Method and system for detecting and measuring the disturbances in terms of frequency of the rate of rotation of a rotor

• US 7,583,200 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engine Company
• Original Assignee: Snecma (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Gerez, Valerio
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US11/551,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20070090961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 340/679, 340/686.3
• US Class Current: 340/679
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1497 With detection of the mechanical response of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/046 by monitoring revolutions for detecting misfire G01M15/11
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/489 Digital circuits therefor

Abstract

A method and system for detecting the variations of speed (R) of a rotor. Signals are measured representative of the march-past of the teeth of a measurement device secured to the rotor for a determined duration (T). The measurements are sampled, digitized and stored to obtain an initial digital vector (B). A detection signal is extracted around a known disturbing frequency (F). The detection signal is compared with a predetermined threshold (SO) and an alert message is delivered in the event of overshoot.

Claims

1. A method of detecting variations of a speed (R) of a rotor said method comprising the steps of, in real time:

measuring signals representative of a march-past of teeth of a measurement device secured to the rotor for a determined duration (T),

sampling, digitizing and storing the signals to obtain an initial digital vector (B),

extracting from the initial vector (B) a detection signal around a known disturbing frequency (F), wherein said extracting of said detection signal comprises calculating a temporal evolution R(t) of the speed (R) of the rotor, and

analyzing in real time said temporal evolution R(t) comprises applying a Fast Fourier Transform to said temporal evolution R(t),

analyzing in real time said temporal evolution R(t) of the speed (R) of the rotor with a bandpass filter of a digital signal processing module, said analyzing further comprising comparing the detection signal with a predetermined threshold and delivering an alert message in the event of overshoot.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of extracting said detection signal comprises:

filtering the initial vector (B) and obtaining a filtered vector (H),

detecting peaks (S) of alternation of the signals,

dating the peaks (S), calculating time intervals (Δ

T) separating adjacent peaks, establishing the temporal evolution R(t) of the speed (R) based on said time intervals, and

filtering said temporal evolution around the known disturbing frequency (F).

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising tagging the vectors (B, . . . , S) in relation to a time base (A) of dimension N determined from the speed (R), characteristics of the measurement device (1, n) and the disturbing frequency (F).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sampling of said signals is performed at a frequency (Fe) at least twice as high as those of transient disturbances present in the signals.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein vector operations applied to the vectors comprise exclusively sums, differences, tests and coordinate shifts.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of analyzing in real time said temporal evolution R(t) comprising plotting a curve of said of temporal evolution R(t) as a function of time.

6. A system for detecting variations of speed (R) of a rotor, comprising:

measurement means comprising a sensor delivering in real time signals representative of the a rate of rotation of the rotor,

means for signals processing comprising a calculation block calculating in real time the rate of rotation so as, if appropriate, to instantaneously emit a message of disturbance of the speed (R) and delivering a message of abnormal appearance of a disturbance of frequency (F) lower than the frequency of rotation of the rotor,

wherein said means for signals processing comprises means for calculating a temporal evolution R(t) of the speed (R) of the rotor and means for analyzing in real time said temporal evolution R(t) of the speed (R) of the rotor, said means for analyzing comprising a bandpass filter,

means for analyzing in real time said temporal evolution R(t) comprises means for applying a Fast Fourier Transform to said temporal evolution R(t).

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the measurement means comprise a phonic wheel secured to the rotor delivering signals representative of a march-past of teeth of the phonic wheel, and wherein the processing means sample said signals before digitizing said signals and storing said signals in digital form.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the processing means sample the signals at a frequency (Fe) at least twice higher than a maximal frequency of transient disturbances present therein.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the calculation block comprises a filtering module eliminating any spurious noise present in the signals.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein the calculation block comprises a module for detecting peaks in the signals, corresponding to transits of crests of teeth in front of the sensor.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the calculation block dates the peaks, and deduces therefrom time intervals (Δ

T) separating the peaks.