Rotating Machinery Or Device Patents (Class 73/660)
  • Patent number: 10598183
    Abstract: An aero damping measurement system is provided. The system includes a shroud defining a tunnel, a hub disposed within the tunnel, and a plurality of blades coupled to the hub. The blades may rotate about the hub. A gas pressure probe may have a tip extending to the tunnel to deliver a pressurized burst into the tunnel. An aeromechanical identification system may include a pressurized gas source, a valve in fluid communication with the pressurized gas source, and the gas pressure probe may be in fluid communication with the valve. The valve may control a flow of a pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source into the gas pressure probe. A pressure sensor may be coupled to the gas pressure probe and configured to measure a pressure within the gas pressure probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Allison Clark Nicklous, Steven Tyler Englerth
  • Patent number: 10526922
    Abstract: A method for a position determination of a turbine blade of a high-pressure turbine stage of a gas turbine that is connected to a high-pressure compressor via a shaft, wherein each turbine blade of the high-pressure turbine is recorded on a record card with a relative position. The method includes: determining a position of a blade lock of a stage of the high-pressure compressor, where the stage is selected such that, when the gas turbine is mounted, the blade lock is brought into view of a boroscope, which is guided through a boroscope opening on the gas turbine by rotating the shaft, and so that the blade lock can be identified; and marking that turbine blade on the record card that is in view of a second boroscope, which is guided through a second boroscope opening on the gas turbine when the blade lock is in view of the boroscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: LUFTHANSA TECHNIK AG
    Inventor: Tim Frederik Zippel
  • Patent number: 10490056
    Abstract: Equipment monitoring employing time-triggered Ethernet communications is provided. Two or more sensor assemblies can be configured to transmit sensor signals representative of one or more operating parameters of a machine to a monitoring system over a token ring Ethernet network. The monitoring system can synchronize timing between the sensor assemblies and schedule timing of respective sensor signal transmissions to bound latency of the scheduled transmissions. Alternatively, or additionally, the monitoring system can include an Ethernet backplane configured to allow Ethernet communication between two or more processing cards coupled thereto. A switch in communication with the Ethernet backplane can schedule transmissions between the processing cards coupled to the Ethernet backplane to guarantee latency of the scheduled transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Bently Nevada, LLC
    Inventor: Aaron R. Hampton
  • Patent number: 10458273
    Abstract: A blade vibration monitor including a self-adjusting sensor gap mechanism is provided. The blade vibration monitor includes a probe configured to be disposed in a mounting hole within a turbine casing of a steam turbine. A proximity sensor is disposed within a tip of the probe producing a signal in response to a turbine blade passing the sensor. A positioning means is used to position a depth of the probe with respect to the mounting hole. A processor processes the signal to determine a gap distance between the probe and the turbine blade. Based on the determined gap distance the processor controls the positioning means to adjust the probe depth relative to the mounting hole in order to set the gap distance in real time to a minimal gap distance. A method for setting a gap distance between a turbine blade tip and a proximity sensor is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventor: Edward David Thompson
  • Patent number: 10337957
    Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing the condition of a machine having a rotating part, includes: a first sensor for generating an analogue electric measurement signal; an analogue-to-digital converter for sampling the analogue electric measurement signal at an initial sampling frequency to generate a digital measurement data signal in response to the received analogue electric measurement signal; a device for generating a position signal having a sequence of position signal values for indicating momentary rotational positions of the rotating part; and a speed value generator for recording a time sequence of the position signal values such that there are angular distances and corresponding durations between at least three consecutive position signals, wherein the speed value generator establishes at least two momentary speed values based on the angular distances and corresponding durations, and further momentary speed values for the rotating part are established by interpolation between the two momentary speed valu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: S.P.M. Instrument AB
    Inventor: Lars-Olov Hedin
  • Patent number: 10288475
    Abstract: An abnormality detecting apparatus (10) for a rotating machine includes: a calculating part (15) which calculates a phase difference between signals respectively output from two sensors of one or more sets, the one or more sets being predetermined combinations of two sensors among the plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors each of which detects an elastic wave generating in the rotating machine (1) having a rotor during rotation of the rotor, the sensors being arranged at predetermined different locations of the rotating machine (1); a storing part (16) which stores in advance information concerning a relationship between a phase difference and a contact position when a contact occurs during the rotation of the rotor, regarding the one or more sets; and a specifying part (17) which specifies a contact position by using a phase difference calculated by the calculating part (15) and the information stored in the storing part (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaname Araki, Eiji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10168306
    Abstract: A rotor arrangement and method by which a time reference is provided for a rotor. The rotor includes N time of arrival features. The method includes steps to: provide a plurality of time of arrival probes spaced apart circumferentially outside the periphery of the rotor; for each revolution of the rotor, measure a time of arrival of each feature at each probe; select N time of arrival measurements at each probe; derive a best fit of the measured times of arrival measured at all the probes against angular position; and set the time reference for the next revolution of the rotor equal to the best fit at the end of the current revolution of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter Russhard, Jason David Back
  • Patent number: 10156440
    Abstract: A method of analysing blade tip displacements (dijk) derived from a rotor having an array of blades that rotate at a rotational speed (?). The blades are monitored by an array of stationary timing probes for at least two revolutions (j) of the rotor. Define asynchronous displacement (dijk_A) as a sum of a sinusoidal term (Va) and an offset per probe term (Oo). Define synchronous displacement (dijk_S) as a sum of a sinusoidal term (Vs) and a common offset term (Cc). Solve the asynchronous displacements (dijk_A) using the blade tip displacements (dijk) to give asynchronous amplitude (|a|), offset per probe (ok) and asynchronous residuals (rijk_A). Solve the synchronous displacements (dijk_S) using the blade tip displacements (dijk) to give synchronous amplitude (|s|), common offset (cj) and synchronous residuals (rijk_S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Olivier Y J P Jousselin
  • Patent number: 10132315
    Abstract: A fluid energy machine, with a machine housing (10), and with at least one shaft (11) that is mounted in the machine housing (10), which is assigned at least one sensor (12), with the help of which vibrations of the respective shaft are detectable, with at least one mounting sleeve (13), which extends through a bore (14) in the machine housing (10), wherein on a first portion (15) of the respective mounting sleeve (13), which faces the shaft, a sensor (12) is mounted, wherein in the region of the first portion (15) of the respective mounting sleeve (13) an adjusting device (16) is formed in order to align the respective sensor (12) relative to the respective shaft (11), and wherein on a portion (17) of the respective mounting sleeve (13) facing away from the shaft (11) a fixing device (18) engages in order to fix and seal the respective mounting sleeve (13) on the machine housing (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: MAN Energy Solutions SE
    Inventor: Tim Lehmann
  • Patent number: 10020764
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system to compensate for mechanical forces on a rotating rotor of an electric machine, to a method for compensating mechanical forces on a rotating rotor of an electric machine, and to a use of a corresponding system. Disclosed is a system for compensating torsions at a rotating rotor. The system includes at least one measuring device for measuring specific properties of the rotor, an analyzer unit for analyzing the measurement data of the measuring device, a compensation means for compensating the torsions at the rotor, the compensation means comprise a power supply unit generating a signal adapted in amplitude and frequency to the measured properties of the rotor, and to apply the generated signal to the rotor, and the power supply unit is a frequency converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg Oesterheld, Luca Alberti, Giovanni Cataldi
  • Patent number: 10001404
    Abstract: A method for monitoring sub-synchronous torsional oscillations of a shaft line of a steam turbine includes measuring a rotational speed of the shaft line over a period of time and generating, from the measured rotational speed, a signal representative of the rotational speed over the period of time. The method further includes performing a spectrum analysis on the signal to determine, for at least one given frequency, an amplitude of variation of the rotational speed at the given frequency, comparing the amplitude with at least one predetermined amplitude threshold for the frequency, and generating an alert signal if the amplitude exceeds at least one predetermined amplitude threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Sébastien Picand, Martin Toulemonde, Boris Huart
  • Patent number: 9955273
    Abstract: A microphone assembly is disclosed. In an embodiment, the assembly includes a transducer and an electronic circuit operatively connected to the transducer, wherein the electronic circuit comprises a test mode circuitry configured to selectively set the microphone assembly in one or more test modes or an operational mode, and wherein the one or more test modes enable determining at least one parameter of the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gino Rocca, Jan Tue Ravnkilde
  • Patent number: 9897431
    Abstract: An edge detector is provided for determining the axial position of the leading or trailing edge of a rotating blade within rotating machinery. The edge detector includes a set of axially spaced tip detection probes locatable within a casing of the machinery. Each probe is arranged to detect whether or not the blade tip passes over that probe. The edge detector determines the axial position of the edge of the blade as the position of the boundary between those tip detection probes which detect passage of the blade tip thereover and those tip detection probes which detect no passage of the blade tip thereover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Alan Richard Jones
  • Patent number: 9618037
    Abstract: A method includes receiving an input signal containing information associated with a rolling element bearing and/or a piece of equipment containing the rolling element bearing. The method also includes decomposing the input signal into a frequency-domain signal and determining at least one family of frequencies corresponding to at least one failure mode of the rolling element bearing. The method further includes generating a reconstructed input signal using the at least one family of frequencies and the frequency-domain signal. In addition, the method includes determining, using the reconstructed input signal, an indicator identifying an overall health of the rolling element bearing. The indicator could be determined using a baseline signal associated with either (i) normal operation of the rolling element bearing and/or the piece of equipment or (ii) defective operation of the rolling element bearing and/or the piece of equipment (where a severity of the defective operation will increase over time).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Chinmaya Kar, Rajat Sadana, Venkataramana B. Kini, Meenakshi Sunderam, Joydeb Mukherjee, Vedika Agrawal
  • Patent number: 9581611
    Abstract: A system for detecting a rotational speed of a turbocharger includes: a rotational speed sensor unit which includes a radar transmitter for emitting radar waves and a radar receiver for receiving the radar waves and which is designed to detect radar waves reflected by a machine element of the turbocharger and to provide them as a measuring signal; and an evaluation unit which is coupled to the rotational speed sensor unit and is designed to check whether the reflected radar waves are detectable by the radar receiver based on a predetermined criterion and to ascertain the rotational speed of the turbocharger based on an evaluation of the measuring signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Dirk Eichel
  • Patent number: 9512736
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring one or more rotating turbine engine rotor blades using a processing system and a sensor having a measurement field. The method includes steps of: (i) providing measurement data from the sensor as a first of the rotor blades passes through the measurement field; (ii) correlating the measurement data with reference data as a function of time to provide correlation data; and (iii) processing the correlation data to determine a peak correlation value that corresponds to a point in time during the passage of the first of the rotor blades through the measurement field; wherein the correlating and the processing are performed by the processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Charles P. Gendrich
  • Patent number: 9341512
    Abstract: Frequency compensation of a vibration sensor digitally in a time domain by using a high-pass filter roll-off slope is presented. The subject matter reduces the noise floor of an analog front end or analog domain portion of a circuit configured to enhance the frequency response of a vibration sensor. The present subject matter eliminates or reduces analog components and adds pieces of signal processing software to digitally enhance the frequency response of a vibration sensor so as to reduce component costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventor: Prabhat Shrivastav
  • Patent number: 9279715
    Abstract: A method of operating an apparatus for analysing the condition of a machine having a part rotating with a speed of rotation, includes receiving a first digital signal dependent on mechanical vibrations emanating from rotation of the part, analyzing the first digital signal so as to detect peak amplitude values during a finite time period, the finite time period corresponding to a certain amount of revolution of the part, the certain amount of revolution corresponding to more than one revolution of the monitored rotatable part, defining amplitude ranges, sorting the detected peak amplitude values into corresponding amplitude ranges so as to reflect occurrence of detected peak amplitude values within the plurality of amplitude ranges, and estimating a representative peak amplitude value in dependence on the sorted peak amplitude values and the certain amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: S.P.M. INSTRUMENT AB
    Inventor: Lars-Olov Hedin
  • Patent number: 9261386
    Abstract: A detecting probe mounting device for fixation in the proximity to a rotating member of a machine is provided. The detecting probe mounting device includes at least two detecting probes with a connecting part and a detecting part for detecting parameters of the machine and/or the rotating member, a probe support structure with one through hole for each detecting probe and with mounting means for mounting each detecting probe at the probe support structure, wherein in a mounted state the connecting part and the detecting part are located on different sides of each through hole, and fixing means for fixing the probe support structure at a predefined position in proximity to the rotating member of the machine, wherein in the fixed state the detecting part of each detecting probe is facing the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Dave Carter
  • Patent number: 9250157
    Abstract: A method for detecting rotational speed/torque fluctuations, in particular patterns of such fluctuations, of a drive device, in particular in a motor vehicle, includes the following steps: detecting a critical rotational speed situation by comparing a measured actual rotational speed with specified characteristic rotational speeds; detecting a local rotational speed minimum and a local rotational speed maximum (local rotational speed variables); analyzing the local rotational speed variables by generating local rotational speed characteristic values, such as a local amplitude and a local frequency preferably; directly or indirectly determining the duration of a local vibration time period, wherein substantially constant local rotational speed characteristic values are present within the time period; and describing a local vibration pattern, the pattern exhibiting at least the local amplitude, local frequency, or the local vibration time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignees: AUDI AG, AVL DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Mathias Felber, Jürgen Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 9243970
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a rebalancing strategy for trim balancing one or more rotational components of a gas turbine. One or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals may be received at a control device of an aircraft comprising the gas turbine engine while the aircraft is in operation. The one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals may be used for determining a rebalancing strategy for one or more unbalanced rotational components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Paraag Borwankar, Heather Grant, Enzo Macchia, Christopher McElvaine
  • Patent number: 9212946
    Abstract: Methods and systems for creating Campbell diagram displays for illustrating vibration characteristics of a moving apparatus, such as a rotary machine, are provided. Data, representing vibration amplitudes and frequencies are recorded against rotational speeds of an apparatus. The data is used to create waveforms representing the forward and/or reverse vibration frequencies of the apparatus. The waveforms in turn are used to create spectral line envelopes to provide enhanced two dimensional images indicating the amplitudes of the vibrations of the apparatus at particular rotational speeds. The spectral line envelopes may be empty, filled with one or more colors, or other illustration features to impart solidity to the envelopes to enhance visibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Wesley Grant, Charles T. Hatch
  • Patent number: 9194843
    Abstract: A wind power turbine blade inspection system includes a sensor positioned on the blade root end bulkhead to receive airborne acoustic signals emanating from anomalies in rotating turbine blades during cyclic stress loading, a three axis accelerometer to determine the gravity vector and other sources of cyclic acceleration with respect to the acoustic signals and a signal analysis system configured to analyze the sensor and accelerometer signals to provide data for wind power asset management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Digital Wind Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Newman
  • Patent number: 9176024
    Abstract: A system includes a first unitary measurement strip configured to be secured about a rotational component at a first axial location. The first unitary measurement strip includes a first set of one or more windows, each window of the first set of one or more windows is configured to correspond to a first respective tangential location of the rotational component at the first axial location, and each window of the first set of one or more windows is configured to be detectable via a first sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Raymond Verle Jensen, Charles Terrance Hatch, Sean Kelly Summers
  • Patent number: 9151848
    Abstract: Dosimeters with wireless communications capability, upon actuation, communicate with a cell phone or other data capture and relay device (DCRD) with an application that allows communication with the dosimeters. The cell phone or other DCRD is a single device or part of an ad hoc network. The cell phone or other DCRD, once it receives raw data from a dosimeter, relays the data to a central station using mobile telephone or Wi-Fi or other communications networks. The data is processed at the central station, and available over the Internet or cell phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: Mirion Technologies, Inc., Mirion Technologies (IST) Corporation
    Inventors: Jukka Kahilainen, Thomas D. Logan
  • Patent number: 9129743
    Abstract: An energy distribution system and methods for coupling a plurality of energy storage cells to at least one of an energy source and an energy load. Each energy storage cell is coupled, at an interface, via a distinct power converter, to a winding, as is an energy source or load, coupled at an energy port to a secondary winding. The plurality of windings sharing a magnetic flux field and thus constitute a transformer. While separate processors are associated with each power converter, a subset of the plurality of processors may be intercoupled for control based on conditions associated with at least one of the plurality of energy storage cells. A central processor may govern operation of a subset of the processors, moreover, a subset of the plurality of processors may also be connected to a local area network and the central processor may communicate with other processors and may also be coupled to an external network such as the internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Nucleus Scientific, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Hunter, Serge R. Lafontaine
  • Patent number: 9112544
    Abstract: The method and system supports multiple bandwidth traffic over a single CPRI (common public radio interface) link (109) using a single bandwidth DMA (direct memory access) engine (505) and fast Fourier transform/inverse fast Fourier transform processing. (402, 404) The invention exploits fast Fourier transform/inverse fast Fourier transform properties and is particularly suitable for supporting LTE (Long Term Evolution) cellular communication systems (100) The CPRI Media Access Control is configured in each CPRI lane to run at the maximum bandwidth among the bandwidths required. In the uplink, lower bandwidth data samples are padded with zeros and flexible positioning may be used to arrange the data in a CPRI frame. In the downlink, the radio equipment receiver (106) only processes the relevant data and ignores any interpolated samples. The invention is compatible with CPRI and LTE standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy Shor, Odi Dahan, Ori Goren, Avraham Horn
  • Patent number: 9063033
    Abstract: A sensor housing is provided. The sensor housing includes an elongated body having an open end and a closed end. An opening is disposed axially within the elongated body through the open end and is configured to receive a sensor secured therein. A support section is connected to the closed end of the elongated body and coupled to a receiving port disposed on the gas turbine engine system. The elongated body has an axial dimension determined according to a vibration characteristic of the gas turbine engine system during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Matthew Allen Mayer, Daniel William Carey
  • Patent number: 9057682
    Abstract: According to the embodiment, there is provided a blade vibration measuring apparatus, having, a contactless displacement sensor which outputs a displacement measurement signal as measuring a displacement of a turbine moving blade in a rotation axis direction, a blade top position identifying device which outputs a blade top position identification signal to identify a top position based on a distance between the contactless displacement sensor and the top position of the turbine moving blade as receiving the displacement measurement signal output from the contactless displacement sensor, and a blade vibration calculating device which calculates vibration amplitude and a vibration frequency of the turbine moving blade based on temporal variation of the distance between the contactless displacement sensor and the top position of the turbine moving blade as receiving the blade top position identification signal output from the blade top position identifying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kohichi Nakayama, Kenji Osaki, Hisashi Matsuda, Hitoshi Sakakida, Toshio Hirano, Toshiaki Hirate, Sueyoshi Mizuno, Ikuo Saito
  • Patent number: 9038468
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for determining a damage state of a wheel bearing (12), in which a wheel (15) with a tire (9) arranged on a rim (8) in such a manner that the wheel can be rotated on an axle, in a motor vehicle, in particular during maintenance work on the motor vehicle. In order to avoid the wheel bearing (12) being accessed unnecessarily, a sensor unit (1) which communicates with an evaluation unit and is removably fastened radially outside a screw circle (11) of the rim (8) is provided for the purpose of determining the damage state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jens Heim
  • Patent number: 9032803
    Abstract: A method including acquiring a current vibration signal of an engine component mechanical vibration across a set of a measuring period P of changes in shaft speed N; capturing the signal during the period P; synchronizing the signal relative to the changes in the speed N; transforming the signal into a frequency signal for obtaining frequency spectrum lines arranged according to the speed N; calculating the mean amplitude of the spectrum lines to obtain a current vibration signature for the engine; calculating a deviation ratio between the signature and a healthy reference vibration signature; and comparing the deviation ratio to the defect indicators in a predefined database, listing the theoretical damage to the roller engine bearings so as to determine potential damage to the roller bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Julien Griffaton
  • Publication number: 20150122037
    Abstract: A method of diagnosing the condition of a slurry pump impeller is provided, comprising collecting vibration data from at least one accelerometer mounted to or proximate the pump over a specific time period; calculating indicators from the collected vibration data, the indicators comprising energy level, crest factor, square root amplitude value, and fault growth parameter; and plotting the calculated indicators against time to generate a fault trend indicative of health or deterioration of the impeller. The method further involves predicting the remaining useful life of the impeller using vibration data-driven prognostics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: KHALED OBAIA, DAN WOLFE, STEFFEN LANGE, PETER W. TSE, JACKO T. LEUNG
  • Patent number: 9016132
    Abstract: A method of analyzing blade displacements detected by circumferentially spaced stationary timing probes associated with an assembly of rotating blades mounted on a rotor, including (a) identifying a possible resonant vibration event in the assembly of rotating blades; (b) zeroing the blade displacements on the rotations identified with the resonant vibration event to remove invariant blade displacements; (c) fitting modelled blade displacements corresponding to possible blade vibrational deflections at various frequencies to the zeroed blade displacements; and (d) characterizing the resonant vibration event by identifying at each rotation the frequency having modelled blade displacements which correlate best with the zeroed blade displacements. Step (c) includes performing at each individual rotation the sub-step of fitting the modelled blade displacements at each frequency to the zeroed blade displacements for successive rotations which include that individual rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Peter Russhard, Jason D. Back
  • Patent number: 9000777
    Abstract: A rotor blade measurement system includes a microwave source and a probe. A directional coupler is attached to the source and the probe. A detector is attached to the directional coupler. The probe directs a microwave signal toward a rotor such that during rotation the rotor blade will pass through the path of the microwave signal. As the rotor blade passes the microwave signal is reflected back to the probe. The directional coupler separates the original microwave signal and the reflected signal. The detector then determines the energy level of the reflected signal. As each rotor blade passes the microwave signal it generates a reflected signal that can be analyzed over time. From the length and shape of the waveform of the reflected signal the amount of twisting and flutter in a rotor blade can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hamilton Sunstrand
    Inventors: Eric B. Holmquist, Peter L. Jalbert, Richard E. Versailles
  • Patent number: 8960009
    Abstract: A vibration characteristic measuring apparatus includes a magnetic bearing that generates magnetic force on the rotating body of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor, a displacement sensor that measures the vibration amplitude of the rotating body, a current amplifier that supplies a current to the magnetic bearing, and an excitation controller which outputs an excitation control signal for applying vibration to the rotating body and which measures the response characteristics of the vibration of the rotating body to the excitation control signal. The excitation controller outputs a rotating body control signal obtained by adding a vibration eliminating signal for eliminating unbalance vibration of the rotating body to the excitation control signal when measuring the response characteristics, and the current amplifier supplies a current that generates magnetic force in accordance with the rotating body control signal to the magnetic bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiko Takahashi, Haruo Miura, Kazutoshi Yanagihara
  • Publication number: 20140352444
    Abstract: A method and a system for acquiring a vibratory signal for troubleshooting a rotary motor, including: an input receiving a temporal vibratory signal of the motor and at least one current rotational speed of at least one shaft of the motor, and a sampling mechanism sampling the temporal vibratory signal in real time with at least one sampling signal synchronised with the at least one current rotational speed thus generating a corresponding synchronous vibratory signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventor: Geoffroy Nicq
  • Patent number: 8884628
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for monitoring rub detection in a machine are provided. An electrical signal may be provided for transmission to and into a component of the machine. A capacitance associated with the electrical signal in the component may be monitored. Based at least in part upon a determined change in the monitored capacitance, a potential rub condition for the component of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Wesley Donald Franklin
  • Patent number: 8874255
    Abstract: A method of control of rotation of a spindle device and a control system of a machine tool which enable machining without generation of chatter vibration without using special tools of variable pitch cutting edges or chatter vibration detecting means. The method of control of rotation of a spindle device and control system of a machine tool according to the present invention store spindle rotational speed change data, which determines how to change a rotational speed of a spindle in accordance with an instructed speed, linked with machining conditions and stability limit data, select, from an instructed spindle rotational speed and machining conditions and the stored stability limit data, spindle rotational speed change data giving less vibration, and use the selected spindle rotational speed change data as the basis to change the rotational speed of the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Miyamoto, Haruka Nagahara, Sumie Nagahara, Osamu Nagahara
  • Patent number: 8867787
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a system, a computer program product, and a method for inspecting a turbine system. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one computing device configured to inspect a turbine system by performing actions including: obtaining a set of pre-maintenance digital images of the turbine system, obtaining a set of post-maintenance digital images of the turbine system, comparing the set of pre-maintenance digital images with the set of post-maintenance digital images to identify an anomaly in the set of post-maintenance digital images, and comparing the set of post-maintenance digital image with a set of computer modeled image of the turbine system to determine a type of the anomaly in response to identifying the anomaly. The post-maintenance digital images depict the turbine system after a maintenance process has been performed on the turbine system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Venkata Nagendra Sathi Raju Singamsetti, Harish Kumar Dontula
  • Patent number: 8826741
    Abstract: A monitoring system for an assembly that is subject to vibrations. The system has a first unit for monitoring vibrations. The monitoring system permits the connection of a sensor unit that detects one or more measured values. A measured value converter with inputs for one or more measured values is provided to convert the values into a temporally variable analogue signal, in which at least one frequency portion represents one measured value. Other detected measured values and status parameters can thus be processed in one vibration monitoring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Kuehl, Goetz Langer
  • Patent number: 8830116
    Abstract: A radar wave sensing apparatus including a rotation element, a nanosecond pulse near-field sensor and a control unit is provided. The nanosecond pulse near-field sensor emits an incident radar wave and receives a reflection radar wave of the incident radar wave hitting on a surface of the rotation element to obtain a repetition frequency variation of the reflection radar wave corresponding to the incident radar wave. The control unit calculates a vibration of the rotation element according to the repetition frequency variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuang-I Chang, Sheng-Hang Wang, Yu-Jen Su, Mu-Yu Tsai, Jyun-Long Chen
  • Patent number: 8818683
    Abstract: A method for operating a gas turbine engine includes coupling at least one sensor within the gas turbine engine to transmit a signal indicative of a vibration level of a rotor assembly within the gas turbine engine, detecting the vibration level of the rotor assembly based on the signal transmitted from the at least one sensor, comparing the detected vibration level to a predetermined vibration threshold, and generating an output if the detected vibration amplitude exceeds the threshold amplitude for a predetermined duration to facilitate identifying a gas turbine engine impulse event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gert Johannes van der Merwe, David Allen Bradford
  • Publication number: 20140217945
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatic resonance detection is disclosed for a motor-driven mechanical system such as a voice coil motor (VCM) in which a resonance detector and driver are provided. The automatic resonance detector may be implemented on the same integrated circuit as the driver, and dynamically determines the natural resonant frequency of the VCM driven by the driver. The resonant frequency is determined by measuring the back electromotive force (BEMF) of the VCM, detecting the slope of the BEMF signal, and determining the resonant frequency from the slope of the BEMF signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Analog Devices Technology
    Inventors: Alan Patrick Cahill, Gary Casey, John A. Cleary, Eoin Edward English, Christian Jimenez, Javier Calpe Maravilla, Colin G. Lyden, Thomas F. Roche
  • Patent number: 8794073
    Abstract: A structure for attaching a vibration sensor to a storage device having a recording or reproducing head that records on or reproduces from a recording medium, includes: a first vibration sensor which is provided on a first outer surface of a base of the storage device, and detects vibration in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the recording medium; a second vibration sensor which is provided on a second outer surface of the base, the second surface orthogonal to the first outer surface, and detects vibration in an in-plane direction of the recording medium; an urging section which has a first end portion in contact with an upper surface of the first vibration sensor and a second end portion in contact with an upper surface of the second vibration sensor, and has a substantially L-shape; and a damping member affixed to the urging section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Kasai, Yasuhiro Sasaki, Hiroshi Sakai
  • Patent number: 8763464
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining an operating point of a work machine and/or asynchronous motor driving the same, the operating point being characterized by the power consumed by and/or output rate of the machine, in which one or more operating point-dependent measurement variables of the machine are detected by sensors, and the measured values are evaluated and/or stored during operation of the machine. The operating point is determined without using electric measurement variables of the motor by determining a frequency linearly proportional to the fundamental tone of the machine through signal analysis, especially frequency analysis of a measured mechanical variable selected from pressure, differential pressure, power, vibration, and solid-borne or air-borne sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: KSB Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christoph Emde, Stefan Laue, Marjan Silovic
  • Publication number: 20140144241
    Abstract: An apparatus for ultrasound testing of a component includes an ultrasound test head and a guide unit. The guide unit is configured in such a manner that the test head is continuously moved in at least one translation direction, wherein an incidence angle of the test head with respect to a surface of the component is continuously changed at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Clossen-von Lanken Schulz, Stefan Obermayr
  • Patent number: 8720275
    Abstract: An approach for detecting rotor anomalies is disclosed. An on-site monitoring unit monitors vibration measurements obtained from a rotor during a transient speed operation. In one aspect, the on-site monitoring unit classifies the vibration measurements into predetermined ranges of rotor speed during the transient speed operation, determines maximum vibration data for each of the predetermined ranges of rotor speed during the transient speed operation and compiles the maximum vibration data into a snapshot of the vibration measurements obtained during the transient speed operation. A remote monitoring unit detects a rotor anomaly from the snapshot of vibration measurements generated by the on-site monitoring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanjeev Shyam Heda, Robert Joseph Iasillo, Eric Thomas Pool, Nirmal Sahadevan, Scott Alan Wood
  • Publication number: 20140109679
    Abstract: For identifying a fault in an electrical machine vibration is measured in a plurality of radial directions of the stator. On the basis of the vibration measurements a vibration frequency and a mode shape of the vibration at this frequency is determined. Characteristics of the vibration in terms of both the vibration frequency and the mode shape are used to identify a fault condition of the electrical machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventor: Pedro Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 8689634
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application can provide systems and methods for mode shape identification of turbine buckets. According to one embodiment, a system can be provided. The system can include a turbine bucket having numerous trigger patterns disposed at a distal end of the turbine bucket. A sensor is disposed adjacent to the distal end of the turbine bucket for detecting the trigger patterns. The trigger patterns are patterned to identify at least one mode shape of the turbine bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Genral Electric Company
    Inventors: Luke John Ammann, Liming Xu, Stephen Wassynger, Richard Pilson
  • Patent number: 8683866
    Abstract: A method of matching sensors in a multi-probe blade vibration monitor for a turbine. The method includes providing at least two probes mounted in a casing of the turbine adjacent to a rotating blade structure of the turbine. Targets are provided on radially outer portions of the blade structure. Each of the probes includes a sensor generating signals corresponding to target passing events, and a set of synchronous harmonics of the rotational speed of the rotor are produced for each sensor. The position of the sensors is adjusted such that the sets of harmonics of the sensors are substantially matched, indicating that the positions of the sensors are matched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Twerdochlib