Misalignment
Misalignment in the bearings and rotor couplings can occur due as an effect of improper mounting. Misalignment often results in metal to metal contact in the bearing components with high contact forces. This gives rise to noise and high temperatures in the bearing. The misalignment is broadly classified in the following categories:
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Parallel misalignment: The axes of the bearings are parallel to each other but the bearing centers are offset in the lateral direction (see Figure 3-14).
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Angular misalignment: The axes of the bearings are not perfectly parallel. Rather, they are slightly inclined relative to each other (see Figure 3-15). Bearing centers are still aligned in the direction of the rotor axis.
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A combination of the above two.
Figure 3-14: Parallel misalignment.
Figure 3-15: Angular misalignment.
Misalignment modeling for the different types of bearings is explained in the following sections.