Turbogenerators in power stations are often placed on foundation structures that are flexible over the running range of the machine and can therefore contribute to its dynamics. Established methods of obtaining structural models for these foundations, such as the finite element method or modal testing, have proved unsuccessful because of complexity or cost. Another method of foundation system identification, using the unbalance excitation applied by the rotor itself during maintenance run-downs, has previously been proposed but has not yet been experimentally verified. In this paper the necessary theory is developed and certain issues critical to the success of the estimation are examined. The method is tested in both simulation and experiment using a two-bearing rotor rig and good fits between model and measurement are obtained. The predictive capacity of the estimated models when the system is excited with a different unbalance is not as good, and it is surmised that this may be due among other things to inaccurate bearing models.
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