Rolling bearing monitoring apparatus and method

Abstract

A monitoring device (1) for monitoring a rolling bearing (2) mounted in an application system (4), such as a motor or generator system, is disclosed wherein the monitoring device (1) comprises a sensor unit (12) for monitoring the rolling bearing (2) and a processing unit (14), wherein the sensor unit (12) is configured to monitor the rolling bearing (2) in order to obtain an actual value of at least one parameter of the rolling bearing (2), and wherein the processing unit (14) is configured to compare the actual value of the at least one parameter with a desired value of the at least one parameter, and controlling the application system (4) in order to reduce the deviation between the actual value and the desired value of the at least one parameter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a monitoring device for monitoring a rolling bearing, the monitoring device being installed in an application according to claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a monitoring method for monitoring a rolling bearing installed in an application according to claim 9. Background Art

[0002] In technical applications such as generators or motors, rolling bearings can be used, for example, to support shafts. In current applications, it is known to monitor rolling bearings to determine the condition of the rolling bearings. Depending on the condition of the rolling bearings, maintenance can be performed, such as replacing the rolling bearings. In addition, an indicator indicating the condition of the rolling bearing can be output, such as a green light for indicating a good condition, a yellow light for indicating a condition that may require maintenance in the near future, or a red light for indicating that maintenance is immediately required.

[0003] However, all maintenance actions are done manually. Therefore, an operator or diagnostic expert of an application with rolling bearings will need to analyze the condition monitoring data and will schedule and plan appropriate maintenance actions or other types of adjustments to the rolling bearings to improve the rolling bearing condition (e.g., manually adjusting the rolling bearing preload).

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved way of monitoring a rolling bearing and for performing adjustments which improve the condition of the rolling bearing. Summary of the invention

[0005] This object is achieved by a monitoring device for monitoring a rolling bearing according to claim 1 and a monitoring method for monitoring a rolling bearing according to claim 9 .

[0006] The monitoring device is configured to monitor a rolling bearing installed in an application system. The application system may be, for example, an (electric) motor or generator system. The rolling bearing may be used in the application system, for example, to support a shaft. The application system may also be any other kind of application system in which a rolling bearing can be integrated.

[0007] The monitoring device comprises a sensor unit for monitoring the rolling bearing. The sensor unit may comprise a sensor arranged in the application system in order to monitor the rolling bearing indirectly. Alternatively, such a sensor may be arranged in the rolling bearing for directly measuring the rolling bearing. The sensor unit is configured to monitor the rolling bearing in order to obtain an actual value of at least one parameter of the rolling bearing. The sensor unit may also measure more than one parameter. The parameter in particular indicates an actual condition of the rolling bearing.

[0008] In order to determine a suitable method for improving the condition of the rolling bearing, the monitoring device comprises a processing unit configured to compare an actual value of at least one parameter with an expected value of at least one parameter. The expected value of at least one parameter corresponds to the value of the corresponding parameter in a good condition of the rolling bearing. When the actual value and the expected value differ from each other, the difference indicates that the condition of the rolling bearing is not in a good or optimal condition and adjustments may be required to improve the condition of the rolling bearing. To this end, the processing unit is further configured to control the application system to reduce the deviation between the actual value and the expected value of the at least one parameter.

[0009] The process is based on the fact that the application system and the rolling bearing integrated in the application system influence each other. For example, a high speed of the shaft may lead to a high speed of the rolling bearing, which in turn leads to a high temperature of the rolling bearing. Therefore, reducing the speed of the shaft of the application system may also reduce the speed of the rolling bearing, and therefore may also reduce the temperature of the rolling bearing, thereby improving the condition of the rolling bearing. It can be seen that when the application system is properly controlled, the deviation between the actual value and the expected value of the parameter of the rolling bearing (for example, the deviation between the expected temperature and the actually measured temperature) can be reduced.

[0010] Since the processing unit can directly control the application system based on the deviation between the actual value and the desired value, no further manual action is required by the operator or anyone else. Therefore, the condition of the rolling bearing can be improved easily and quickly without any manual interaction.

[0011] In one embodiment, the deviation between the actual value and the expected value can be output to the operator, for example, via an audio or visual signal. In addition, the control of the application system can also be output to the operator as information.

[0012] According to another embodiment, the processing unit is configured to automatically select a control command for controlling the application system from a plurality of control commands, wherein the selected control command is configured to reduce a deviation between an actual value and an expected value of at least one parameter.

[0013] The application system can be controlled via multiple control commands. Each control command can be associated with a component of the application system, such as a shaft of the application system or a stator or rotor of the application system. In addition, each control command can control a specific parameter of a component of the application system. For example, the control command can control the speed of the shaft, the control command can adjust the cooling system of the application system or the bearing, adjust the heating system of the application system, limit the motor or generator current to reduce the bearing load, operate a circuit breaker or coupling, operate an actuator on the load side to guide the load vector, etc. The cooling system of the application system can also indirectly cool the rolling bearing. For example, the heat of the bearing can be transferred to the shaft or the housing. The housing can be cooled by water / air, and the water / air also cools the bearing. The shaft can be cooled by convection or oil filling, and the heat is transferred to the air or to the housing by oil.

[0014] When the processing unit determines the deviation between the actual value and the expected value, the processing unit may check several available control commands and then may select one of the control commands that is considered to reduce the deviation between the actual value and the expected value. Since the processing unit is configured to automatically select the control command, no human interaction is required.

[0015] As described above, according to another embodiment, the selected control command is configured to control at least one component of the application system to adjust the application system. The adjustment of the application system may include adjusting the parameters of the rolling bearing, such as adjusting the bearing load, the bearing preload, the bearing cooling system and / or adjusting other bearing parameters.

[0016] As described above, the application system and the rolling bearing can influence each other. Therefore, when adjusting the application system, the rolling bearing can also be adjusted indirectly. This may be the case, for example, when the bearing speed needs to be adjusted, which can be done by reducing the shaft speed when the shaft is supported by the rolling bearing. In addition, the rolling bearing can be adjusted directly, for example, when adjusting the preload of the rolling bearing. In addition, the adjustment of the application system can also include shutting down the application system. Such a complete shutdown may be necessary when the deviation between the actual value and the expected value reaches a critical threshold. The critical threshold may be predefined and may correspond to a threshold that requires immediate action without time for any further adjustment. When the processing unit determines that there is no appropriate control command and no appropriate adjustment, the processing unit can notify the operator so that manual inspection or maintenance can be performed.

[0017] According to another embodiment, the parameter to be adjusted corresponds to the monitored parameter. This can be advantageous because the processing unit can directly derive the control command to be executed because the processing unit already knows the parameter that needs to be adjusted.

[0018] According to another embodiment, the sensor unit is configured to monitor at least one of the temperature of the bearing, the displacement of the inner and / or outer ring of the rolling bearing, the speed of the rolling bearing and the vibration of the rolling bearing. These parameters can be used to determine appropriate adjustments. For example, when the temperature is too high, the speed of the bearing can be reduced, for example via the speed of the shaft. When there is a displacement in one of the rings, the preload of the bearing can be adjusted, etc.

[0019] To measure these parameters, the sensor unit may include a temperature sensor, a torque sensor, a vibration sensor, a displacement sensor or any other type of sensor. The corresponding sensor may be arranged at a suitable location of the rolling bearing and / or the application system, for example at the shaft or the housing.

[0020] According to another embodiment, the sensor unit is configured to obtain an actual value of at least one parameter of the rolling bearing over a period of time and to send the actual value to a processing unit for comparing the actual value over a period of time with an expected value. This can provide the following advantages: small, short deviations that occur only temporarily can be ignored. In addition, a reduction in load, speed and / or temperature can lead to a longer bearing and component life. A reduction in speed for a specific application can increase the bearing life because the lubricant film thickness is maintained and fretting corrosion can be avoided.

[0021] According to another embodiment, the processing unit is configured to determine the state of the application system based on the deviation between the actual value and the expected value. Thus, in addition to determining the state and condition of the rolling bearing, the processing unit can also determine the state of the application system. This knowledge can additionally be used to select appropriate control commands.

[0022] In the following, an exemplary process for monitoring a rolling bearing and a corresponding control of an application system is described. As described above, the sensor unit can be used to monitor a rolling bearing. The rolling bearing as well as the sensor of the sensor unit can have a unique identifier. Such a unique identifier can be written on the surface (e.g., in the form of a barcode, a data matrix code, a serial number) and / or inside (e.g., in a memory).

[0023] The sensors collect application-relevant data during operation, such as the temperature of bearing components (for lubrication optimization and preload optimization), displacement of the inner and outer rings (preload adjustment, detection of sudden load changes), speed or vibrations (condition monitoring of the bearing or surrounding components).

[0024] The collected data can be sent to a server via an interface (wired or wireless communication channel). The server can link the sensor data to the bearing / application by using a unique identifier. A unique data set is created for each rolling bearing.

[0025] Data may be collected over a period of time to create a data series which is then analyzed by a processing unit on a server. In this case, the processing unit may be implemented on the server. As described above, the processing unit may evaluate the bearing condition by comparing the actual values ​​(i.e., the collected data) with the expected values. The result will be an "application statement" such as:

[0026] a.Normal

[0027] b. Caution (e.g., sudden load changes, bearings outside the desired preload or temperature range, initial damage to the bearing or surrounding components)

[0028] c. Abnormal (bearing / lubricant temperature is too high, bearing or surrounding parts are damaged)

[0029] The processing unit can then determine whether the deviation between the actual value and the expected value can be reduced by actions such as changing the bearing speed, changing the bearing load, adjusting the preload, adjusting the cooling system. Further actions may include notifying an operator or maintenance team or shutting down the application system as described above. The processing unit may be implemented using algorithms such as PID, fuzzy logic or self-learning.

[0030] The processing unit can then send control commands to the application system (e.g., change speed, change load, shut down, adjust preload, etc.) and / or send information to a human interface device (console, PC, HUD, tablet, mobile phone) at the operator or maintenance personnel. The application system, operator or maintenance personnel can act on the control commands to ensure that the application state and therefore the rolling bearing state moves towards the desired state.

[0031] If a bearing needs to be replaced or remanufactured, the unique identifier ensures there is a history of the application status saved in the database to better understand the bearing life cycle. Any maintenance and refurbishment data can also be stored in the database.

[0032] According to another aspect, a monitoring method for monitoring a rolling bearing installed in an application system (e.g., a motor or generator system) is provided. The monitoring method includes monitoring the rolling bearing and obtaining an actual value of at least one parameter of the rolling bearing. The monitoring method also includes comparing the actual value of the at least one parameter with an expected value of the at least one parameter, and controlling the application system to reduce a deviation between the actual value of the at least one parameter and the expected value.

[0033] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a computer program product comprising computer program code adapted to prompt a control unit (eg a computer) and / or a computer of the above-mentioned monitoring device to perform the above-mentioned steps.

[0034] The computer program product may be provided as a storage device, such as a memory card, USB flash drive, CD-ROM, DVD, and / or may be a file downloadable from a server in a network, in particular a remote server. The network may be a wireless communication network for transferring files with a computer program product.

[0035] Further preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims as well as in the description and drawings. Hence, elements described or shown in combination with other elements may exist alone or in combination with other elements without departing from the scope of protection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] In the following, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with respect to the accompanying drawings, which are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of protection. The scope of protection is defined solely by the appended claims.

[0037] The accompanying drawings show:

[0038] Figure 1 : A schematic block diagram of a monitoring device for monitoring a rolling bearing installed in an application system.

[0039] Figure 2 : Figure 1 A schematic cross-section of a first embodiment of an application system of ; and

[0040] Figure 3 : Figure 1 Schematic cross section of a second embodiment of an application system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In the following, identical or similar functional elements are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0042] Figure 1 A monitoring device 1 is shown for monitoring a rolling bearing 2 installed in an application system 4. In the figure, the rolling bearing 2 is shown as a roller bearing having an inner ring 6, an outer ring 8 and rollers 10 arranged between the inner ring 6 and the outer ring 8. The rolling bearing 2 can also be any other type of bearing, such as a ball bearing, a tapered roller bearing, a spherical roller bearing or any other type of bearing, such as also a plain bearing without rolling elements.

[0043] The application system 4 can be, for example, a motor or generator system, in which the rolling bearing 2 can be installed. For example, the rolling bearing 2 can support the shaft of the application system 4, as will be described below. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Further explanation.

[0044] The monitoring device 1 comprises a sensor unit 12 for monitoring the rolling bearing 2. The sensor unit 12 may comprise Figure 2 and Figure 3 One or more sensors are shown. The sensor may be installed in the application system 4 and / or in the rolling bearing 2. The sensor unit 12 is configured to monitor the rolling bearing 2 to obtain an actual value of at least one parameter of the rolling bearing 2. The parameter may be, for example, the temperature of the rolling bearing 2, the vibration of the rolling bearing 2, etc.

[0045] The monitoring device 1 further comprises a processing unit 14. The processing unit 14 is configured to compare the actual value of at least one parameter with the expected value of at least one parameter. Subsequently, the processing unit 14 controls the application system 4 to reduce the deviation between the actual value and the expected value of the at least one parameter.

[0046] Figure 2 An exemplary application system 4 is shown in FIG. In this case, the application system 4 comprises a rolling bearing 2 such as Figure 1 As shown. The rolling bearing 2 supports the shaft 28 on one axial side. On the other axial side, the shaft 28 is supported by a double-row roller bearing 16. The roller bearing 16 includes an inner ring 18, two outer rings 20, 22 and two rows of rollers 24, 26.

[0047] On one side of the rolling bearing 2, the shaft is coupled to a load 30. A rotor 32 is arranged around the shaft 28. A corresponding stator 34 is arranged in a housing 36 of the application system 4. In this embodiment, the bearings 2, 16 are arranged on both axial sides of the rotor-stator arrangement.

[0048] In order to monitor the parameters of the application system 4 and the bearings 2 and 16, a plurality of sensors may be arranged in the application system 4 to form a sensor unit 12. Figure 2 In the illustrated application system 4, a torque sensor 38 is arranged on the shaft 28. The torque sensor 38 can monitor the torque and speed of the shaft 28 and thus also the inner ring 6 of the bearing 2 and the inner ring 18 of the bearing 16.

[0049] Furthermore, a vibration sensor 40 may be attached to the housing 36 and may be used to monitor vibrations within the application system 4 and the bearings 2, 16. Furthermore, a displacement sensor 42 may be arranged near the shaft 28. The displacement sensor 42 may be, for example, an eddy current sensor, which may be used to monitor the displacement of the shaft 28 and thus also the displacement of the inner ring 6, 18 relative to the outer ring 8, 20, 22.

[0050] As described above, the processing unit 14 can use the monitored parameters to select control commands for adjusting the application system 4. For example, when the torque sensor 38 determines that the actual value deviates from the desired value of the torque of the shaft 28 and therefore deviates from the desired value of the torque of the inner ring 6, 18 and therefore deviates from the desired value of the torque of the bearing 2, 16, the processing unit 14 can control the application system 4 to reduce the torque of the shaft 28. This also reduces the torque of the bearing 2, 16.

[0051] In such Figure 3 In another embodiment of the application system 4 shown, only the double row bearings 16 support the shaft 28. Here, the bearings 16 are arranged between the load 30 and the rotor-stator arrangement 32, 34. Figure 2 Instead, an additional displacement sensor 44 is arranged for monitoring the displacement between the housing 36 and the shaft 28. In this case too, the processing unit 14 can select control commands for adjusting the parameters of the application system 4 as described above.

[0052] In summary, the described monitoring device provides an improved and easy method for monitoring rolling bearings and for improving the condition of rolling bearings by adjusting the corresponding application systems. This allows automatic control and adjustment of application systems and rolling bearings without any manual, manual interaction.

[0053] Reference numerals

[0054] 1 Monitoring equipment

[0055] 2 Rolling bearings

[0056] 4 Application System

[0057] 6 Inner circle

[0058] 8 Outer ring

[0059] 10Rolling elements

[0060] 12 sensor units

[0061] 14 processing units

[0062] 16 Roller bearings

[0063] 18 Inner Circle

[0064] 20 outer ring

[0065] 22 outer ring

[0066] 24 rollers

[0067] 26 rollers

[0068] 28 Axis

[0069] 30 load

[0070] 32 rotors

[0071] 34 stator

[0072] 36 Shell

[0073] 38 Torque sensor

[0074] 40 Vibration Sensor

[0075] 42 Displacement Sensor

[0076] 44 Displacement Sensor

Claims

1. A monitoring device (1) for monitoring a rolling bearing (2), the rolling bearing (2) being installed in an application system (4), the application system (4) being, for example, a motor or generator system, wherein the monitoring device (1) comprises a sensor unit (12) and a processing unit (14), the sensor unit (12) being used to monitor the rolling bearing (2), wherein the sensor unit (12) is configured to monitor the rolling bearing (2) to obtain an actual value of at least one parameter of the rolling bearing (2), It is characterized in that The processing unit (14) is configured to compare the actual value of the at least one parameter with the expected value of the at least one parameter, and control the application system (4) to reduce the deviation between the actual value and the expected value of the at least one parameter.

2. The monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit (14) is configured to automatically select a control command for controlling the application system (4) from a plurality of control commands, wherein the selected control command is configured to reduce a deviation between an actual value and an expected value of the at least one parameter.

3. The monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein the selected control command is configured to control at least one component of the application system (4) to adjust the application system (4).

4. A monitoring device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the adjustment of the application system (4) includes the adjustment of parameters of the rolling bearing (2), in particular the bearing speed, bearing load, bearing preload, adjustment of the bearing cooling system and / or adjustment of other bearing parameters, and / or includes shutting down the application system (4).

5. Monitoring device according to claim 4, wherein the parameter to be adjusted corresponds to the monitored parameter.

6. A monitoring device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor unit (12) is configured to monitor at least one of the temperature of the rolling bearing (2), the displacement of the inner ring and / or outer ring of the rolling bearing (2), the speed of the rolling bearing (2) and the vibration of the rolling bearing (2).

7. A monitoring device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor unit (12) is configured to obtain an actual value of at least one parameter of the rolling bearing (2) over a period of time and send the actual value to the processing unit (14) to compare the actual value over a period of time with the expected value.

8. The monitoring device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the processing unit (14) is configured to determine the state of the application system (4) based on a deviation between the actual value and the expected value.

9. A monitoring method for monitoring a rolling bearing (2), the rolling bearing (2) being installed in an application system (4), such as a motor or generator system, wherein the monitoring method comprises monitoring the rolling bearing (2) and obtaining an actual value of at least one parameter of the rolling bearing (2), It is characterized in that The monitoring method comprises comparing the actual value of the at least one parameter with the expected value of the at least one parameter, and controlling the application system (4) to reduce the deviation between the actual value and the expected value of the at least one parameter.

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