Systems and methods for real-time monitoring of electrical discharge across a tribological contact
OwnerGary L. Hunter, Jonathan Pita +1inventors
InventorsGary L. Hunter, Jonathan Pita, Peter W. Jacobs
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Abstract
Systems and methods for real-time monitoring of electrical discharge events across a tribological contact are provided. The systems comprise a signal generator, a test device comprising a tribological contact, a reference device and a signal comparator. The systems recognize changes between states where electrical discharge across a tribological contact does or does not occur and produce distinct output signals for each state and, further, may maintain a count of how often such events occur.
Claims29
A system for detecting electrical discharge events across a tribological contact, said contact comprising at least one fluid, the system comprising:
- a signal generator configured to generate an input signal;
- a reference device configured to receive the input signal from the signal generator and produce a first output signal;
- a test device configured to receive the input signal from the signal generator and produce a second output signal, said test device comprising a tribological contact, said contact comprising at least one fluid;
- and
- a signal comparator configured to compare the first and second output signals, said signal comparator being further configured to switch between two states in response to an electrical discharge event across the tribological contact.
A method of detecting electrical discharge events across a tribological contact, said contact comprising at least one fluid, the method comprising the following steps:
- applying an input signal to a reference device and a test device, said test device comprising a tribological contact, said contact comprising at least one fluid;
- and
- applying an output signal from the reference device and an output signal from the test device to a signal comparator, said signal comparator providing an output signal when the relationship between the output signal from the reference device and the output signal from the test device changes, wherein said change is characterized by an electrical discharge event across the tribological contact.
A system for monitoring operational chemical changes of a fluid, the system comprising:
- a signal generator configured to generate an input signal;
- a reference device configured to receive the input signal from the signal generator and produce a first output signal;
- a test device configured to receive the input signal from the signal generator and produce a second output signal, said test device comprising a tribological contact, said contact comprising at least one fluid;
- and
- a signal comparator configured to compare the first and second output signals, said signal comparator further configured to switch between two states in response to an operational chemical change of the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.