# US 10,465,551 B2 · Reverse rotation detection in rotating machinery

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,465,551 B2
- Document ID: US10465551B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/483,977
- Filed: 2014-09-11
- Published: 2016-03-17
- Granted: 2019-11-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-11
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Mel Gabriel Maalouf; Munir Ahmed Qureshi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10465551B2

## CPC

- F01D 21/003: {Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H)}
- F01K 13/02: Controlling, e.g. stopping or starting
- G01H 1/003: {of rotating machines (G01H1/10 takes precedence)}
- G01H 1/006: {of the rotor of turbo machines}
- G05B 9/02: electric
- F02D 2250/06: Reverse rotation of engine
- G01P 13/04: Indicating positive or negative direction of a linear movement or clockwise or anti-clockwise direction of a rotational movement
- G05B 23/0235: {based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold}
- G05B 2219/42321: Wrong direction or sign of measured value, eventually stop
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D)
- G01H: MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W)
- G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G})

## Abstract

A system includes a sensor configured to monitor rotating machinery and generate a signal based on a physical characteristic of the rotating machinery. The system also includes a monitoring system with a processor. The processor of the monitoring system is configured to receive the signal from the sensor. The processor determines an occurrence of reverse rotation of the rotating machinery by comparing the signal to a normal operating pattern to generate an initial value. The processor generates a notification signal indicating the occurrence of a reverse rotation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device, comprising:
a communication interface that, in operation, receives a signal indicative of a rotational speed, a vibration, or any combination thereof of a rotating machine element;
a memory comprising an operating pattern of the rotating machine element, wherein the operating pattern comprises a predetermined value indicative of rotational speed, rate of speed increase or decrease, vibration, or any combination thereof, during normal operation of the rotating machine element; and
a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising:
deriving an actual rate of speed increase or decrease of the rotating machine element from the signal received from the communication interface;
determining an occurrence of reverse rotation of the rotating machine element, the determining including
comparing the signal received from the communication interface and the actual rate of speed increase or decrease of the rotating machine element to the operating pattern stored in the memory, and
assessing that a direction of vibration precession is different than a design rotational direction of the rotating machine element, the assessment including determining an occurrence of a phase reversal of the rotating machine element based on a change of vibration phase data received by a first sensor configured with respect to a first axis associated with the rotating machine element and a second sensor configured with respect to a second axis associated with the rotating machine element, the second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and
generating an initial value indicative of the occurrence of the reverse rotation of the rotating machine element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the processor, in operation, performs a step of applying predetermined weighting values to the initial value to generate a combined value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein the processor, in operation, performs a step of outputting a notification signal indicative of the occurrence of the reverse rotation of the rotating machine element based on the combined value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, comprising a display coupled to the processor, wherein the display, in operation, displays an indication of the occurrence of the reverse rotation of the rotating machine element based on the notification signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the communication interface, in operation, transmits a communication signal from the device, wherein the communication signal is based on the notification signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the processor, in operation, performs a step of generating an indication of the operation of the rotating machine element as part of the notification signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the memory, in operation, stores the operating pattern as related to a coast down time, a rate of speed increase or speed decrease, an operational speed, or any combination thereof of the rotating machine element.

### Claim 8

A system, comprising:
a first sensor and a second sensor that, in operation, monitor rotating machinery and generate signals indicative of a rotational speed, a vibration, a vibration phase, or any combination thereof, of the rotating machinery; and
a monitoring system comprising a processor configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving the signals;
deriving an actual rate of speed increase or decrease of the rotating machinery from the signals;
determining an occurrence of reverse rotation of the rotating machinery, the determining including
comparing the signals and the actual rate of speed increase or decrease of the rotating machinery to an operating pattern of the rotating machinery to generate an initial value, wherein the operating pattern comprises a predetermined value indicative of rotational speed, rate of speed increase or decrease, vibration, or any combination thereof, during normal operation of the rotating machinery, and
assessing that a direction of vibration precession is different than a design rotational direction of the rotating machinery, the assessment including determining an occurrence of a phase reversal of the rotating machine element based on a change of vibration phase data received by the first sensor configured with respect to a first axis associated with the rotating machine element and the second sensor configured with respect to a second axis associated with the rotating machine element, the second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and
generating a notification signal indicating the occurrence of a reverse rotation.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the processor, in operation, performs the step of determining the occurrence of reverse rotation of the rotating machinery by applying predetermined weighting values to the initial value to generate a combined value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the processor, in operation, performs the step of determining the occurrence of reverse rotation of the rotating machinery by comparing the combined value to a preset threshold.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the monitoring system, in operation, generates the notification signal based on the combined value.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the processor, in operation, performs the step of determining the occurrence of reverse rotation of the rotating machinery by comparing a phase relationship between a first signal of the first sensor and a second signal of the second sensor to an initial condition, wherein the initial condition comprises the first signal leading the second signal, and wherein the occurrence of reverse rotation comprises the second signal leading the first signal in phase.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the first and second sensors, in operation, monitor a rotational speed or a vibration of the rotating machinery as a physical characteristic.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the monitoring system, in operation, receives an indication that the rotating machinery is shutting down.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the monitoring system, in operation, determines that the rotating machinery is shutting down based on the signals.

### Claim 16

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer executable code stored thereon, the code comprising instructions to:
receive signals from a first sensor and a second sensor associated with rotating machinery, wherein the signals are indicative of a rotational speed, a vibration, a vibration phase, or any combination thereof, of the rotating machinery;
derive an actual rate of speed increase or decrease of the rotating machinery from the signals;
determine an occurrence of reverse rotation of the rotating machinery based on comparing the signals, the actual rate of speed increase or decrease of the rotating machinery and an operating pattern of the rotating machinery, wherein the operating pattern comprises a predetermined value indicative of rotational speed, rate of speed increase or decrease, vibration, or any combination thereof, during normal operation of the rotating machinery, and assessing that a direction of vibration precession
is different than a design rotational direction of the rotating machinery, the assessment including determining an occurrence of a phase reversal of the rotating machine element based on a change of vibration phase data received by the first sensor configured with respect to a first axis associated with the rotating machine element and the second sensor configured with respect to a second axis associated with the rotating machine element, the second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and
generate a notification signal indicating the occurrence of reverse rotation of the rotating machinery.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the code further comprises instructions to determine the occurrence of reverse rotation by comparing the signal to the operating pattern to generate an initial value.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the code further comprises instructions to determine the occurrence of reverse rotation by applying predetermined weighting values to the initial value to generate a combined value.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the code further comprises instructions to generate the notification signal based on the combined value.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the code further comprises instructions to generate an indication of the operation of the rotating machinery as part of the notification signal.