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Method and apparatus for real-time, on-line monitoring of wear in machinery

  • US 4,766,373 A
  • Filed: 02/20/1987
  • Issued: 08/23/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1983
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of monitoring the rate of wear of a machine having ferromagnetic components which wear during operation resulting in the production of ferromagnetic particulate material, said machine having a lubrication system utilizing a lubricating fluid, in which said material becomes entrained, for lubricating said components, said method comprising the steps of:

  • passing a sample stream of said lubricating fluid at a uniform rate of flow axially through an inductance coil of an RF oscillator operating at a base frequenty arranged such that the frequency of the output signal of said oscillator deviates from said base frequency in proportion to the mass of the ferromagnetic material in the fluid passing through the coil;

    periodically accumulating ferromagnetic particulate material at a site in said sample stream upstream of said coil for a predetermined time interval;

    releasing material accumulated thereat at the conclusion of said interval; and

    integrating with respect to time the frequency transient in the oscillator output signal resulting from said the passage of said accumulated material through said inductance coil to provide a signal proportional to the concentration of ferromagnetic particulate material in said lubricating fluid; and

    comparing said proportional signal with a predetermined threshold to provide an indication of the rate of wear of said machine.

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