DIAGNOSTIC METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR A ROTORCRAFT DRIVE SYSTEM

• US 20180053359A1
• Filed: 08/15/2017
• Published: 02/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Hale, Rodney Keith
• Granted Patent: US 10,643,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/006 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/12 Rotor drives
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/003 of rotating machines G01H1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/46 by spectral analysis, e.g. Fourier analysis or wavelet analysis spectral signal processing per se G06F17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A method, system, and device for diagnosing an anomaly of a monitored component in a drive train, the method including obtaining original data based on samples of a vibration signal; converting the original data to an analytical signal having a real component and an imaginary component; determining complex magnitudes of the analytical signal; processing the complex magnitudes of the analytical signal to produce a frequency-domain signal; and determining complex magnitudes of the frequency-domain signal to generate a shock spectrum.

Claims

1. A method of diagnosing an anomaly of a monitored component in a drive train, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a device configured to diagnose an anomaly, original data based on samples of a vibration signal;

converting, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, the original data to an analytical signal having a real component and an imaginary component;

determining, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, complex magnitudes of the analytical signal;

processing, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, the complex magnitudes of the analytical signal to produce a frequency-domain signal; and

determining, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, complex magnitudes of the frequency-domain signal to generate a shock spectrum.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of converting comprises performing a Hilbert transform.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of processing comprises performing a discrete Fourier transform (DFT).

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining rotational information associated with the component; and

identifying a condition indicator.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

determining a plurality of condition indicators.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

based upon the plurality of condition indicators, determining an unhealthy condition of the plurality of condition indicators.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

identifying an unhealthy component.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

adjusting at least one of the operation and maintenance of the unhealthy component.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device configured to diagnose an anomaly further comprises:

a display;

wherein the device provides a real-time indication of an anomaly in the monitored component.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing a history, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, of original data;

wherein the history being stored before the diagnostic operation for the component is performed.

11. A device configured to diagnose an anomaly of a monitored component in a drive train, the device comprising:

a memory configured to store original data based on samples of a vibration signal;

one or more processors in communication with the memory, the one or more processors being configured to;

obtain original data based on samples of a vibration signal;

convert the original data to an analytical signal having a real component and an imaginary component;

determine complex magnitudes of the analytical signal;

process the complex magnitudes of the analytical signal to produce a frequency-domain signal; and

determine complex magnitudes of the frequency-domain signal to generate a shock spectrum.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the processors are configured to:

obtain rotational information associated with the component; and

identify a condition indicator.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the processors are configured to:

determine a plurality of condition indicators.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the processors are configured to:

based upon the plurality of condition indicators, determine an unhealthy condition of the plurality of condition indicators; and

identify an unhealthy component.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the processors are configured to:

adjust at least one of the operation and maintenance of the unhealthy component.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein the device further comprises:

a display;

wherein the device provides a real-time indication of an anomaly in the monitored component.

17. The device according to claim 11, wherein the original data is stored before the diagnostic operation for the component is performed.

18. A system for diagnosing an anomaly of a monitored component in a drive train, the system comprising:

a rotorcraft comprising a body, a power train coupled to the body and comprising a power source and a drive train coupled to the power source;

a vibration sensor system coupled to the drive train; and

a diagnostic device associated with the vibration sensor system, the diagnostic device operable to;

obtain original data based on samples of a vibration signal;

convert the original data to an analytical signal having a real component and an imaginary component;

determine complex magnitudes of the analytical signal;

process the complex magnitudes of the analytical signal to produce a frequency-domain signal; and

determine complex magnitudes of the frequency-domain signal to generate a shock spectrum.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the vibration sensor system comprises at least one accelerometer.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a computing device to diagnose an anomaly of a monitored component in a drive train to:

obtain original data based on samples of a vibration signal;

convert the original data to an analytical signal having a real component and an imaginary component;

determine complex magnitudes of the analytical signal;

process the complex magnitudes of the analytical signal to produce a frequency-domain signal; and

determine complex magnitudes of the frequency-domain signal to generate a shock spectrum.