Abstract: Performance measurement and/or malfunction detection of rotating machinery can be accomplished by using one or more strain measuring devices attached to a journal bearing housing, using the strain measuring device or devices to generate an electrically measurable output in response to a change of a force in at least part of the journal bearing housing, using a Wheatstone bridge circuit to convert the electrically measurable output to an analog electrical signal, converting the analog electrical signal to a digital electrical signal and analyzing the digital electrical signal to determine the performance of the machinery and/or existence of a malfunction in the rotating machinery.

Abstract: Performance measurement and/or malfunction detection of rotating machinery can be accomplished by using one or more strain measuring devices attached to a journal bearing housing, using the strain measuring device or devices to generate an electrically measurable output in response to a change of a force in at least part of the journal bearing housing, using a Wheatstone bridge circuit to convert the electrically measurable output to an analog electrical signal, converting the analog electrical signal to a digital electrical signal and analyzing the digital electrical signal to determine the performance of the machinery and/or existence of a malfunction in the rotating machinery.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting a failure of a fluid film bearing is disclosed. The system and method use one or more non-laser based strain transducers to detect changes in the frequency spectrum of the pressure of the fluid film at one or more locations in the bearing to identify failure or the risk of failure of the bearing. The system and can use metallic film, piezoelectric, and piezoresistive strain sensors to generate alarms when particular frequency bands become present in the strain frequency spectrum. The system and method can also generate strain orbit plots and perform waveform analysis of the time varying strains in the bearing housing caused by time-varying changes in the pressure of the fluid film.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting a failure of a fluid film bearing is disclosed. The system and method use one or more non-laser based strain transducers to detect changes in the frequency spectrum of the pressure of the fluid film at one or more locations in the bearing to identify failure or the risk of failure of the bearing. The system and can use metallic film, piezoelectric, and piezoresistive strain sensors to generate alarms when particular frequency bands become present in the strain frequency spectrum. The system and method can also generate strain orbit plots and perform waveform analysis of the time varying strains in the bearing housing caused by time-varying changes in the pressure of the fluid film.