Determining faults in multiple bearings using one vibration sensor
First Claim
1. A dynamoelectric machine diagnostic system, comprising:
- a vibration sensor to sense a vibration signature, the sensor mounted on a dynamoelectric machine having at least two bearings with unique vibration characteristics with respect to the sensor; and
a processor operatively coupled to the sensor for receiving the vibration signature from the vibration sensor and evaluating the vibration signature in the vicinity of frequencies associated with the bearings to determine the condition of each of the bearings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A diagnostic system includes a vibration sensor mounted on a machine which has vibration-generating components having different vibration characteristics with respect to a common sensor. The vibration sensor measures vibrations and sends vibration signals to a diagnostic module for evaluation of the signals. The diagnostic module has software for processing the vibration signals. From a known natural frequency of a vibration-generating component, the diagnostic module measures the amplitude of the vibration signal at more than one harmonic frequency of the known natural frequency and compares the amplitudes to amplitudes at adjacent harmonic frequencies. When a relatively large amplitude is found at a harmonic frequency, that is a harmonic frequency near a resonant frequency of the physical path between the vibration sensor and the vibration-generating component, the diagnostic system can then analyze the shape and magnitude of the vibration signal around that harmonic frequency to evaluate whether each of the vibration-generating components is healthy, broken or about to break.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A dynamoelectric machine diagnostic system, comprising:
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a vibration sensor to sense a vibration signature, the sensor mounted on a dynamoelectric machine having at least two bearings with unique vibration characteristics with respect to the sensor; and a processor operatively coupled to the sensor for receiving the vibration signature from the vibration sensor and evaluating the vibration signature in the vicinity of frequencies associated with the bearings to determine the condition of each of the bearings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for analyzing the health of a dynamoelectric machine, comprising:
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providing the machine with vibration-generating components, at least one of which has vibration characteristics different from others; obtaining a vibration signature from a vibration sensor connected to the machine; processing the vibration signature, the processing including scanning a frequency region adjacent to a resonant frequency of a vibration transmission path from one of the components to the vibration sensor for harmonic frequencies of the components; and determining the condition of the components from characteristics of the vibration signature at frequencies associated with each of the components. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method for analyzing the health of a dynamoelectric machine, comprising:
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providing the machine with bearings, at least one of which has different vibration characteristics from the others; obtaining a vibration signature from a vibration sensor connected to the machine; processing the vibration signature; and determining the condition of the bearings from characteristics of the vibration signature at frequencies associated with each of the bearings.
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11. A method for analyzing the health of a dynamoelectric machine, comprising:
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providing the machine with ball bearings, at least one of which has a different number of balls from the others; obtaining a vibration signature from a vibration sensor connected to the machine; processing the vibration signature; and determining the condition of the bearings from characteristics of the vibration signature at frequencies associated with each of the bearings.
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12. A dynamoelectric machine diagnostic system, comprising:
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means for sensing vibrations, said means for sensing vibrations operative to sense vibrations from at least two bearings of a dynamoelectric machine;
each bearing having a unique vibration characteristic with respect to the means for sensing vibrations; andmeans for processing the vibration characteristics, said means for processing the vibration characteristics being able to correspond the vibration characteristics to the respective bearings and to determine the health of each of the bearings. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification