US 10,991,381 B2 · System and method for machine learning predictive maintenance through auditory detection on natural gas compressors

Abstract

A system, method and computer program for predictive maintenance on natural gas compressors through auditory detection. Using one or multiple microphones, a system will collect and evaluate sound waves for the purpose of predicting and detecting failures and alert conditions in mechanical and process equipment. The system will collect sound which is used in a machine learning environment to utilize supervised training as well as unsupervised training, to produce a normal baseline and detect abnormal operations. Additionally, abnormal operations are categorized against known conditions. For uncategorized and unknown conditions, a workflow is in place to allow for the retraining and learning” of new conditions which are then published to the entire network of devices.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for predictive maintenance for a unit of equipment through auditory detection of anomalies in a hazardous environment, the system comprising:

a microphone system comprising a number of microphones N for collecting auditory data in two dimensional images from the unit of equipment, wherein N is ≥1;
a central processor or storage medium for storing the auditory data in two-dimensional sound files;
a processor for dividing the two-dimensional sound files into segments, transforming the segments of two-dimensional sound files into three-dimensional sound images and conditioning the three-dimensional sound images in an overlay pattern so that each collected item of auditory data is evaluated multiple times;
and
a library of baseline normal operating sounds comprising the three-dimensional sound images;
wherein anomalies in the hazardous environment are determined by classifying the three-dimensional sound images gathered by the at least one microphone against the library of baseline normal operating sounds to determine whether a sound image is problematic, benign or unclassified.

3 more elements

A computer software program stored on a non-transitory computer readable recording medium, which, when executed, performs a method of predicting maintenance for a unit of equipment through auditory detection in a hazardous environment, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting auditory data from the unit of equipment via at least one microphone;
storing the auditory data as two-dimensional sound files in a central processor or storage medium;
dividing the two-dimensional sound files into segments;
transforming the segments of two-dimensional sound files into three-dimensional sound images and conditioning the three-dimensional sound images in an overlay pattern so that each collected item of auditory data is evaluated multiple times;
and
creating a library of baseline normal operating sounds comprising the three-dimensional sound images for the unit of equipment.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for machine learning predictive maintenance through auditory detection on natural gas compressors

Life of this patent

System and method for machine learning predictive maintenance through auditory detection on natural gas compressors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20