System and method for health determination of a machine component

A method for determining health of a fuel pump, the fuel pump having an inlet and an outlet, the method comprising:

• receiving a first temperature signal from a first temperature sensor indicative of a temperature adjacent the inlet of the fuel pump;
• receiving a second temperature signal from a second temperature sensor indicative of a temperature adjacent the outlet of the fuel pump;
• monitoring a difference in the temperature between the first and second temperature sensors over a predetermined time period;
• comparing the difference in temperature with a first predetermined threshold;
• determining a rate of change of the difference in temperature over the predetermined time period;
• comparing the determined rate of change in the difference in temperature with a second predetermined threshold;
• determining the health of the fuel pump based, at least in part, on the comparisons with the first and second predetermined thresholds respectively and one or more additional parameters associated with the fuel pump;
• and
• generating a notification indicative of the determined health of the fuel pump.

A monitoring and notification system for a fuel pump, the system comprising:

• a first sensor associated with the fuel pump configured to generate first signals indicative of an inlet temperature of the fuel pump;
• a second sensor associated with the fuel pump configured to generate second signals indicative of an outlet temperature of the fuel pump, and
• a controller in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller configured to:
• access a first temperature difference threshold;
• access a second temperature difference threshold;
• receive the first signals from the first sensor;
• receive the second signals from the second sensor;
• determine a first temperature difference between the first sensor and the second sensor based upon the first signals and the second signals over a first predetermined time period;
• compare the first temperature difference with the first temperature difference threshold;
• upon the first temperature difference exceeding the first temperature difference threshold,
• determine a temperature difference characteristic of the first temperature difference based upon the first signals and the second signals over a second predetermined time period;
• compare the temperature difference characteristic with the second temperature difference threshold;
• and
• generate an alert signal when the second average temperature difference characteristic exceeds the second temperature difference threshold.