Systems, methods and computer program products for assessing the health of an electric motor

• US 7,127,373 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2003
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Pappu, Narasimha Murthy, Flickinger, Gregory Lee, House, Michael Brynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/604,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 702/184, 702/34, 702/35, 702/81, 702/181, 702182-185, 700/21, 700/79, 706/45, 73/530.2, 731/181, 731/173, 737/87
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products calculate the life remaining in a machine, such as an electric motor, or the life remaining in individual components within a machine. Life remaining calculations are based on information collected from multiple sources, including operator input data, historical data, and lookup tables. Using this information the remaining useful life of the machine is calculated based on quantitative data, standard design life limits and on reliability analysis such that continuous historical parameter data is not required to analyze or assess the life of the machine.

Claims

1. A machine life indicating system, comprising:

means for receiving historical data, the historical data providing an indication of the operating lifetime of major components within machines of a particular type;

means for calculating the life remaining in a machine using, the historical data and the L₁₀ life calculation, wherein the L₁₀ life calculation comprises the load factor rating and the rotational speed of the machine; and

means for displaying the life remaining in the machine.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for receiving environmental data pertaining to the environment in which the machine operates, and wherein the means for calculating the life remaining further comprises means for calculating the life remaining in the machine using, at least in part, the environmental data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for calculating the life remaining in the machine uses probability distribution functions and comprises means for calculating the life remaining in the machine using probability distribution functions for individual components within the machine.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the machine is an electric motor and the individual components comprise components selected from the group consisting of a stator and a bearing.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the machine is selected from the group of machines consisting of a transformer, a wind turbine, and a generator.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for receiving historical data is operable to receive the historical data from a device other than the machine.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for receiving historical data is operable to receive the historical data in batch form such that the historical data is not continuously or intermittently received by the means for receiving.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the operator input data comprises the age of the machine stator or bearing.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the operator input data comprises machine information selected from the group of machine information consisting of:

average stator operating temperature, number of daily machine starts, number of daily machine stops, rolling element load, rolling element rotations per minute, rolling element type, rolling element diameter, oil temperature, oil age, oil type, the number of daily run-hours, and machine vibration levels.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for calculating the life remaining in the machine using probability distribution functions comprises means for calculating the life remaining in the machine using probability distribution functions for individual components within the machine.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine is selected from the group of machines consisting of a transformer, a wind turbine, an electric motor, and a generator.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving operator input data is operable to receive the operator input data such that the operator input data is not continuously received by the means for receiving.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine is within a class of machines defined by the machines of the particular type.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for calculating the life remaining in a machine comprises means for calculating the life remaining in the machine based on the life remaining in at least one component within the machine.

15. A machine life indicating system, comprising:

means for receiving operator input data, the operator input data providing information specific to the operation history of a machine;

means for calculating the life remaining in the machine using the operator input data, wherein the means for calculating the life remaining in the machine comprises means for calculating the life remaining in the machine using historical data and an L₁₀ life calculation; and

means for displaying the life remaining in the machine.

16. A machine life indicating system, comprising:

means for receiving operator input data, the operator input data providing information specific to the operation history of a machine;

means for calculating the life remaining in the machine using, at least in part, the operator input data, wherein the means for calculating the life remaining in the machine comprises means for calculating the life remaining in the machine based at least in part on the insulation class of the machine; and

means for displaying the life remaining in the machine.

17. A machine life indicating system, comprising:

means for receiving operator input data, the operator input data providing information specific to the operation history of a machine;

means for calculating the life remaining in the machine using, at least in part, the operator input data, wherein the means for calculating the life remaining in the machine comprises means for calculating the life remaining in the machine based at least in part on a insulation resistance test class of the machine; and

means for displaying the life remaining in the machine.

18. A method for calculating the life remaining in a machine, comprising:

receiving operator input data, the operator input data providing information specific to the operation history of a machine;

calculating the life remaining in the machine using, at least in part, the operator input data wherein calculating the life remaining in the machine comprises calculating the life remaining in the machine using an L₁₀ life calculation; and

displaying the life remaining in the machine.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein calculating the life remaining in the machine using probability distribution functions comprises calculating the life remaining in the machine using probability distribution functions for individual components within the machine.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the machine is selected from the group of machines consisting of a transformer, a wind turbine, an electric motor, and a generator.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving operator input data comprises receiving operator input data such that the operator input data is not continuously received.

22. A method for calculating the life remaining in a machine comprising:

receiving operator input data, the operator input data providing information specific to the operation history of a machine;

calculating the life remaining in the machine using, at least in part, the operator input data wherein calculating the life remaining in the machine comprises calculating the life remaining in the machine based at least in part on the insulation class of the machine; and

displaying the life remaining in the machine.

23. A method for calculating the life remaining in a machine, comprising:

receiving operator input data, the operator input data providing information specific to the operation history of a machine;

calculating the life remaining in the machine using, at least in part, the operator input data wherein calculating the life remaining in the machine comprises calculating the life remaining in the machine based at least in part on a insulation resistance test class of the machine; and

displaying the life remaining in the machine.

24. A machine life indicating system, comprising;

an assessment tool operable to receive operator input data, the operator input data providing information specific to the operation history of a machine, wherein the assessment tool is operable to calculate the life remaining in the machine using historical data and an L₁₀ life calculation;

an analysis application, in communication with the assessment tool, the analysis application operable to calculate the life remaining in the machine using, at least in part, the operator input data; and

a display for displaying the life remaining in the machine.

25. A machine life indicating system, comprising:

an assessment tool operable to receive operator input data, the operator input data providing information specific to the operation history of a machine wherein the assessment tool is operable to calculate the life remaining in the machine based at least in part on the insulation class of the machine;

an analysis application, in communication with the assessment tool, the analysis application operable to calculate the life remaining in the machine using, at least in part, the operator input data; and

a display for displaying the life remaining in the machine.

26. A machine life indicating system, comprising:

an assessment tool operable to receive operator input data, the operator input data providing information specific to the operation history of a machine wherein the assessment tool is operable to calculate the life remaining in the machine based at least in part on a insulation resistance test class of the machine.