Method and Apparatus for Suppression of Spikes Detected by a Proximity Sensor

An apparatus for suppressing a non-vibration induced event in a proximity system, the apparatus comprising:

• memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled with the memory, the at least one processor being configured:
• to receive an output signal generated by a proximity sensor in the proximity system and to monitor at least a magnitude of the output signal;
• to determine whether a spike having a magnitude exceeding a prescribed threshold value has occurred in the received output signal;
• to set an output of the proximity system to a prescribed level for a prescribed duration of time when a spike in the received output signal is detected;
• to determine whether the output signal generated by the proximity sensor meets one or more prescribed criteria indicative of a shutdown condition when the prescribed duration of time has elapsed;
• to set the output of the proximity system to a level exceeding an alarm threshold of the proximity system when it is determined that the output signal generated by the proximity sensor meets said prescribed criteria indicative of a shutdown condition;
• and to release suppression of the output of the proximity system when it is determined that the output signal generated by the proximity sensor fails to meet at least one of said prescribed criteria, thereby indicating that the spike in the output signal generated by the proximity sensor was caused by a non-vibration induced random event.

A system for monitoring an operational status of a rotating machine, the system comprising:

• at least one proximity sensor operatively coupled with a rotating surface of the rotating machine being monitored, the proximity sensor being configured to generate an output signal indicative of a position of the proximity sensor relative to the rotating surface of the rotating machine;
• and
• a position transmitter coupled with the at least one proximity sensor, the position transmitter comprising at least one processor configured:
• to receive the output signal generated by the proximity sensor and to monitor at least a magnitude of the output signal;
• to determine whether a spike having a magnitude exceeding a prescribed threshold value has occurred in the received output signal;
• to set an output of the position transmitter to a prescribed level for a prescribed duration of time when a spike in the received output signal is detected;
• to determine whether the output signal generated by the proximity sensor meets one or more prescribed criteria indicative of a shutdown condition when the prescribed duration of time has elapsed;
• to set the output of the position transmitter to a level exceeding an alarm threshold of the system when it is determined that the output signal generated by the proximity sensor meets said prescribed criteria indicative of a shutdown condition;
• and to release suppression of the output of the position transmitter when it is determined that the output signal generated by the proximity sensor fails to meet at least one of said prescribed criteria, thereby indicating that the spike in the output signal generated by the proximity sensor was caused by a non-vibration induced random event.

A computer program product for suppressing a non-periodic random event in a proximity system, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:
• computer readable program code configured to receive an output signal generated by a proximity sensor in the proximity system and to monitor at least a magnitude of the output signal;
• computer readable program code configured to determine whether a spike having a magnitude exceeding a prescribed threshold value has occurred in the received output signal;
• computer readable program code configured to set an output of the proximity system to a prescribed level for a prescribed duration of time when a spike in the received output signal is detected;
• computer readable program code configured to determine whether the output signal generated by the proximity sensor meets one or more prescribed criteria indicative of a shutdown condition when the prescribed duration of time has elapsed;
• computer readable program code configured to set the output of the proximity system to a level exceeding an alarm threshold of the proximity system when it is determined that the output signal generated by the proximity sensor meets said prescribed criteria indicative of a shutdown condition;
• and
• computer readable program code configured to release suppression of the output of the proximity system when it is determined that the output signal generated by the proximity sensor fails to meet at least one of said prescribed criteria, thereby indicating that the spike in the output signal generated by the proximity sensor was caused by a non-vibration induced random event.