is declined by the balancing, we will have to disassemble and check the component and find the cause. In this study, we researched the way to lower mass unbalance that is 1X vibration component which has the greatest portion of vibration generated by steam turbine and we got good result by applying the findings of this study.