SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING ENERGY SYSTEM COMPONENTS

• US 20080288183A1
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Potdar, Yogesh Kesrinath, Welch, David Ernest, Chau, David Wing
• Granted Patent: US 7,715,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/34
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/00 Investigating the elasticity of structures, e.g. deflection of bridges or air-craft wings G01M9/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0033 by determining damage, crack or wear

Abstract

A method for estimating an amount of damage sustained by a component operating in an energy system includes generating a transfer function that is dependent upon at least one operating condition of the component, receiving data from at least one sensor coupled to the component, wherein the data relates to the at least one operating condition of the component, inputting the received data into the transfer function to calculate at least one of a crack-initiation time and a crack propagation for the at least one critical region, and recording at least one of the crack-initiation time and the crack propagation on a memory storage device.

Claims

7-1. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising monitoring the operation of at least one globe valve and that includes a plurality of critical regions.

15. A control system for operating an energy system, said control system comprising:

a component comprising a predetermined transfer function based on at least one operating condition of the energy system;

at least one sensor coupled to said component for monitoring said at least one operating condition of said component; and

a processor programmed to;

receive data from said at least one sensor, said data relating to at least one operating condition of said component;

apply said data to said transfer function to calculate at least one of a crack-initiation time and a crack propagation within said at least one critical region; and

record at least one of said crack-initiation time and said crack propagation of at least one critical region on a memory storage device.

16. A control system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said component further comprises at least one critical region.

17. A control system in accordance with claim 15, said control system further configured to:

determine a first life expectancy using the transfer function and data regarding at least one operating condition;

receive data relating to a change in the at least one operating condition for the at least one critical region of the component; and

calculate a life expectancy adjustment using the transfer function and data relating to the change in the at least one operating condition.

18. A control system in accordance with claim 15, said processor further programmed to determine a first life expectancy using the transfer function and data regarding at least one operating condition.

19. A control system in accordance with claim 15, said processor further programmed to receive data relating to a change in the at least one operating condition for the at least one critical region of the component.

20. A control system in accordance with claim 15, said processor further programmed to calculate a life expectancy adjustment using the transfer function and data relating to the change in that at least one operating condition.