Non-Stationary PKP Engine Fault Detection/Diagnostics Method

AI Signal Research, Inc. (ASRI)

Huntsville, Al
 

• Many machinery vibration signature analyses rely on a 1/Rev key phasor speed measurement as a reference signal to process measurement data and extract condition indicators for diagnostics evaluation. But, in many situations, key phasor measurement is not available usually due to safety concerns of its intrusive installation requirement.
  
  
• The Pseudo Key Phasor (PKP) method can reconstruct an equivalent 1/Rev PKP speed signal directly from an external vibration measurement. It enables all analyses that require key phasor to become applicable, great enhancing fault detection and diagnostic capabilities when key phasor measurement is not available.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• PKP enables NASA to start monitoring SSME/HPFTP bearing conditions after each Shuttle flight. Such analyses were not possible before since key phasor measurements are not available during SSME flight
• Technology is part of PC-SIGNAL®
  
  

• By incorporating PKP into a vibration monitoring system, it can provide a unique, non-intrusive and/or non-contact monitoring capability without relying any key phasor speed measurement
• PKP-based, non-intrusive vibration monitoring systems have significant commercial applications in transportation, power generation and manufacturing sectors where many aircraft engines /plant machineries are not instrumented with key phasor due to various limitations or concerns
• Primary target/potential market sectors: aircraft/helicopter industries, rocket engine manufacturers, transportation industry, nuclear power industry and power plants in general

• NASA/MSFC propulsion engineers are currently applying PKP technique to monitor the SSME/HPFTP bearing condition after each Shuttle flight
• PKP has also been applied to many other anomaly investigations/resolutions for the SSME
• PKP method has direct application to NASA's propulsion systems and future Ares programs for fault detection and diagnostic/anomaly/failure investigations

Return to NASA SBIR Success Listings 

Acoustics/Vibroacoustics, Aerodynamics, Aerospace, Aeronautics, Aircraft Systems/Subsystems, Instrumentation, Mechanical, Test/Measurement

Curator: SBIR Support                  4/21/09