Acoustic sensing device, system and method for monitoring emissions from machinery

• US 20070028693A1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Radiaulics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Radiaulics, Inc.
• Inventors: Komninos, Nikolaos
• Application Number:
  US11/484,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20070028693A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/587
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/101 one transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/14 using acoustic emission techniques echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4427 with stored values, e.g. threshold values
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/46 by spectral analysis, e.g. Fourier analysis or wavelet analysis spectral signal processing per se G06F17/14

Abstract

Acoustic sensing devices, systems and methods are provided for monitoring emissions from machinery. Representative is an acoustic sensing device for transmitting to a measuring instrumentation detection signals indicative of sound wave levels from the machinery. A housing assembly is constructed for removable attachment between a surface mounting region of the machinery and the measuring instrument to define a coupled state. An acoustic emissions (AE) sensor is located in the housing assembly'"'"'s interior and detects sound waves propagating through the surface mounting region to produce detection signals for processing. A mounting adapter may be employed to interface the housing assembly to the machinery'"'"'s surface mounting region.

Claims

1. An acoustic sensing device for use in transmitting to a measuring instrument detection signals indicative of sound wave levels detected from machinery, said acoustic sensing device comprising:

(a) a housing assembly constructed for removable attachment between a surface mounting region of the machinery and the measuring instrument to define a coupled state; and

(b) an acoustic emissions sensor disposed in an interior of said housing assembly and operative when said housing assembly is in the coupled state to detect sound waves propagating through the surface mounting region of the machinery, wherein said acoustic emissions sensor includes a piezoelectric transducer adapted upon exposure to the sound waves to mechanically stress and produce corresponding transducer signals, and conditioning circuitry for receiving said transducer signals and for producing said detection signals for processing by the measuring instrument, said conditioning circuitry including a pre-amplifier.

2. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 1 wherein said housing assembly includes a housing body constructed to directly couple to the surface mounting region of the machinery.

3. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 2 wherein said housing assembly includes a coupler for interfacing said housing assembly with the measuring instrument via an appropriate communications interface.

4. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 2 wherein said acoustic emissions sensor is disposed within an interior of said housing body, and wherein said housing assembly includes a mounting adapter for releasable attachment between the surface mounting region of the machinery and said housing body.

5. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 1 including a coupler for interfacing said housing assembly with the measuring instrument.

6. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 5 wherein said coupler is selected from a group consisting of a coaxial connector, a multi-pin connector and an MIL connector.

7. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 1 including a mounting adapter for indirectly coupling said housing assembly to the surface mounting region of the machinery.

8. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 7 wherein said housing assembly is adapted to threadedly engage said mounting adapter.

9. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 8 wherein said mounting adapter is adapted to threadedly engage the surface mounting region of said machinery.

10. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 8 wherein said mounting adapter is adapted to magnetically couple to the surface mounting region of the machinery.

11. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 8 wherein said mounting adapter is adapted to adhere to the surface mounting region of the machinery.

13. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 1 wherein said housing assembly is electrically conductive and said conditioning circuitry is grounded to said housing assembly.

14. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 13 wherein said housing assembly is acoustically conductive.

15. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 1 wherein said conditioning circuitry includes a line-driver circuit.

16. An acoustic sensing device according to claim 15 wherein said line-driver circuit is connected downstream of said pre-amplifier circuit.

12. (canceled)

17. An acoustic sensing device for use on machinery, comprising:

(a) a housing assembly including;

i. a housing body that includes;

(1) a main body having first and second end portions, wherein said main body is formed from electrically conductive material and includes an integrally formed mount projecting from said first end portion for permitting removable attachment of said housing body relative to a surface mounting region of the machinery;

(2) an end cap secured to said second end portion wherein said end cap is formed from an electrically conductive material having an insulative coating; and

(3) an electrically conductive compression spring interposed between facing portions of said main body section and said end cap;

ii. a coupler disposed on said end cap for permitting said housing body to be selectively coupled to measuring instrumentation via a communications interface; and

(b) an acoustic emissions sensor supported within said housing interior in electrical communication with said coupler, said acoustic emissions sensor operative, when the housing body is attached relative the surface mounting region and the measuring instrumentation is coupled to said housing body, to detect sound waves propagating through the surface mounting region of the machinery and produce said detection signals along said communications interface.

18. An acoustic sensing device for use on machinery having a fluid passageway and associated access port, comprising:

(a) a housing assembly including;

i. a housing body having first and second end portions;

ii. a mount disposed on said first end portion for permitting removable attachment of said housing body relative to a surface mounting region of the machinery; and

iii. a coupler disposed on said second end portion for permitting said housing body to be selectively coupled to measuring instrumentation via a communications interface;

(b) an acoustic emissions sensor supported within said housing interior in electrical communication with said coupler, said acoustic emissions sensor operative, when the housing body is attached relative the surface mounting region and the measuring instrumentation is coupled to said housing body, to detect sound waves propagating through the surface mounting region of the machinery and produce said detection signals along said communications interface; and

(c) a mounting adapter for attaching said housing body relative to the surface mounting region of the machinery, wherein said mounting adapter is configured to mate with the access port and wherein said mounting adapter includes an adapter port that, when said mounting adapter is mated with the access port, is in fluid communication with the access port.

19. A system for monitoring acoustic emissions from machinery, comprising:

(a) at least a first acoustic sensing device for detecting sound wave levels emanating from the machinery, said acoustic sensing device comprising;

i. a housing assembly removably attached relative to a first surface mounting region of the machinery; and

ii. an acoustic emissions sensor disposed within said housing assembly and operative upon activation to detect a presence of sound waves propagating through the first surface mounting region of the machinery and to produce corresponding detection signals; and

(b) a spectrum analyzer coupled to said acoustic emissions sensor through an auxiliary handheld unit that supports an auxiliary power supply.

20. A system according to claim 19 wherein said housing assembly is removably attached to the surface of the machinery.

21. A system according to claim 19 wherein said housing assembly includes a housing body and a coupler which interconnects said housing body to the auxiliary handheld unit, said acoustic emissions sensor contained within said housing body.

22. A system according to claim 21 wherein said housing assembly includes a mount removably interposed between said housing body and the surface of the machinery.

23. A system according to claim 19 including a second said acoustic sensing device removably attached relative to an associated second surface mounting region of the machinery, said second acoustic sensing device having an associated second acoustic emissions sensor coupled to said measuring instrumentation via a second communications interface, and including a switch operative in a first switch condition to interconnect an input of said measuring instrumentation to an output of said first acoustic sensing device and operative in a second switch condition to interconnect the input of said measuring instrumentation to an output of said second acoustic sensing device.

24. A system according to claim 23 wherein said handheld unit contains said switch.

25. A method for monitoring acoustic emissions from machinery, comprising:

(a) mounting an acoustic sensing device relative to a surface of the machinery thereby to expose said acoustic sensing device for a selected exposure period to sound waves propagating through said surface;

(b) coupling said acoustic sensing device with a measuring instrument along a communications interface;

(c) transmitting an initial set of detection signals from said acoustic sensing device to the measuring instrument along said communications interface, said initial set of detection signals corresponding to sound wave levels propagating through said surface which are detected by said acoustic sensing device during an initial reading interval; and

(d) displaying on said measuring instrument perceptible output correlated to the initial set of detection signals received from the acoustic sensing device during the initial reading interval.

26. A method according to claim 25 including decoupling said acoustic sensing device from the measuring instrument for a selected time interval and thereafter re-coupling said acoustic sensing device to the measuring instrument and transmitting a subsequent set of detection signals from the acoustic sensing device to the measuring instrument corresponding to sound wave levels propagating through said surface during a subsequent reading interval.

27. A method according to claim 26 including displaying on said measuring instrument perceptible output correlated to the subsequent set of detection signals received from the acoustic sensing device during the subsequent reading interval.

28. A method according to claim 26 including comparing the subsequent set of detection signals to the initial set of detection signals.

29. A method for monitoring emissions from machinery, comprising:

(a) mounting a plurality of sensing devices each to a respective surface mounting region of the machinery, wherein at least one of said sensing devices is an acoustic sensing device operative in response to sound waves propagating through its respective surface mounting region to produce corresponding acoustic detection signals;

(b) selectively interfacing each of said sensing devices with measuring instrumentation;

(c) selectively receiving from each of said sensing devices, during a plurality of associated reading intervals, corresponding sets of readings, whereby the sets of readings from said acoustic sensing device corresponds to sound wave levels propagating through its respective surface mounting region during its associated reading intervals; and

(d) displaying perceptible output on said measuring instrumentation corresponding to the associated sets of readings received by the measuring instrumentation from each of said sensing devices.