Method and system for ultrasonic inspection of gearbox ring gear

• US 8,181,528 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Reed, Francis A., Murphy, John T., Silliman, George R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Redmann, Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US12/394,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20100218609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 735/98
• US Class Current: 73/598
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2634 cylindrical from outside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2696 Wheels, Gears, Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/11 by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/262 by electronic orientation or focusing, e.g. with phased arrays phased arrays per se G10K11/34

Abstract

A method and system for ultrasonically inspecting a ring gear of a gearbox is provided. The method and system can be used for the detection, characterization and/or sizing of defects in the ring gear. The ring gear has a plurality of teeth, which extend radially inward with respect to an outer surface of the gearbox. The method includes the steps of selecting an ultrasonic transducer productive of a test signal, positioning the ultrasonic transducer at an outer surface of the ring gear, orienting the ultrasonic transducer so as to direct the test signal to propagate through the ring gear, and activating the ultrasonic transducer so as to test the ring gear for defects therein.

Claims

1. A method for ultrasonically inspecting a ring gear of a gearbox for the detection, characterization and/or sizing of defects therein, the ring gear having a plurality of teeth extending radially inward with respect to an outer surface of said gearbox, the method comprising:

selecting an ultrasonic transducer productive of a test signal;

positioning the ultrasonic transducer at an outer surface of said ring gear, the ring gear located within a needle a nacelle of a wind turbine;

orienting the ultrasonic transducer so as to direct the test signal to propagate through the ring gear;

activating the ultrasonic transducer so as to test the ring gear for defects therein;

moving the ultrasonic transducer around a periphery or outer surface of the ring gear to obtain an inspection of at least a portion of the ring gear inside the gearbox while the ring gear is located within the nacelle of the wind turbine; and

scanning with the ultrasonic transducer in at least one of zero-degree beam angle and multiple beam angles.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting an ultrasonic transducer capable of a pulse-echo mode of testing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting an ultrasonic transducer step further comprises choosing the ultrasonic transducer from one or more of:

a monolithic transducer and a phased-array transducer.

4. A method for inspecting a component of a wind turbine for the detection, characterization and/or sizing of defects therein, the component having a plurality of teeth extending radially inward with respect to an outer surface of said component, the method comprising:

choosing the component to be tested from at least one of, a ring gear, a pitch drive gear and a yaw drive gear;

selecting a transducer productive of a test signal;

positioning the transducer at an outer surface of said component, the component located within a wind turbine;

orienting the transducer so as to direct the test signal to propagate through at least a portion of the component;

activating the transducer so as to test the component for defects therein; and

moving the transducer around the periphery or outer surface of the component, to obtain an inspection of at least a portion of said component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said selecting a transducer further comprises choosing a transducer of at least of the following types:

ultrasonic, electromagnetic acoustic and monolithic piezoelectric.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

selecting a transducer capable of at least one of, pitch-catch mode of testing and pulse-echo mode of testing.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the selecting a transducer step further comprises choosing the transducer from one or more of:

a monolithic transducer and a phased-array transducer.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

scanning with said transducer in at least one of, zero-degree beam angle and multiple beam angles.

9. A system for inspecting a component of a wind turbine for the detection, characterization and/or sizing of defects therein, the component having a plurality of teeth extending radially inward with respect to an outer surface of said component, the system comprising:

a transducer productive of a test signal;

wherein the component is at least one of a ring gear, yaw drive component and pitch drive component; and

wherein the transducer is positioned at an outer surface of said component while the component is located within the wind turbine, and oriented so as to direct the test signal to propagate through at least a portion of the component, and wherein the transducer is employed to test the component for defects therein.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transducer is at least one of the following types:

ultrasonic, electromagnetic acoustic and piezoelectric.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the transducer is capable of scanning in at least one of, zero-degree beam angle and multiple beam angles.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a visual display device for receiving and displaying the test signal, wherein the visual display device is used for analyzing inspection results to determine at least one of the characteristics, location and size of a defect in said component.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the transducer is capable of at least one of, pitch-catch mode testing and pulse-echo mode testing.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the transducer is at least one of the following types:

a monolithic transducer and a phased-array transducer.