The present invention generally involves a sensor simulator. In particular, the present invention involves a system for testing a rotatable sensor signal transmitter that includes a sensor simulator.
Turbomachines such as wind turbines, gas turbines, steam turbines, pumps, fans, generators, motors, and other forms of commercial equipment frequently include shafts, blades, and other rotating components. It is known in the art to install one or more sensors on the rotating components to measure various characteristics of those components in order to control, monitor, and/or enhance the operation of the rotating components. For example, sensors that measure temperature, velocity, stress, strain, vibrations, and/or other characteristics of the rotating components may allow for early detection of abnormalities, adjustments to repair or maintenance schedules, and/or other actions to enhance operations.
Various slip ring and telemetry systems exist in the art for transmitting the analogue sensor data from the rotating components to stator components for further analysis. One system employs a plurality of sensor signal transmitters annularly arranged within a carrier shaft that is configured to couple to an end of a turbomachine rotor shaft. Each of the sensor signal transmitters includes multi-pin connectors having multiple terminal pairs of pins that are electronically coupled to individual sensor circuits defined within the sensor signal transmitters. The sensor signal transmitters receive discrete analogue signals from the sensors, process the signals and transmit the processed signals to a data acquisition system via a slip ring assembly. The sensor signal transmitters may also receive power and/or data from a data acquisition system.
When not connected to a sensor, the inputs to the sensor signal transmitters are open and an operator is not fully able to determine the operability of the system. Conventionally, one method for testing and validating operation of the sensor signal transmitters is to electronically couple the actual sensors mounted to the various rotatable components directly to the sensor signal transmitter assemblies. However, this method may not be practical or applicable when the signal transmitter assemblies are off-shaft such as during assembly, test or repair and/or when the turbomachine is non-operational. Another method for testing and validating operation of the sensor signal transmitters off-shaft includes placing an actual sensor on each input or at each terminal pair of pins one channel at a time. This can typically only be done while the system is stationary and is not practical for rotating systems. Another known method for simulating sensors is to oppose a rotating system with another data transmission system. Simulated signals are then injected through the opposing data transmission system into the data transmission/recording system be tested.
Although known methods for testing and validating operation of the sensor signal transmitters are generally effective. Continued improvements in systems for testing and validating operation of the sensor signal transmitters would be useful.
Aspects and advantages of the invention are set forth below in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
One embodiment of the present invention is a sensor simulator. The sensor simulator includes a first pin that extends through a base. The first pin has a first end portion and a second end portion where the first end portion is configured to be electronically coupled to a positive terminal of a sensor circuit of a sensor signal transmitter. A second pin extends through the base. The second pin has a first end portion and a second end portion where the first end portion is configured to be electronically coupled to a negative terminal of the sensor circuit. The sensor simulator further includes an electronic component having a first wire lead electronically coupled to a second wire lead. The first wire lead is electronically coupled to the second end portion of the first pin and the second wire lead is electronically coupled to the second end portion of the second pin. The electronic component completes the sensor circuit when the sensor simulator plug is electronically coupled to the sensor signal transmitter.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a system for testing rotatable sensor signal transmitters. The system includes a first rotatable sensor signal transmitter having an input connector. The input connector includes a plurality of terminal pairs, each terminal pair including a positive terminal and a negative terminal electronically coupled to a corresponding sensor circuit. A first sensor simulator is electronically coupled to the input connector. The first sensor simulator includes a plurality of pins. The plurality of pins comprise a first pin that includes a first end portion and a second end portion where the first end portion is electronically coupled to the positive terminal of a corresponding terminal pair of the plurality of terminal pairs. The first sensor simulator also includes a second pin having a first end portion and a second end portion where the first end portion is electronically coupled to the negative terminal of the same terminal pair as the first pin. The first sensor simulation further includes an electronic component. The electronic component includes a first wire lead that is electronically coupled to a second wire lead where the first wire lead is electronically coupled to the second end portion of the first pin and the second wire lead is electronically coupled to the second end portion of the second pin. The electronic component is one of a thermocouple or a resistor.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will better appreciate the features and aspects of such embodiments, and others, upon review of the specification.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof to one skilled in the art, is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification, including reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features in the drawings. Like or similar designations in the drawings and description have been used to refer to like or similar parts of the invention. As used herein, the terms “first”, “second”, and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components.
The terms “upstream” and “downstream” refer to the relative direction with respect to fluid flow in a fluid pathway. For example, “upstream” refers to the direction from which the fluid flows, and “downstream” refers to the direction to which the fluid flows. The term “radially” refers to the relative direction that is substantially perpendicular to an axial centerline of a particular component, and the term “axially” refers to the relative direction that is substantially parallel and/or coaxially aligned to an axial centerline of a particular component.
Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described generally in the context of a sensor simulator and system for testing rotatable sensor signal transmitters for a turbomachine for purposes of illustration, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments of the present invention may be applied to any machine having a rotating shaft and sensors connected thereto. Therefore, the specification is not intended to be limited to a sensor simulator and system for testing rotatable sensor signal transmitters for a turbomachine unless otherwise specified in the claims.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a sensor simulator and a system for testing a rotatable sensor signal transmitter that includes the sensor simulator. The sensor simulator is a tool for simulating rotating instrumentation or sensors such as rotatable thermocouples and/or strain gauges coupled to various rotatable components of a turbomachine. The sensor simulator electronically simulates the sensor. The sensor simulator is installed or electronically coupled to the sensor signal transmitter. The sensor simulator allows the sensor signal transmitter to be tested, inspected, and/or validated for proper operation on or off-shaft. The sensor simulator allows a sensor circuit of the sensor signal transmitter to be completed and accurately represents the electrical properties of an actual sensor.
The primary component of the sensor simulator is an electronic component such as a thermocouple or resistor that simulates and/or has the same electrical properties as a corresponding sensor. For channels or sensor circuits of the sensor signal transmitter that are configured to acquire strain data using a resistive-based strain gage, the sensor simulator is terminated via precision resistors of equivalent resistance to the resistive-based strain gage. For channels or sensor circuits of the sensor signal transmitter that are configured to acquire temperature using a thermocouple, the sensor simulator is terminated to a thermocouple of equivalent type (per ANSI definition).
The sensor simulator may be configured to simulate any sensor type such thermal resistance, pressure, acceleration or other sensor types by changing the electronic component. Each conductor or lead of the electronic component or simulated sensor may be terminated to a pin or socket that is designed to fit in a printed circuit board or other dielectric material. The pins or sockets may crimp onto the leads of the simulated sensor, they made be soldered, or they may be welded. The pins or sockets are installed into the printed circuit board or equivalent dielectric material in a pattern that is consistent with the pattern of the input on the data transmission/recording device.
During operation of a turbomachine, various rotatable components such as compressor rotor blades, turbine rotor blades, rotor shaft and various other rotatable components are exposed to potentially life limiting thermal and/or mechanical stresses. As a result, it is generally desirable to monitor various operating parameters such as temperature, velocity, stress, strain, vibrations, and/or other characteristics of the rotating components which may allow for detection of abnormalities, allow for adjustments to repair or maintenance schedules, and/or other actions to enhance operation and/or efficiency of the turbomachine such as the gas turbine.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like components,
The slip ring or a telemetry system 20 generally includes a plurality of sensor signal transmitters 22 annularly arranged within a carrier shaft 24 that is configured to be coupled to the rotor shaft 12. The slip ring or a telemetry system 20 may also include a slip ring assembly 26 that is electronically coupled to the plurality of sensor signal transmitters 22 and the data acquisition system 18. The slip ring or a telemetry system 20 may be coupled to the rotor shaft 12 via a wire barrel 28 which is configured for routing wire bundles from the sensors 16 out of the rotor shaft 12.
The sensor signal transmitters 22 may comprise hardwired logic, a processor, microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, or other embedded circuitry adapted in any suitable manner to provide the desired functionality. For instance, one or more processors may be adapted to provide the described functionality by responding to commands sent by the user through control software. However, the sensor signal transmitters 22 discussed herein are not limited to any particular hardware or software architecture or configuration, and a different sensor signal transmitters 22 may be used for each type of sensor 16 being used. For example, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art without required additional detailed discussion, some systems and methods set forth and disclosed herein may also be implemented by hard-wired logic or other circuitry, including, but not limited to, application-specific circuits. Of course, various combinations of computer-executed software and hard-wired logic or other circuitry may be suitable as well.
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In particular embodiments, the sensor simulator 100 includes a plurality of electronic components. Each electronic component electronically couples two or more of the plurality of pins 110 and simulates a particular sensor type. For example,
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This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other and examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.