INSIGHTS INTO FIXED EQUIPMENT VIBRATION - HOW A PIPING SYSTEM WAS AFFECTED BY FLOW-INDUCED VIBRATION

摘要

Excessive vibration is a problem frequently encountered in industrial plants and their peripheral equipment, including piping systems, pressure vessels, and steel structures [1, 3]. Long term excessive vibration can lead to fatigue crack propagation and consequently, may cause system failure. Therefore, once a vibration problem occurs it should be assessed within a short period of time. The critical nature of excessive vibration has raised significant interest in investigating and assessing underlying issues in greater detail. Fixed equipment vibration is considered a multidisciplinary field which requires knowledge in process engineering, pressure relief system design, fluid mechanics, fluid-structure interaction, rotating equipment vibration, structural vibration, and acoustic vibration. A precise vibration assessment consists of five main steps: 1. Implementing a successful vibration monitoring program to measure the vibration levels and frequencies, 2. Comparing the vibration levels against associated standards to identify regions of concern, 3. Investigating different excitation mechanisms, particularly flow-induced vibration (FIV), as well as identifying the sources of vibration, 4. Modeling the system to determine the vibration parameters including: fundamental frequencies, mode shapes, and system dynamic response, and 5. Adopting design considerations and system modifications to eliminate excessive vibration.