DIAGNOSTIC METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR A ROTORCRAFT DRIVE SYSTEM

• US 20180162548A1
• Filed: 08/15/2017
• Published: 06/14/2018
• 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 10,464,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/04 Analysing solids using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/14 using acoustic emission techniques echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00
• 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 5/002 Analysing tachograph charts arrangements for graph-reading in general G06K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

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 tachometer signal; processing the original data to obtain rotational information; processing the original data to produce a sine spectrum; determining complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum; removing dominate torsional mode residuals from the complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum to produce a frequency spectrum; and determining a condition indicator from the frequency 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 tachometer signal;

processing, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, the original data to obtain rotational information;

processing, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, the original data to produce a sine spectrum;

determining, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum;

removing, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, dominate torsional mode residuals from the complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum to produce a frequency spectrum; and

determining, by the device configured to diagnose an anomaly, a condition indicator from the frequency spectrum.

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

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of removing dominate torsional mode residuals comprises:

monitoring torsional vibrations in a gearbox in a drivetrain of a rotorcraft; and

identifying the dominate torsional mode residuals of the gearbox.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining a condition indicator comprises:

(a) determining a threshold of the frequency spectrum;

(b) determining a noise floor of the frequency spectrum;

(c) detecting peaks over the threshold; and

(d) summing the magnitudes of the peaks over the threshold that are separated in frequency by the rotating speed of the monitored component to determine a condition indicator.

5. The method according to claim 1, 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 of a tachometer 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 tachometer signal;

process the original data to obtain rotational information;

process the original data to produce a sine spectrum;

determine complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum;

remove dominate torsional mode residuals from the complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum to produce a frequency spectrum; and

determine a condition indicator from the frequency spectrum.

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

determine a plurality of condition indicators.

13. The device according to claim 12, 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.

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

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

15. 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.

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

17. 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 tachometer 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 tachometer signal;

process the original data to obtain rotational information;

process the original data to produce a sine spectrum;

determine complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum;

remove dominate torsional mode residuals from the complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum to produce a frequency spectrum; and

determine a condition indicator from the frequency spectrum.

18. 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 tachometer signal;

process the original data to obtain rotational information;

process the original data to produce a sine spectrum;

determine complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum;

remove dominate torsional mode residuals from the complex magnitudes of the sine spectrum to produce a frequency spectrum; and

determine a condition indicator from the frequency spectrum.