Rotordynamics & Rotor Stability

Course Overview

This course introduces the dynamic behaviour of rotating shafts and rotor-bearing systems. It explains how rotor geometry, mass distribution, bearings, seals, supports, and operating speed influence critical speeds, unbalance response, stability, and transient behaviour.

Participants learn how rotordynamic analysis supports machinery design, troubleshooting, and reliability improvement. The course combines theoretical principles with practical examples from turbines, compressors, pumps, motors, and complete machinery trains.

Key Learning Objectives

Participants will learn how to:

Understand lateral and torsional rotor behaviour
Identify critical speeds and resonance conditions
Interpret Campbell, mode-shape, and response plots
Evaluate bearing and seal effects on rotor dynamics
Recognize subsynchronous instability
Apply rotordynamic results to design and troubleshooting

Course Content

Fundamentals of rotor-bearing dynamics
Rotor modelling and degrees of freedom
Shaft stiffness, mass, damping, and gyroscopic effects
Rigid and flexible rotor behaviour
Lateral natural frequencies and mode shapes
Critical-speed and Campbell diagram analysis
Unbalance response analysis
Bearing stiffness and damping coefficients
Fluid-film bearings and instability mechanisms
Seal-induced forces and cross-coupling effects
Whirl, whip, and subsynchronous vibration
Rotor stability and logarithmic decrement
Torsional natural frequencies and mode shapes
Torsional excitation and resonance
Transient startup and shutdown behaviour
Rotor–bearing–foundation interaction
Introduction to API 684 methodology
Rotordynamic troubleshooting case studies

Who Should Attend?

Rotating equipment engineers, vibration specialists, machinery designers, maintenance engineers, reliability professionals, and analysts involved in turbines, compressors, pumps, and high-speed machinery.