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US 5,523,701 AGranted
Method and apparatus for monitoring machine performance
AssigneeMartin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
InventorsStephen F. Smith, Kimberly N. Castleberry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Machine operating conditions can be monitored by analyzing, in either the time or frequency domain, the spectral components of the motor current. Changes in the electric background noise, induced by mechanical variations in the machine, are correlated to changes in the operating parameters of the machine.
Claims15
An apparatus for monitoring operating parameters of a machine rotated by an electric motor, comprising:
- means for sensing current drawn by the electric motor and producing an electric signal having a mechanically-induced random noise component which varies in accordance with a mechanical condition of the machine;
- and
- means for correlating changes in the mechanically-induced random noise component to changes in the mechanical condition of the machine.
A method for monitoring operating parameters of a machine rotated by an electric motor, comprising the steps of:
- sensing current drawn by the electric motor;
- producing an electric signal from the sensed current, the electric signal having a mechanically-induced random noise component which varies in accordance with a condition of the machine;
- and
- correlating changes in the mechanically-induced random noise component to changes in the mechanical condition of the machine.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.