Rotary Encoder Frequency Analysis

• US 20100012874A1
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flowserve Pte Ltd. (Flowserve Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Flowserve Management Company (Flowserve Corporation)
• Inventors: Hooss, William C., Dolenti, William T, Morris, Daniel J., Fleury, Byron A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,086,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/028 Acoustic or vibration analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/046 by monitoring revolutions for detecting misfire G01M15/11

Abstract

A novel method for diagnosing problems with a valve actuator or other rotary equipment. Frequency analysis is performed upon speed, position, torque, thrust, or vibration data. Speed or position data may be provided by a rotary encoder.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing a rotating device, the method comprising:

operably coupling a rotary position encoder to a shaft of the rotating device, wherein the rotary position encoder comprises a speed indicator;

generating speed data with the speed indicator; and

performing frequency analysis on the speed data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rotary position encoder is an incremental encoder.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rotary position encoder operates between two positions.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein performing the frequency analysis comprises processing the speed data at a computer located remotely from the rotating device.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein performing the frequency analysis comprises processing the speed data at a processor associated with the rotating device.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein performing the frequency analysis comprises processing the speed data at a processor incorporated within the rotary position encoder.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the rotary position encoder is an absolute encoder.

8. A valve system comprising:

a valve actuator having a sensor adapted to generate data; and

a processor in communication with the sensor and adapted to convert the data into a frequency domain.

9. The valve system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is independently selected from a group consisting of a speed sensor, a position sensor, a torque sensor, a thrust sensor, and a vibration sensor.

10. The valve system of claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises at least one speed sensor, and the processor is adapted to receive speed data from the at least one speed sensor and perform a frequency analysis on the speed data.

11. The valve actuator of claim 10, wherein the at least one speed sensor is incorporated in a rotary position encoder.

12. The valve actuator of claim 11, wherein the rotary position encoder is an incremental encoder.

13. The valve actuator of claim 11, wherein the rotary position encoder is an absolute encoder.

14. The valve actuator of claim 13, wherein the absolute encoder comprises a single encoder disk.

15. The valve actuator of claim 13, wherein the absolute encoder comprises multiple encoder disks.

16. The valve actuator of claim 15, wherein the multiple encoder disks each comprise coding sections operable to encode multiple positions of the rotary device and wherein the absolute encoder includes at least a double set of position sensors for each of the at least one coding sections, wherein the at least one double set of position sensors are operable to monitor each of the at least one coding sections.

17. The valve actuator of claim 11, further comprising a handwheel operable to actuate the valve actuator and operable to actuate the rotary position encoder.

18. The valve actuator of claim 11, wherein the rotary position encoder is adapted for actuation by a drive train of the valve actuator.

19. The valve actuator of claim 18, wherein the rotary position encoder is actuated by an input shaft driven by a worm gear of the drive train.

20. The valve actuator of claim 11, wherein the rotary position encoder is adapted for actuation by an electric motor in the valve actuator.

21. The valve actuator of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one torque sensor, wherein the processor is adapted to receive torque data from the at least one torque sensor and perform frequency analysis on the torque data.

22. The valve actuator of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one axial thrust sensor, wherein the processor is adapted to receive axial thrust data from the at least one axial thrust sensor and perform frequency analysis on the axial thrust data.

23. The valve actuator of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one accelerometer, wherein the processor is adapted to receive acceleration data from the at least one accelerometer and perform frequency analysis on the acceleration data.

24. The valve system of claim 8, wherein the valve actuator further includes a rotary position encoder.

25. The valve system of claim 24, wherein the rotary position encoder includes the sensor.

26. The valve system of claim 24, wherein the rotary position encoder includes the processor.

27. The valve system of claim 8, wherein the processor utilizes a Fourier transform to convert the data into the frequency domain.

28. The valve system of claim 8, further comprising a display adapted to communicate with the processor and display the data.

29. The valve system of claim 8, wherein the processor comprises multiple processors.

30. The valve system of claim 29, wherein at least one processor of the multiple processors is a part of the valve actuator.

31. A method of analyzing a valve actuator including a sensor, the method comprising:

generating data from the sensor; and

performing frequency domain analysis on the data.