METHODS, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUMS FOR MODEL-BASED DIAGNOSIS

• US 20110106510A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siu Yun Poon
• Original Assignee: Siu Yun Poon
• Inventors: Poon, Siu Yun
• Application Number:
  US12/736,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106510A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0254 based on a quantitative model, e.g. mathematical relationships between inputs and outputs; functions: observer, Kalman filter, residual calculation, Neural Networks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06

Abstract

The invention relates to the diagnosis of faults and damage in a gearbox in order to predict the operational life of a gearbox. An end of line test is performed to infer information on each gearbox on the production line. A highly detailed model of the gearbox is created to determine the optimal sensor positions for the end-of-line test so that the test can discriminate between different types of manufacturing variation. This information is then used to construct a unique, highly detailed model for each gearbox. During operation, forces and moments acting on the gearbox are measured at regular intervals and the model is used to continuously update a prediction of the total damage on each gearbox component. The probability of failure in a given time period is then calculated. An existing condition monitoring system approach such as vibration analysis may be used in parallel with the model-based diagnosis. The overall probability of failure for a required lifetime is calculated and, if necessary, operation is limited to provide a required probability of failure in a given time period.

Claims

1. A method for operating a gearbox, drive-train and/or generator, the method comprising:

a) monitoring over time one or more forces and/or one or more moments acting on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator;

b) calculating damage caused to each of the one or more components of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator based on the one or more forces and/or one or more moments acting on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator;

c) predicting the life of the one or more components within the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator based on the calculated damage to the one or more components and predetermined or predicted future operating conditions of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

2. The method according to claim 1 including subsequent to step c), limiting the future operating conditions of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator to achieve a desired life of the one or more components within the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

3. The method according to claim 1 including an initial step of providing information on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the provided information includes a nominal model of gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the model is unique to the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator and includes information on one or more manufacturing variations of one or more components of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the model includes a fully coupled finite element model comprising nodes with six degrees of freedom unique to the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

7. The method according to claim 3 wherein the information on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator includes one or more meta-models.

8. The method according to claim 3 wherein monitoring one or more forces and/or one or more moments acting on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator includes monitoring outputs of one or more condition monitoring sensors placed in or on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator at predetermined locations calculated using residuals based on a nominal model of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator, and a model of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator incorporating manufacturing variations.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein monitoring forces and moments acting on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator includes using outputs from an existing condition monitoring system installed in or on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

12. The method according to claim 2 wherein the predicted life of the one or more components is associated with a percentage value representing the probability that the one or more components will fail within a predetermined time.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the percentage value incorporates information from the an existing condition monitoring system installed in or on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

14. The method according to claim 2 wherein the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator forms part of a wind turbine and wherein the step of limiting future operating conditions includes changing the pitch on one or more rotor blades of the wind turbine applying a brake, deploying retarding features on the wind turbine blades and/or changing the orientation of the wind turbine nacelle.

44. The method according to claim 3 wherein the information on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator includes one or more meta-models, each meta-model constructed according to the steps of:

a) obtaining a number of data samples from the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator prior to a start of operating;

b) determining an underlying trend between the data points;

45. The method according, to claim 44 wherein the one or more meta-models are specific for each of the one or more components.

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

15. An apparatus for operating a gearbox, drive-train and/or generator, the apparatus comprising

a) means for monitoring over time one or more forces and/or one or more moments acting on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator;

b) means for calculating damage caused to each of the one or more components of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator based on the one or more forces and/or one or more moments acting on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator;

c) means for predicting the life of the one or more components within the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator based on the calculated damage to the one or more components and predetermined or predicted future operating conditions of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

46. The apparatus according to claim 15 including means for limiting the future operating conditions of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator to achieve a desired life of the one or more components within the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

47. The apparatus according to claim 46 wherein the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator forms part of a wind turbine and wherein means for limiting the future operating conditions includes pitch-changing means on one or more rotor blades of the wind turbine, retarding means on the wind turbine blades and/or orientation-changing means on the wind turbine nacelle.

48. The apparatus according to claim 15 including a nominal model of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

49. The apparatus according to claim 48 wherein the nominal model is a fully coupled finite element model comprising nodes with six degrees of freedom.

50. The apparatus according to claim 49 wherein the model is unique to the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator and includes information on one or more manufacturing variations of one or more components of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

51. The apparatus according to claim 15 including one or more meta-models.

52. The apparatus according to claim 51 including, wherein each of the meta-models is specific for each of the one or more components and wherein each of the meta-models includes an approximation of a behavior of each component.

53. The apparatus according to claim 15 including one or more condition monitoring sensors located at predetermined locations in or on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator calculated using residuals based on a model of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator, and a model of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator incorporating manufacturing variations.

54. The apparatus according to claim 15 including an existing condition monitoring system installed in or on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator

16. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor;

perform;

a) monitoring over time one or more forces and/or one or more moments acting on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator;

b) calculating damage caused to each of the one or more components of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator based on the one or more forces and/or one or more moments acting on the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator;

c) predicting the life of the one or more components within the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator based on the calculated damage to the one or more components and predetermined or predicted future operating conditions of the gearbox, drive-train and/or generator.

17-43. -43. (canceled)