Vibration analyzing device

• US 7,430,914 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Doosan Babcock Energy Limited (Altrad Investment Authority SAS)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Babcock (US) LLC
• Inventors: Hutchison, Ian Alexander, Mitchell, David Hamilton
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAINT SURIN, JACQUES M
• Application Number:
  US11/229,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20070062291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 736/49, 735/79, 735/87, 735/99, 736/00, 736/02, 736/46, 735/97
• US Class Current: 73/649
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 7/08 Shock-testing

Abstract

A vibration analysing device for determining the vibrational response of a structural element, comprising: a vibration sensor for providing an output in response to a force input imparted to the structural element; processing means adapted to determine one of a plurality of classifications in response to the output, each classification corresponding to a condition of the structural element; and display means for displaying the determined classification.

Claims

1. A method of determining the vibrational response of a structural element, comprising the steps of:

sensing an output of the structural element in response to a force input imparted to the structural element;

determining frequency response data for the structural element from the sensed output of the structural element;

determining a peak frequency for the structural element;

integrating one of the acceleration data and the frequency response data determined from the acceleration data to determine velocity data for the structural element;

determining a single Root Mean Square (RMS) amplitude value from the velocity data;

determining one of a plurality of classifications in response to the output, each classification corresponding to a condition of the structural element; and

displaying the determined classification.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of classifications corresponds to a different probability of failure of the structural element.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of different probabilities of failure correspond to different predetermined vibration criteria.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, including using colour coding for each of the classifications.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, including using the actual loading conditions of the structural element as the force input.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, including associating the single RMS amplitude value with the peak frequency.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, including providing at least one predetermined vibration criterion, wherein the or each criterion comprises a plurality of amplitude values, each value having an associated frequency value.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, including comparing the single RMS amplitude value with the amplitude value of the vibration criterion which is associated with the peak frequency to determine the classification.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, including transmitting vibration data to a third party.

10. A method of determining the vibrational response of a structural element, comprising the steps of:

sensing an output of the structural element in response to a force input imparted to the structural element;

calculating frequency response data for the structural element from the sensed output of the structural element;

determining a single amplitude value from the frequency response data;

determining a peak frequency from the frequency response data;

associating the single amplitude value with the peak frequency;

providing at least one predetermined vibration criterion, the or each criterion comprising a plurality of amplitude values, each amplitude value having an associated frequency value; and

comparing the single amplitude value with the amplitude value of the or each criterion associated with the peak frequency.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of sensing an output of the structural element comprises sensing an acceleration of the structural element to provide acceleration data.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, including integrating one of the acceleration data and the frequency response data determined from the acceleration data to determine velocity data for the structural element.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the single amplitude value is a Root Mean Square (RMS) value of the velocity data.

14. A method as claimed in claim 10, including determining one of a plurality of classifications in response to the comparison, each classification corresponding to a condition of the structural element.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, including presenting the classification to the user.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, including transmitting vibration data to a third party.