VALVE FAILURE DETECTION

• US 20110000287A1
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: BACIC, Marko
• Granted Patent: US 8,191,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/112.01
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/001 Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/0215 Arrangements therefor, e.g. bleed or by-pass valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0083 by measuring valve parameters

Abstract

A method and arrangement for detecting failure of an actuated component, particularly a valve. The method comprises determining a calibration step response and an in-use step response for the actuated component, determining any difference between the responses and comparing the difference to a pre-determined threshold indicating failure.

Claims

1. A method of detecting failure of an actuated component, the method comprising

determining a calibration step response for an actuated component,

calculating a calibration inertia from the calibration step response;

determining an in-use step response for the actuated component,

calculating an in-use inertia from the in-use step response;

calculating a change in the inertia between the calibration inertia and the in-use inertia, and

automatically comparing the change in inertia to a pre-determined threshold indicating failure of the actuated component.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising applying signal processing to the calibration and in-use step responses.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein applying signal processing comprises applying a fast Fourier transform.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the calibration inertia is calculated from at least one of the initial gradient and the resonant frequency of the calibration step response and the in-use inertia is calculated from at least one of the initial gradient and the resonant frequency of the in-use step response.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising

deriving a calibration frequency response from the calibration step response, and

deriving an in-use frequency response from the in-use step response, wherein the calibration inertia is calculated from the calibration frequency response and the in-use inertia is calculated from the in-use frequency response.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising applying signal processing to the calibration and in-use frequency responses.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein applying signal processing comprises applying a fast Fourier transform.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuated component comprises a valve.

9. A failure detection arrangement for an actuated component comprising

apparatus that generates a calibration step response for the actuated component,

apparatus that generates an in-use step response for the actuated component, and

a processor that

a) calculates a calibration inertia for the actuated component from the calibration step response,

b) calculates an in-use inertia for the actuated component from the in-use step response, and

c) determines a change in the inertia of the actuated component, the change indicating failure of the actuated component.

10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9 wherein the actuated component comprises a valve.

11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9 wherein the actuated component comprises a ball valve or a linear valve.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9 wherein the processor calculates the calibration inertia and the in-use inertia from at least one of the initial gradient and the resonant frequency of the step response.

13. A gas turbine engine comprising an arrangement as claimed in claim 9.