Large engines being built and tested in major factories and engines being operated in ships and power stations around the world occasionally suffer immense damage, despite well-intended application of control, monitoring and condition based maintenance systems installed for their protection against such damage. Experiments and pilot tests conducted in the field with a revolutionary new type of bearing friction monitoring system have revealed that signals, from sliding components of an engine, can be extracted for evaluation to judge their operational condition. The experiments, so far, have exposed that sliding surface pairs, not only shaft to bearing, but also such as piston and rings to cylinder liner, gear wheels etc. produce remarkable measurable signals at the time when the lubricating oil film between these components is interrupted. With an appropriated evaluation method it will become reality to provide the operator with valuable information from his machine to make an early decision as to when to stop the engine before major damage occurs. It has become clear that during the start-up, stopping or change of load of the engine in operation there are numerous instants where major components, whether they are semi-lubricated or run under partial friction, produce a thermo-electric effect which can be measured to the extent that the evaluation provides a diagram whether there is a normal operative condition or a serious damage is under development. During the last months, some interesting field experience could be gained on 4-stroke GenSet engines as well as on several slide bearing test bed installations in co-operation with 2 german Universities. It has been proven that in test bed comparison of different slide bearing monitoring systems, such as temperature monitoring or metal partical counting method, the system using the thermo-electric effect indicated a beginning metal-to-metal friction hours before any system based on other measurement principle did. This presentation should give an insight into the transition from a theoretical approach into practical experience on real applications.
Slide bearing monitoring system: Recognizing friction before noticeable mechanical damage occurs; a field report
2010
12 Seiten, 27 Bilder, 4 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Datenträger
Englisch
Bearing monitoring system recognizing friction before noticeable mechanical damage occurs
Kraftfahrwesen | 2004
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