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Bearing Fault Detection Using Echo

A vibration analyst would like to have a full set of data continuously on all vibration monitoring points. The Echo (r) Wireless Vibration Monitoring System provides "at-a-glance" status of all plant machinery being monitored. The system makes three overall measurements: RMS Velocity, RMS Acceleration, and True peak Acceleration.

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29 views

Bearing Fault Detection Using Echo

A vibration analyst would like to have a full set of data continuously on all vibration monitoring points. The Echo (r) Wireless Vibration Monitoring System provides "at-a-glance" status of all plant machinery being monitored. The system makes three overall measurements: RMS Velocity, RMS Acceleration, and True peak Acceleration.

Uploaded by

juan villarroel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Energy & Power Generation

Detecting Rolling Element


Bearing Faults Using
Echo

Wireless Vibration
Monitoring System
visit us online at www.pcb.com
Toll-Free in USA 800-828-8840 716-684-0001
WHITE PAPER




Detecting Rolling Element Bearing Faults Using the Echo


Wireless Vibration Monitoring System

In an ideal world, a vibration analyst would like to have a full set of overall and
broadband data continuously on all vibration monitoring points. This would provide the
best set of data to detect and diagnose machinery faults. Unfortunately, it is generally
prohibitive to get a full set data more than once per month or quarter due to personnel
limitations with walk around monitoring systems. This could be automated using an
online monitoring system, but the cost of such systems and of running the associated
cable generally prohibits this on all but the most critical equipment.

The Echo

Wireless Vibration Monitoring System offers an affordable and acceptable


compromise by increasing the number of looks at a machine by a factor of about 100
over most route-based methods. It eliminates the cost of running expensive cabling to a
control room (as is generally required with continuous online monitoring systems), and
provides at-a-glance status of all plant machinery being monitored (Figure 1). The
system also makes a specifically selected set of overall measurements that when used
together are sensitive to most common machinery faults, especially those in rolling
element bearings.


Figure 1 Echo System Overview that provides
At-A-Glance Status of Machinery


Echo makes three overall measurements: RMS Velocity, RMS Acceleration, and True
Peak Acceleration. From these measurements it then calculates Crest Factor, derived
peak velocity, and derived peak acceleration.

These measurements are sensitive to various types of machinery faults:



The velocity measurements are sensitive to common lower frequency faults such
as unbalance and misalignment.
The RMS Acceleration measurement detects higher speed faults such as gear
mesh, broken rotor bars, and loss of bearing lubrication.
True Peak Acceleration is most sensitive to impacts caused by bearing defects
and some gear faults such as a chipped tooth.
Crest Factor is often used as an indication of fault severity.

Many analysts use velocity as the primary parameter for trending and indication of a
developing fault. Unfortunately, this does not always work well with rolling element
bearing faults. Often the bearing frequencies and associated sidebands for severely
faulted bearing are low in amplitude compared to the other vibrations in the system.
Therefore they do not cause enough of a change in the overall velocity to detect the fault
early. On the other hand, high pass filtered True Peak Acceleration is extremely
sensitive to impulsive faults and is an excellent indicator of a bearing fault. Once the fault
causes an alarm in the system, an analyst should take broadband waveform
measurements on the machine to complete the diagnostics.



Figure 2 General Purpose Accelerometer Mounted on a Centrifugal Pump
sending vibration signal to a nearby EchoPlus Wireless Junction Box


Figure 2 above shows a general purpose IMI Model 603C01 mounted on a centrifugal
pump. A short standard sensor cable is run to an IMI EchoPlus Wireless Junction Box
(Model 672A01) close to the pump, as pictured in Figure 3. The EchoPlus Wireless
Junction Box wakes up periodically (3 times per day default), sequentially powers each
sensor (8 per box), makes the overall measurements stated above, and transmits them
wirelessly to a centrally located receiver. Therefore there is no need for long expensive
cable runs to a control room that could be a half a mile or more away.



Figure 3 EchoPlus Measuring One of Eight Connected Accelerometers


Stand-alone battery powered Echo Wireless Vibration Sensors are also available with
the Echo system and make the same set of overall measurements. Figure 4 shows IMI
Echo

Wireless Vibration Sensors (Model 670A01) mounted on fan bearings.





Figure 4 Echo Wireless Sensors Mounted on Recirculating Fan Bearings



Below are examples of overall measurements taken with the Echo

System on a
centrifugal pump. Examination of these trend plots demonstrates how True Peak
Acceleration clearly detects the rolling element bearing fault before any indication is
given by either RMS Velocity or RMS Acceleration.

Both the RMS Velocity (Figure 5) and the RMS Acceleration (Figure 6) trend plots shown
below do not trip their alarms and the velocity would probably never be considered to be
indicating a problem. When the bearing was replaced, there was little change in the
RMS Velocity or RMS Acceleration vibration levels.


Figure 5 RMS Velocity Trend Plot of Faulted Bearing



Figure 6 RMS Acceleration Trend Plot of Faulted Bearing



Figure 7 True Peak Acceleration Trend Plot of Faulted Bearing


The True Peak Acceleration trend plot (Figure 7 above) clearly shows high amplitudes
exceeding the alarm levels of the faulted rolling element bearing. When the bearing was
replaced, the vibration smoothed out well below the warning alarm level.

Clearly the High Pass Filtered True Peak Acceleration measurement is the most
sensitive to rolling element bearing faults. It is a technique that not only works on
machinery like pumps and motors but also on slow speed systems like paper rolls.

Contact IMI Sensors for a demonstration of the Echo Wireless Vibration Monitoring
System and find out how Echo can help you avoid unexpected failures, lost production,
high maintenance costs and keep your production machinery running.
What are divisions of PCB Piezotronics?
PCB Piezotronics, a member of the PCB Group families of companies, has five major divisions, all of which offer targeted sensor technologies. These
divisions are supported by an active outside direct sales force of Field Application Engineers, as well as international direct sales offices through-
out the world. Individual PCB Piezotronics divisions, locations and their primary product specialties include:
Depew, NY, USA - www.pcb.com Piezoelectric, ICP

, piezoresistive & capacitive


pressure, acoustic, force, torque, load, strain, shock & vibration sensors.
Depew, NY, USA - www.pcb.com/aerospace Sensors & Instrumentation for
aerospace & defense applications, including air and spacecraft testing.
Novi, MI, USA - www.pcb.com/auto Sensors & Instrumentation for automotive testing,
including modal analysis; NVH; component durability; powertrain testing; vehicle dynamics; safety and
regulatory testing.
Depew, NY, USA - www.imi-sensors.com Industrial vibration sensors, bearing fault de-
tectors, mechanical vibration switches, panel meters, cables & accessories for predictive
maintenance and equipment protection.
Depew, NY & Provo, UT, USA www.larsondavis.com Precision microphones, sound
level meters, noise dosimeters, audiometric calibration systems.
San Clemente, CA, USA - www.pcb.com Research & development engineering center for
special technologies.
Seattle, WA, USA - www.pcb.com Process development and fabrication of
MEMS sensors.
PCB

Group Companies
Farmington Hills, MI, USA- www.pcbloadtorque.com Designs and manufactures high quality,
precision load cells, wheel force transducers, torque transducers, telemetry systems, and fastener
torque-tension test systems.
DYNAMIC METROLOGY




Cincinnati, OH, USA- www.modalshop.com Global leader in dynamic calibration offering a
complete line of automated calibration systems and recalibration services to support dynamic
vibration, pressure and force sensors in applications such as: national standards, commercial
labs, government/military research, consultancies, and industrial/plant floor operations.
Rochester, NY, USA - www.sti-tech.com Mechanical engineering consulting firm
specializing infinite element analysis, advance analytical techniques, experimentation,
technology development, &design optimization for turbo machinery, industrial machine
systems & mechanical structures.
Toll-Free in USA 800-828-8840 n 24-hour SensorLine
SM
716-684-0001
E-mail [email protected] n www.pcb.com
ISO 9001 Certified n AS9100 Certified n A2LA Accredited to ISO 17025
MEMS ADVANCED DESIGN CENTER
WHITE PAPER

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