Vibration isolation of newer equipment typologies

Abstract

The vibration isolation of large mechanical/electrical/pluming equipment has become an industry standard to prevent unwanted vibrations from transmitting into building structures. ASHRAE, ISO, and other organizations have published recommended guidelines for vibration isolation based on the typical operation of this MEP equipment and “best practices” over the past several decades. However, recent advancements in mechanical equipment designs have resulted in situations where the traditional approach for vibration isolation is either not feasible or ineffective, such as air handling units with extremely well balanced fan arrays or low-speed cooling towers with variable-frequency drives. Changes in power distribution system designs have also resulted in a greater need for vibration isolation of electrical equipment, particularly utility transformers. This paper reviews these recent developments in MEP systems as well as the implications to vibration isolation for this equipment.