Vibration monitoring system for gas turbine engines
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring vibration levels associated with a rotating component and establishing an alarm setting therefor, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) measuring an operating parameter and a corresponding set of vibration amplitudes for a rotating component during a period of operation;
b) normalizing the set of measured vibration amplitudes based on established amplitude limits for the rotating component so as to define a set of normalized amplitude data points, wherein the established amplitude limits are a function of the measured operating parameter for the component;
c) storing the set of normalized amplitude data points into parameter-based data blocks, each data block extending over a predetermined range of the operating parameter;
d) estimating, for each data block, a time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits based on changes in the normalized amplitude data points stored in the data blocks over the period of operation; and
e) establishing an alarm setting based on the estimated time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits for each data block.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a system and method for monitoring the vibration levels of gas turbine engines. The vibration monitoring system acquires vibration data from an engine, and processes the data with advanced algorithms to determine engine component health, both in a diagnostic and prognostic fashion. The method includes the steps of measuring an operating parameter and a corresponding set of vibration amplitudes for a plurality of rotating component during a period of operation and normalizing the set of measured vibration amplitudes based on established amplitude limits. The set of normalized amplitude data points are stored in parameter-based data blocks, which extend over a predetermined range of the operating parameter. For each data block, a time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits is estimated based on changes in the normalized amplitude data points stored in the data blocks. An alarm setting is then established based on the estimated time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits for each data block.
41 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method for monitoring vibration levels associated with a rotating component and establishing an alarm setting therefor, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a) measuring an operating parameter and a corresponding set of vibration amplitudes for a rotating component during a period of operation;
b) normalizing the set of measured vibration amplitudes based on established amplitude limits for the rotating component so as to define a set of normalized amplitude data points, wherein the established amplitude limits are a function of the measured operating parameter for the component;
c) storing the set of normalized amplitude data points into parameter-based data blocks, each data block extending over a predetermined range of the operating parameter;
d) estimating, for each data block, a time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits based on changes in the normalized amplitude data points stored in the data blocks over the period of operation; and
e) establishing an alarm setting based on the estimated time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits for each data block. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for monitoring vibration amplitudes associated with a plurality of rotating components and establishing an alarm setting for each component, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a) measuring an operating parameter for each of a plurality of rotating components;
b) measuring a corresponding set of vibration amplitudes for each of the plurality of rotating components during a period of operation;
c) selecting a rotating component from the plurality of rotating components to be monitored;
d) conditioning the set of vibration amplitudes so as to eliminate vibration amplitudes corresponding to unselected components in the plurality of components and creating a set of remaining vibration amplitudes;
e) normalizing the set of remaining vibration amplitudes based on established amplitude limits for the selected component so as to create a set of normalized amplitude data points, wherein the established amplitude limits are a function of the measured operating parameter for the selected rotating component;
f) storing the set of normalized amplitude data points for each component into associated sets of parameter-based data blocks, each data block extending over a predetermined range of the measured operating parameter;
g) estimating, for each data block, a time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits based on changes in the normalized amplitude data points stored in the sets of parameter-based data blocks over the period of operation; and
h) establishing an alarm setting for the selected component based on the estimate time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits for each of data block. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A system for monitoring vibration levels associated with a plurality of rotating components and establishing an alarm setting for each component, the system comprising:
-
a) means for measuring an operating parameter for each of a plurality of rotating components;
b) means for measuring a corresponding set of vibration amplitudes for each of the plurality of rotating components during a period of operation;
c) means for selecting from the plurality of rotating components a component to be monitored;
d) means for conditioning the set of vibration amplitudes so as to eliminate vibration amplitudes corresponding to unselected components in the plurality of components and creating a set of remaining vibration amplitudes;
e) means for normalizing the set of remaining vibration amplitudes based on established amplitude limits for the selected component so as to create a set of normalized amplitude data points, wherein the established amplitude limits are a function of the measured operating parameter for the selected rotating component;
f) means for storing the set of normalized amplitude data points for each rotating component into associated sets of parameter-based data blocks, each data block extending over a predetermined range of the measured operating parameter;
g) means for estimating, for each data block, a time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits based on changes in the normalized amplitude data point stored in the data blocks over the period of operation; and
h) means for establishing an alarm setting for the selected component based on the estimate time period remaining to reach the established amplitude limits for each of data block. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification