SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A COMPRESSOR

• US 20130294934A1
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: WORDEN, BRET DWAYNE, PEOPLES, RICHARD C., PETERSON, DAVID E., STRODE, JASON M., BURKELL, NEIL W., KARUNARATNE, MILAN
• Granted Patent: US 10,233,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/53
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2201/0605 Leakage over a valve
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2205/063 in a reservoir linked to the pump outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/02 having reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 25/00 Multi-stage pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 41/02 having reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/02 Stopping, starting, unloading or idling control
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/022 by means of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/10 Other safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 19/005 Fault detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0091 by measuring fluid parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2876 for valves G01M3/30 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods of the invention relate to diagnosing a compressor. A method may include monitoring a pressure of compressed air within a reservoir, actuating a piston within a cylinder of the compressor, and detecting a leak condition of an exhaust valve of the cylinder through recognition of a change in the monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir during a time period in which the piston is actuated. A system is also disclosed including an engine, a compressor operatively connected to the engine, and a controller that is operable to determine a condition of the compressor.

Claims

1. A method for a compressor, comprising:

monitoring a pressure of compressed air within a reservoir;

actuating a piston within a cylinder of the compressor; and

detecting a leak condition of an exhaust valve of the cylinder through recognition of a change in the monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir during a time period in which the piston is actuated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a leak condition of the exhaust valve of the cylinder further comprises correlating the monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir with an indication of a position of the piston in the cylinder.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising filling the reservoir with compressed air to a determined pressure value, wherein the reservoir is configured to store compressed air to be provided to at least one pneumatic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the piston within the cylinder comprises cycling the piston within the cylinder at a first rate during a first portion of the time period and cycling the piston within the cylinder at a second rate during a second portion of the time period.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a leak condition of the exhaust valve of the cylinder further comprises recognizing a once-per-revolution signature in a frequency analysis of the monitored pressure, wherein the once-per-revolution signature corresponds to a rate at which the piston is actuated within the cylinder.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the piston within the cylinder comprises cycling the piston within the cylinder in an unloaded condition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the piston within the cylinder comprises cycling the piston within the cylinder in a loaded condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a leak condition of the exhaust value of the cylinder further comprises recognizing a reduction in the monitored pressure corresponding to a suction stroke of the piston in the cylinder.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a leak condition of the exhaust valve of the cylinder further comprises recognizing an increase in the monitored pressure corresponding to a compression stroke of the piston in the cylinder.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a signal in response to recognizing the change in the monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir during the time period in which the piston is actuated.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the signal is generated for notifying personnel, and the signal comprises one or more of an audio alarm, a visual alarm, a text message, an email, an instant message, or a phone call.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing a duty cycle of the compressor in response to recognizing the change in the monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir during the time period in which the piston is actuated.

13. A controller that is operable in association with a compressor, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a signal corresponding to a monitored pressure of compressed air within a reservoir of a compressor; and

detect a leak condition of an exhaust valve of a cylinder of the compressor through recognition of a change in the monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir during a time period in which a piston is actuated within the cylinder.

14. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to actuate the piston within the cylinder of the compressor during at least a portion of the time period.

15. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to correlate the signal corresponding to the monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir with an indication of a position of the piston in the cylinder of the compressor.

16. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to actuate the piston within the cylinder of the compressor in an unloaded condition.

17. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to actuate the piston within the cylinder of the compressor in a loaded condition.

18. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to detect the leak condition based on recognizing a reduction in the monitored pressure corresponding to a suction stroke of the piston in the cylinder.

19. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to detect the leak condition based on recognizing an increase in the monitored pressure corresponding to a compression stroke of the piston in the cylinder.

20. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to detect the leak condition based on recognizing a once-per-revolution signature in a frequency analysis of the monitored pressure, wherein the once-per-revolution signature corresponds to a rate at which the piston is actuated within the cylinder.

21. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate with one or more reservoir pressure sensors and receive the signal corresponding to the monitored pressure from the one or more reservoir pressure sensors.

22. A system, comprising:

an engine;

a compressor operatively connected to the engine, wherein the compressor includes a reservoir configured to store compressed air; and

a controller configured to;

receive a signal corresponding to a monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir; and

detect a leak condition of an exhaust valve of a cylinder of the compressor through recognition of a change in the monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir during a time period in which a piston is actuated within the cylinder.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured to actuate the piston within the cylinder of the compressor during at least a portion of the time period.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured to detect the leak condition based on recognizing a once-per-revolution signature in a frequency analysis of the monitored pressure, wherein the once-per-revolution signature corresponds to a rate at which the piston is actuated within the cylinder.