Rotor system health monitoring using shaft load measurements and virtual monitoring of loads

• US 9,240,083 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2010
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Isom, Joshua D., Morris, Brian Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US12/714,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,151 Days
• Field of Search: 706/17, 702/36, 702/182
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction

Abstract

A method of real-time rotor fault detection includes measuring a set of loads to obtain measured signals and virtually monitoring the set of loads to obtain estimated signals. The estimated signals are subtracted from the measured signals to obtain residuals and the residuals are compared to a categorical model. A categorical output representative of a rotor fault is identified within the categorical model.

Claims

1. A method of real-time rotor system condition detection comprising:

measuring a set of loads to obtain measured signals;

virtually monitoring the set of loads to obtain estimated signals, the virtual monitoring accomplished through use of an empirical load model representing a real-time environment;

subtracting the estimated signals from the measured signals to obtain residuals;

comparing the residuals to a categorical model; and

identifying a categorical output representative of a rotor system condition within the categorical model.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of loads include:

main rotor shaft bending;

main rotor shaft shear; and

main rotor shaft torque.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the measured signals include a feature at a particular harmonic frequency.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the feature includes a magnitude.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the feature includes a phase angle.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the estimated signals include a feature at a particular harmonic frequency.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the feature includes a magnitude.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the feature includes a phase angle.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of loads are correlated with a reference signal to establish a phase angle.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising storing the categorical output within a health and usage monitoring system.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising generating a warning if the categorical output is anything but “

No Fault Present.”

12. A system for real-time rotor system condition detection comprising:

a sensor system operable to measure a set of loads to obtain measured signals; and

a module operable to virtually monitor the set of loads to obtain estimated signals and execute a real-time fault detection and isolation algorithm to subtract the estimated signals from the measured signals to obtain residuals and compare the residuals to a categorical model to identify a categorical output representative of a rotor system condition within the categorical model, wherein the virtual monitoring is accomplished through use of an empirical load model representing a real-time environment.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a health and usage monitoring system in communication with said module.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said module is a portion of a health and usage monitoring system.