angular_tolerence

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Relative reference displays the current body's centerline referenced to the previous body. Relative reference allows you to determine
if your alignment is within the desired coupling angular tolerance at Ambient and Operating temperatures. See example below (Fig.-2,3)
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Absolute reference shows the current body's position referenced to the leftmost (fixed) body. Absolute reference allows you to check
for sufficient hold-down bolt clearance in all bodies in a train to effect an alignment without disturbing the fixed body. Useful for initial
installations.

Thermal Movement is the vertical and horizontal shift in the centerline of a body due to the change in temperature from when it was
aligned to operating temperature

Target alignment is the alignment to which all the shim change and horizontal movement calculations are referenced. It is the

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relative position of both bodies at the temperature at which they are being aligned, corrected for expected thermal movements.
See example below ( figure-2)
Fixture Sag is the measured bending of the alignment fixture due to its stiffness, weight, and gravity. Because of sag, the dial
indicators will render false readings. Sag must be measured and algebraically subtracted from the dial indicator readings to determine the
actual shaft relative positions.

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Flexible couplings allow equipment shafts to operate with some deviation from perfect alignment by distorting the flexible elements.

Womens corner

This deviation usually consists of a parallel offset and an angle that can be resolved into a single angle that the flexible element sees. This
resolved angle is called the Angular Tolerance.

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A coupling Flexible Element can be a disk pack, diaphragm, gear, spider, etc. In other words, the bit that bends, or flexes.

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Angular Tolerance is the maximum angle that the flexible elements are allowed to distort during operation. This angle, when
rotated through 360 degrees, defines a cone with its apex (point) at the center of each flexible element ( Right side -Figure 1). The
centerline of a shaft (or coupling spacer) that operates within this conical region is deemed to be in tolerance.
Figure 1

Flexible coupling
Since physical adjustments are in the vertical (shim changes) and horizontal (side to side), results are shown in Vertical and Horizontal
plots in the Graphic Plot . The same two views of the cone appear as triangles on these plots. A centerline lying on, or near, the outer
edge of both triangles may at first appear acceptable (Red lines - Left side Figure 1). In reality, the centerline will lie outside the cone
when the two projections are resolved to the true position (Blue line - Right side Figure 1).

Example of Target alignment

Figure-2 (centre line of all bodies during operation)
Flexible coupling

Take the case of a Turbine driven Compressor with Gear box as shown in the figure-2.
Assumptions
Ambient temperature=25 deg5C

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25-09-2014

angular_tolerence

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Thermal expansion = 1.2*10

per deg. C
Compressor shaft height from base= 800 mm
Compressor shaft brearing area temp. during operation = 70 deg C
Gear box shaft height from base =450 mm
Gear box shaft brearing area temp. during operation =55 deg C
Turbine shaft height from base =700 mm
Turbine shaft brearing area temp.during operation = 55deg. C
Calculations for shaft height increase during operation
Increase in height of compressor shaft during operation = [1.2*800*(70-25)] /100000 =0.432 mm
Increase in height of Gear box shaft during operation =[1.2*450*(55-25)]/ 100000 =0.162 mm
Increase in height of Turbine shaft during operation =[1.2*700*(55-25)]/ 100000 =0.252 mm

Based on above calculations the Relative reference of all the three bodies at ambient temperature will be as shown below.
Black dotted lines indicate the shaft centre lines of Compressor, Gear box and Turbine at ambient temperature. Green dotted line
indicate the shaft centre lines of Compressor ,Gear box and Turbine under operating condition .

0.162 mm
COMPRESSOR
0.27 mm

0.432-0.162 =0.27

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GEAR BOX
0.09

Figure-3 (shaft height cold alignment)

TURBINE

0.252-0.162 =0.09

25-09-2014