Fan with an arrangement of detecting degradation of the bearings

• US 8,419,364 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2008
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Ventilation Systems
• Original Assignee: Technofan
• Inventors: Bouchard, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US12/128,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20080298952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 415/47, 415 49- 50, 415/118, 415/229, 416/39, 416/61, 416/174, 417/1, 417/32, 417/63, 417/423.12, 73/7, 73/9, 738/659, 738/66, 384/448, 374/141, 374/153, 374/163, 374/179, 374/208, 374/1, 374/4, 374/57
• US Class Current: 416/61
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/001 Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/008 Stop safety or alarm devices, e.g. stop-and-go control; Disposition of check-valves
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/059 Roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/06 with a single row or balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/525 related to temperature and heat, e.g. insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2233/00 Monitoring condition, e.g. temperature, load, vibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/04 Bearings

Abstract

The fan has an arrangement for monitoring the ageing of at least one of its bearing, the arrangement including a reference ambient temperature sensor and a processing circuit for comparing the temperature difference between the temperature measured by the temperature sensor or by each temperature sensor fitted directly on the corresponding bearing and the temperature measured by the reference temperature sensor with a first predetermined value.

Claims

1. A fan having a support structure, an impeller supported by a shaft coupled to a drive motor, and at least one ball bearing interposed between the shaft and the support structure, the fan having means of monitoring the ageing of the at least one bearings,

the means of monitoring the ageing including:

for each ball bearing a respective temperature sensor fitted directly on a race of the at least one bearing in contact with the support structure;

a processing circuit connected to each temperature sensor and capable of providing for each temperature sensor an indicator representing the measured temperature and of evaluating the indicator, with respect to at least one predetermined criterion,

wherein the means of monitoring the ageing include a reference ambient temperature sensor, and in that the processing circuit includes means of comparing the temperature difference between the temperature measured by the temperature sensor or by each temperature sensor and the temperature measured by the reference ambient temperature sensor with a first predetermined threshold value.

2. A fan according to claim 1, wherein the measurement sensor or each temperature sensor is a thermocouple.

3. A fan according to claim 1, wherein the fan has a plurality of bearings interposed between the shaft and the support structure, and in that the monitoring means include a temperature sensor placed on each bearing.

4. A fan according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit includes means of comparing the temperature measured by the temperature sensor or each temperature sensor with a second predetermined threshold value.

5. A fan according to claim 4, wherein the second predetermined threshold value is in the range from 140°

C. to 200°

C.

6. A fan according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold value is in the range from 40°

C. to 80°

C.

7. A fan according to claim 1, wherein the reference ambient temperature sensor is placed in the vicinity of the drive motor of the fan.