ABNORMALITY DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE FOR ROLLING BEARING, WIND TURBINE GENERATION APPARATUS AND ABNORMALITY DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM

• US 20130006540A1
• Filed: 12/24/2010
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Sakaguchi, Tomoya, Hirata, Junichi, Ninoyu, Nobuyuki, Sakakibara, Yasuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,423,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/34
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 17/00 Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/334 Vibration measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/003 of rotating machines G01H1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/045 Acoustic or vibration analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

An effective value operation unit calculates an effective value of a vibration waveform of a hearing, the vibration waveform being measured by using a vibration sensor. An envelope processing unit performs envelope processing on the vibration waveform measured by using the vibration sensor, thereby generating an envelope waveform of the vibration waveform. An effective value operation unit calculates an effective value of an AC component of the envelope waveform generated by the envelope processing unit. A diagnostic unit diagnoses an abnormality of the bearing based on the effective value of the vibration waveform calculated by the effective value operation unit and the effective value of the AC component of the envelope waveform calculated by the effective value operation unit.

Claims

1. An abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing, comprising:

a vibration sensor for measuring a vibration waveform of the rolling bearing; and

a processing unit for diagnosing an abnormality of said rolling bearing,

said processing unit including

a first operation unit calculating an effective value of said vibration waveform measured by using said vibration sensor,

an envelope processing unit generating an envelope waveform of said vibration waveform by performing envelope processing on said vibration waveform measured by using said vibration sensor,

a second operation unit calculating an effective value of an AC component of said envelope waveform generated by said envelope processing unit, and

a diagnostic unit diagnosing the abnormality of said rolling bearing based on the effective value of said vibration waveform calculated by said first operation unit and the effective value of the AC component of said envelope waveform calculated by said second operation unit.

2. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation sensor for detecting a rotational speed of one of a shaft supported by said rolling bearing and said rolling bearing, wherein

said processing unit further includes

a modified vibration degree calculation unit calculating a modified vibration degree obtained by normalizing, by said rotational speed, the effective value of said vibration waveform calculated by said first operation unit, and

a modified modulation degree calculation unit calculating a modified modulation degree obtained by normalizing, by said rotational speed, the effective value of the AC component of said envelope waveform calculated by said second operation unit, and

said diagnostic unit diagnoses the abnormality of said rolling bearing based on said modified vibration degree and said modified modulation degree.

3. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 2, wherein said diagnostic unit diagnoses the abnormality of said rolling bearing based on transition of time changes in said modified vibration degree and said modified modulation degree.

4. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 1, wherein

said processing unit further includes a frequency analysis unit performing a frequency analysis on at least one of said vibration waveform and said envelope waveform, and

said diagnostic unit further presumes an abnormal portion of said rolling bearing based on the result of analysis obtained by said frequency analysis unit.

5. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 1, wherein said vibration sensor includes an acceleration sensor.

6. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 1, further comprising a displacement sensor for detecting a relative displacement between an inner ring and an outer ring of said rolling bearing, wherein

said diagnostic unit diagnoses the abnormality of said rolling bearing by further using a detected value of said displacement sensor.

7. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of said rolling bearing, wherein

said diagnostic unit diagnoses the abnormality of said rolling bearing by further using a measured value of said temperature sensor.

8. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling hearing according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor for measuring the amount of impurities contained in a lubricant of said rolling bearing, wherein

said diagnostic unit diagnoses the abnormality of said rolling bearing by further using a measured value of said sensor.

9. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation sensor for detecting a rotational speed of one of a shaft supported by said rolling bearing and said rolling bearing, wherein

said envelope processing unit includes

an absolute value detection unit outputting an absolute value of said vibration waveform, and

an envelope detection unit generating said envelope waveform by performing attenuation processing with a predetermined time constant on an output signal from said absolute value detection unit, and

said time constant is set based on said rotational speed.

10. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 9, wherein said time constant is set to be less than or equal to a half cycle of rotation of a rolling element in said rolling bearing.

11. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 10, wherein said time constant is set to be more than or equal to 0.5 times said half cycle.

12. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 9, wherein said time constant is set to be less than or equal to a passing cycle of a rolling element relative to a stationary ring of said rolling bearing.

13. The abnormality diagnostic device for a rolling bearing according to claim 12, wherein said time constant is set to be more than or equal to 0.5 times said passing cycle.

14. A wind turbine generation apparatus comprising:

a blade receiving wind force;

a main shaft connected to said blade;

a generator connected to one of said main shaft and a gearbox for accelerating rotation of said main shaft;

a plurality of rolling bearings provided in said main shaft, said gearbox and said generator; and

an abnormality diagnostic device diagnosing an abnormality of at least one of said plurality of rolling bearings,

said abnormality diagnostic device including

a vibration sensor for measuring a vibration waveform of a rolling bearing to be diagnosed, and

a processing unit for diagnosing an abnormality of the rolling bearing to be diagnosed,

said processing unit including

a first operation unit calculating an effective value of said vibration waveform measured by using said vibration sensor,

an envelope processing unit generating an envelope waveform of said vibration waveform by performing envelope processing on said vibration waveform measured by using said vibration sensor,

a second operation unit calculating an effective value of an AC component of said envelope waveform generated by said envelope processing unit, and

a diagnostic unit diagnosing the abnormality of said rolling bearing based on the effective value of said vibration waveform calculated by said first operation unit and the effective value of the AC component of said envelope waveform calculated by said second operation unit.

15. An abnormality diagnostic system comprising:

a wind turbine generation apparatus;

an abnormality diagnostic device provided at a different position from said wind turbine generation apparatus; and

a communications device for establishing communications between said wind turbine generation apparatus and said abnormality diagnostic device,

said wind turbine generation apparatus including

a blade receiving wind force,

a main shaft connected to said blade,

a generator connected to one of said main shaft and a gearbox for accelerating rotation of said main shaft,

a plurality of rolling bearings provided in said main shaft, said gearbox and said generator,

a vibration sensor for measuring a vibration waveform of at least one of said plurality of rolling bearings, and

a data processing unit performing primary processing on the vibration waveform measured by using said vibration sensor,

said data processing unit including

a first operation unit calculating an effective value of said vibration waveform measured by using said vibration sensor,

an envelope processing unit generating an envelope waveform of said vibration waveform by performing envelope processing on said vibration waveform measured by using said vibration sensor, and

a second operation unit calculating an effective value of an AC component of said envelope waveform generated by said envelope processing unit,

said abnormality diagnostic device diagnosing an abnormality of a rolling bearing to be diagnosed based on the effective value of said vibration waveform and the effective value of the AC component of said envelope waveform received from said data processing unit of said wind turbine generation apparatus through said communications device.