System and Method for Distinguishing Lubrication Faults from Mechanical Faults in the Bearings or Gears of Rotating Machinery
AssigneeU.E. Systems, Inc.
InventorsBlair Fraser, William Bishop, Tomasz Barszcz
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Abstract
A method and system for distinguishing lubrication faults from mechanical faults in rotary machinery using ultrasound analysis. Ultrasonic signals or ultrasound data is received from the machinery. The Zero-Peak and RMS values of the signals are detected to identify whether any fault is presence. If so, the system calculates an envelope spectrum of the ultrasound data; and classifies the fault as a lubrication or mechanical fault based on periodicity indicated within a low-frequency band of the envelope spectrum.
Claims14
A method for distinguishing lubrication faults from mechanical faults in rotary machinery using ultrasound analysis, comprising the steps of
- receiving ultrasound signal data from the machinery;
- calculating Zero-Peak (ZP) and RMS values of the ultrasound signal data to identify fault presence;
- determining if any fault is indicated based on the combined ZP and RMS values being above a threshold;
- if the ZP and RMS values are above the threshold, calculating an envelope spectrum of the ultrasound data;
- and
- classifying the fault as a lubrication or mechanical fault based on periodicity indicated within a low-frequency band of the envelope spectrum.
A system for distinguishing lubrication faults from mechanical faults in rotary machinery using ultrasound analysis, comprising:
- an ultrasonic transducer for receiving ultrasonic signals or data from the rotary machinery;
- a heterodyne circuit for lowing the bandwidth of the ultrasonic signal to a lower level;
- a processor that classifies the ultrasonic signal as indicating no fault, a lubrication fault or a mechanical fault, said processor being programmed to conduct the steps of;
- calculating Zero-Peak and RMS values of the heterodyned signal to identify fault presence;
- determining if any fault is indicated based on the combined ZP and RMS values being above a threshold;
- calculating an envelope spectrum of the ultrasound data;
- and
- classifying the fault as a lubrication or mechanical fault based on periodicity indicated within a low-frequency band of the envelope spectrum;
- and
- a display that receives the no fault, lubrication or mechanical fault determinations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.