MACHINE VIBRATION MONITORING

• US 20110291850A1
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Sun, Yanxia, Sismour, Albert C. JR., Clayton, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,176,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/683
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/003 of rotating machines G01H1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/028 Acoustic or vibration analysis

Abstract

A system and method of monitoring vibrations, in a machine having a rotating element, where composite vibration signals are measured and filtered into discreet vector components associated with machine operating frequency. The filtered vectors are then evaluated to obtain a mean and standard deviation, whereupon a further value is obtained and compared to the prior values. Trip conditions may be set to initiate certain actions based on the meeting of the conditions. Additional data related to operating conditions of the machine may be analyzed in conjunction with the vibration data to be considered as providing a cause for vibration anomalies that may be observed. The operating, conditions of the machine may be displayed on a computer display in association with the discreet vector components, for example in a second level folder to the first level folder of the discreet vector components.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring vibrations in a machine having a rotating element, the system comprising:

a vibration measurement device, the vibration measurement device adapted to measure composite vibrations in the machine and output composite digital vibration signals corresponding to the composite vibrations measured;

an operating condition sensor, the operating condition sensor measuring operating conditions of the machine;

a processor, the processor adapted to receive and filter the composite digital vibration signals into first vibration vector signals and second vibration vector signals, the processor also adapted to receive the measured operating conditions;

a storage unit, the storage unit storing said first vibration signals, said second vibration signals, and said operating conditions;

a display device, the display device displaying said first vibration signals in association with said operating conditions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said display device displays said second vibration signals in association with said operating conditions.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of composite vibration measurements equaling N are measured over time by the vibration measurement device, the N measurements being output as N composite digital vibration signals;

the processor thereby receiving and filtering said N measurements into N first vibration vector signals and N second vibration vector signals, the processor determining a mean value and standard deviation of said N first vibration vector signals.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor receives and filters an N+1 composite vibration measurement measured at a later time into an N+1 first vibration vector signal and an N+1 second vibration vector signal.

5. The system of claim 4, whereby upon the occurrence of said N+1 first vibration vector exceeding a first threshold value related to said mean value and standard deviation of said N first vibration vector signals, said processor activates a first action.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said first action is an audible alarm.

7. The system of claim 5, whereby upon the occurrence of said N+1 first vibration vector exceeding a second threshold value related to said mean value and standard deviation of said N first vibration vector signals, said processor activates a second action, said second threshold value representing a greater deviation from said mean value than said first threshold value.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said second action is one of a machine operation change or machine shut down procedure.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein said first threshold value is related to said operating conditions.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said operating conditions are one of a speed input, megawatt input, field current input, or clutch position input.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first vibration vector signals and second vibration vector signals are 1×

and 2×

signals, respectively.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein said N measurements are measured at equal time increments.

13. A method of monitoring vibrations in a machine having a rotating element, the method comprising:

measuring N composite vibrations in the machine over time;

outputting N composite digital vibration signals corresponding to the N composite vibrations measured to a processor;

receiving the N composite digital vibration signals corresponding to the N composite vibrations measured;

filtering each of the N composite digital vibration signals into N first vibration vector signals and N second vibration vector signals;

calculating a mean value and standard deviation of the N first vibration vector signals;

measuring operating conditions of the machine;

displaying at least one of the N first vibration vector signals in association with at least one operating condition.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

measuring an N+1 composite vibration in the machine;

outputting an N+1 composite digital vibration signal corresponding to the N+1 composite vibration measured to a processor;

receiving the N+1 composite digital vibration signal corresponding to the N+1 composite vibration measured;

filtering the N+1 composite digital vibration signal into an N+1 first vibration vector signal and an N+1 second vibration vector signals;

comparing the N+1 first vibration vector signal to a first threshold value related to the mean value and standard deviation of the N first vibration vector signals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein when said step of comparing the N+1 first vibration vector signal to a first threshold value exceeds the first threshold value, a first action is commenced.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising comparing the N+1 first vibration vector signal to a second threshold value related to the mean value and standard deviation of the N first vibration vector signals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein when said step of comparing the N+1 first vibration vector signal to a second threshold value exceeds the second threshold value, a second action is commenced.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first action is an audible alarm and the second action is one of a machine operation change or machine shutdown.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the N first vibration vector signals and N second vibration vector signals are 1×

and 2×

vibration signals, respectively.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of displaying at least one of the N first vibration vector signals in association with at least one operating condition displays the N first vibration vector signals in a first level folder of a computer and said at least one operating condition in a second level folder of a computer.