From 14 mm/s to under 4 mm/s: Solving ACC resonance with precision engineering

The culprit? The new operating speed ran right into a structural natural frequency at 18.4 Hz, exciting the Air Cooled Condenser (ACC) motor and fan structure. Vibration levels soared to a worrying 14.09 mm/s RMS - well into the danger zone for long-term mechanical reliability.

Instead of accepting high wear-and-tear or avoiding the new process speed, the team at JPS Reliability designed, manufactured, and installed a custom Vibration Dynamic Absorber (VDA).

The results speak for themselves 

By clamping and tuning our bespoke VDA to the structural support, we changed the structural response of the system. Look at the dramatic drop in our live strip chart and time waveform:

• Before VDA: 14.09 mm/s RMS (Heavy, violent cyclic energy shaking the motor NDE)
• After VDA: 3.869 mm/s RMS * The Verdict: A massive 72% reduction in overall vibration levels!

Swipe through the images to see the VDA in action, the dramatic drop-off on the trend line, and the incredible reduction in the time waveform (Red = Before, Blue = After).

Why this matters

High vibration isn't just a nuisance; it's a ticking clock for bearing failure, structural fatigue, and unplanned downtime. By tackling the root cause (resonance) with a mechanical tuning solution rather than throwing expensive spare parts at a symptom, we've secured the asset's reliability at its new optimum process speed.

Got a stubborn vibration or resonance issue on your ACCs, cooling towers, or heavy rotating plant? Let’s talk.

👉 Contact JPS Reliability today to keep your plant running smoothly.

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For more information:

www.jpsreliability.com

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