Turbomachine lubricating oil analyzer apparatus

• US 9,303,540 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: O'Donnell, Keegan Saunders, Fitzpatrick, Matthew Paul, Lisowski, Joseph Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, PAUL M
• Application Number:
  US13/872,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20140318223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/20 using lubrication pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/10 Indicating devices; Other safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/14 for indicating the necessity to change the oil
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2888 Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration lubricating properties G01N33/30

Abstract

Various embodiments of the invention include an apparatus for monitoring a lubrication oil in a turbomachine oil reservoir, the apparatus having: a housing section including: a casing; a base plate and a back support coupled with the casing; an oil intake conduit extending through the base plate, the oil intake conduit for fluidly connecting with the turbomachine oil reservoir; a pump fluidly connected with the oil intake conduit; an oil analyzer fluidly connected with the pump; and a drain conduit fluidly connected with the oil analyzer and extending through the base plate; and a mount coupled with the housing section, the mount for coupling with the turbomachine oil reservoir.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring a lubrication oil in a turbomachine oil reservoir, the apparatus comprising:

a housing section including;

a casing;

a base plate and a back support coupled with the casing;

an oil intake conduit extending through the base plate, the oil intake conduit for fluidly connecting with the turbomachine oil reservoir;

a pump fluidly connected with the oil intake conduit;

an oil analyzer fluidly connected with the pump; and

a drain conduit fluidly connected with the oil analyzer and extending through the base plate,

wherein the drain conduit is designed to fluidly connect with the turbomachine oil reservoir and provide analyzed oil to the turbomachine oil reservoir, wherein the drain conduit is designed to fluidly connect with a drain location in the turbomachine oil reservoir, and the oil intake conduit is designed to fluidly connect with an extraction location in the turbomachine oil reservoir, wherein the drain location is distinct from the extraction location, and wherein the drain location is downstream of the extraction location along a flow path of the turbomachine oil reservoir; and

a mount coupled with the housing section, the mount for coupling with the turbomachine oil reservoir.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an internal conduit fluidly connected with the pump and the oil analyzer for transferring the lubrication oil from the pump to the oil analyzer within the housing section.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the casing includes an interface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the interface includes a human-machine interface (HMI).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the casing includes at least one alert indicator including at least one of an audio alert indicator, a visual alert indicator or a tactile alert indicator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pump is designed to pump the lubrication oil from the turbomachine oil reservoir to the oil analyzer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the oil analyzer is configured to measure a characteristic of the lubrication oil.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the characteristic of the lubrication oil includes at least one of:

a particle count or international organization for standardization (ISO) level of the lubrication oil, a ferrous particle count of the lubrication oil, a water content of the lubrication oil, a temperature of the lubrication oil or a dielectric constant of the lubrication oil.

9. An apparatus for monitoring a lubrication oil in a turbomachine oil reservoir, the apparatus comprising:

a housing section including;

a casing;

a base plate and a back support coupled with the casing;

an oil intake conduit extending through the base plate, the oil intake conduit for fluidly connecting with the turbomachine oil reservoir;

a pump fluidly connected with the oil intake conduit;

an internal conduit fluidly connected with the pump;

an oil analyzer fluidly connected with the internal conduit; and

a drain conduit fluidly connected with the oil analyzer and extending through the base plate, the drain conduit for fluidly connecting with the turbomachine oil reservoir,

wherein the drain conduit is designed to fluidly connect with a drain location in the turbomachine oil reservoir, and the oil intake conduit is designed to fluidly connect with an extraction location in the turbomachine oil reservoir, wherein the drain location is distinct from the extraction location, wherein the drain location is downstream of the extraction location along a flow path of the turbomachine oil reservoir; and

a mount coupled with the housing section, the mount for coupling to the turbomachine oil reservoir.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the casing includes a human-machine interface (HMI).

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the mount includes an L-shaped member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the L-shaped member includes:

a vertically extending spine coupled with the housing section; and

a horizontally extending base for mounting on the turbomachine oil reservoir.