Rotary apparatus and method for acquiring state of bearing assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotating device 10, in particular a flow-generating device 11, and to a method V1, V2, which is designed to detect a state of a bearing arrangement 18 of the rotating device 10. The bearing arrangement 18 rotatably supports a rotor 16 of the electric motor 14 and / or a rotor arrangement 17 having a rotor about a rotational axis A. At least one rotational movement parameter describing the rotational movement about the rotational axis A and at least one power parameter describing the power of the electric motor 14 are determined. At least one rotational motion parameter D and at least one power parameter P are detected at a current observation time, in particular at at least one observation time in the detection time period [Delta] t. The at least one rotational motion parameter D and the at least one power parameter P are evaluated in relation to each other and a state parameter B describing a state of the bearing assembly 18 is determined therefrom. In particular, a linear component of a power-rotational motion correlation KA between at least one current rotational motion parameter D and at least one current power parameter P is used for this purpose.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a rotary device and a method for acquiring a state of a bearing assembly of a rotary device. The rotary device has a stator assembly and a rotor assembly rotatably supported relative to the stator assembly about an axis of rotation. The rotary device has an electric motor having a stator as a component of the stator assembly and a rotor as a component of the rotor assembly. The rotor assembly can have a rotary body rotatably driven about the axis of rotation mounted at the rotor of the electric motor or in driving connection with the rotor of the electric motor. The rotary body is for example provided for generating a fluid flow in the case of a rotatably driven rotor assembly. Thus, the rotary body can for example have a blade of a flow generating device. The flow generating device can for example have a fan for generating a gas flow, in particular an air flow, or a pump for generating a liquid flow. BACKGROUND

[0002] DE 10 2009 034 369 B3 discloses a control of a fan. The aim of the control is to achieve a desired fan rotational speed. Deviations of the controlled rotational speed can occur due to voltage deviations and aging effects. By means of an aging test an aging factor can be acquired which describes a rotational speed change depending on the aging of the fan. Furthermore a characteristic curve can be acquired which describes a relationship between voltage deviations at the fan motor and rotational speed changes. Based on the aging factor and the measured voltage deviations an improved rotational speed control can be achieved.

[0003] EP 2 174 097 B1 discloses a rotational position transmitter with monitoring of bearing wear. The rotational position transmitter generates a measurement signal describing an angular position and / or an angular velocity. The rotational position transmitter has a counter in which a wear state value is stored. In particular a total number of revolutions can be stored which thus describes an increasing aging of the rotational position transmitter.

[0004] Thus, the aforementioned prior art takes into account an increasing aging of the bearings in the rotary device, wherein the influence of the aging on the rotary state can for example be acquired by means of a test. Disadvantageously here, effects which are not taken into account cannot be identified in the aging test. The bearing state is estimated with increasing operating duration of the rotary device.

[0005] In DE 10 2020 114 222 A1 a driver and a method for fine tuning a driver are described. A noise of the driver is acquired and analyzed by means of a microphone. The recorded noise is compared with a known, stored noise signal in order to optimize the settings of the driver. SUMMARY

[0006] Starting from the prior art, the object of the present application can be seen in realizing a rotary device and a method which enable an easy acquisition of the current state of a bearing assembly of the rotary device.

[0007] This object is achieved by a rotary device having the features of claim 1 and by a method having the features of claim 14.

[0008] The rotary device has an electric motor with a stator and a rotor. The rotor is a component part of a rotor assembly. The rotor assembly is rotatably supported about an axis of rotation by means of a bearing assembly. The rotor assembly has a rotary body which is drivingly connected to the rotor or is fastened at the rotor. The rotary body can for example be a blade of a fan or of a fan wheel which is rotatably supported about the axis of rotation. The rotary body can also be a blade of a pump. The rotary device can thus be a flow generating device. By means of the flow generating device a flow of fluid (gas flow or liquid flow) can be generated.

[0009] The rotary device has an acquisition device. The acquisition device is provided for acquiring a current rotational movement parameter which characterizes a current rotational movement of the rotor assembly about the axis of rotation. The rotational movement parameter can for example directly or indirectly indicate a rotational speed and / or an angular velocity of the rotor assembly about the axis of rotation. As rotational movement parameter the acquisition device can acquire one of the parameters mentioned below or a plurality of the parameters mentioned below in any combination: - a rotational speed of the rotor assembly, - an angular velocity of the rotor assembly, - an electromagnetic force and / or a voltage induced in a stator winding of the stator of the electric motor by the rotational movement of the rotor of the electric motor, - a magnetic field parameter describing a temporal and / or spatial variation (for example a movement about the axis of rotation) of a stator magnetic field of the stator of the electric motor, for example a frequency or a circumferential speed of the stator magnetic field about the axis of rotation, - a motor control parameter for a rotational movement control of the rotor of the electric motor.

[0010] Furthermore, the acquisition device is provided for acquiring at least one power parameter which characterizes a current electrical and / or mechanical power of the electric motor. As current power parameter one of the parameters mentioned below or a plurality of the parameters mentioned below in any combination can be acquired: - a motor voltage of the electric motor, - a motor current of the electric motor, - an electrical power of the electric motor, - a torque of the electric motor, - a motor control parameter for a power control of the electric motor, for example a duty cycle of an electrical quantity used for setting the electrical power, for example a motor current.

[0011] The at least one current rotational movement parameter and / or the at least one current power parameter can be measured directly perceptively or acquired in a calculated manner on the basis of one or more sensor values and / or by simulation and / or by observation. As an additional or alternative solution, the at least one power parameter and / or the at least one rotational movement parameter can be acquired on the basis of motor control parameters for controlling the electric motor.

[0012] Furthermore, the rotary device has an evaluation device. The evaluation device is set up for evaluating the at least one rotational movement parameter and the at least one power parameter acquired by the acquisition device in terms of their relationship to one another. Here, in particular, a current power-rotational movement correlation, for example an equation, a characteristic curve, a correlation table, a correlation function or any other mathematical relationship, which describes the current power-rotational movement correlation, is acquired. In the framework of acquiring the power-rotational movement correlation, the at least one rotational movement parameter and / or the at least one power parameter are processed, in particular by mathematical and / or analytical methods, in order to thereby obtain the power-rotational movement correlation. Here, all known approximation methods, for example polynomial fitting, Fourier analysis, in particular FFT, machine learning methods and / or methods using artificial intelligence (KI) can be used.

[0013] In particular, in acquiring the power-rotational movement correlation, a temporal change in the power of the electric motor in the case of a known rotational movement of the rotor assembly and / or a temporal change in the rotational movement of the rotor assembly in the case of a known power of the electric motor is used. The acquisition of the power-rotational movement correlation can be regarded as a preprocessing stage for further evaluation.

[0014] The at least one rotational movement parameter describes a current rotational movement of the rotor assembly, and the at least one power parameter describes a current power, for example electrical power, of the electric motor. The term “current” in this respect means a current point in time or an acquisition time period comprising a current point in time, during which the at least one current rotational movement parameter and the at least one current power parameter are acquired at a plurality of acquisition points in time continuously in time and / or discretely in time. The acquisition time period can be a few microseconds or a few minutes. In particular, the acquisition time period is less than 30 minutes, less than 15 minutes or preferably less than 5 minutes. In any case, the acquisition time period is so limited in time that no significant wear effects or aging effects of the rotary device occur within the acquisition time period.

[0015] For example, the time variation of the rotational movement of the rotor assembly and / or the time variation of the power of the electric motor can be detected and evaluated by means of the acquisition device and the evaluation device. The rotational movement is related to the power of the electric motor, so that the status of the bearing assembly can be acquired on this basis. The worse the status of the bearing assembly, the greater the power of the electric motor required to achieve a predefined rotational movement, for example a rotational speed or an angular velocity, of the rotor assembly. On this basis, the status of the bearing assembly can thus be acquired. The status of the bearing assembly can be transmitted, for example, to an operating interface of the system or machine having the rotary device or else to an external device, for example a server or a cloud. On this basis, measures can be introduced, if necessary, to maintain or repair or replace the bearing assembly.

[0016] The power-rotational movement-relation acquired on the basis of at least one rotational movement parameter and at least one power parameter can in particular have non-constant and non-linear components, for example components of the 2nd order (quadratic components) or higher, which describe the relationship between the rotational movement and the power. The power-rotational movement-relation can describe a mathematical function, for example a polynomial of at least the 2nd order, which indicates the power as a function of linear and non-linear components of the rotational movement, for example: (1) where P is the power parameter, D is the rotational speed parameter and k i is a coefficient, i = 0, 1, 2,..., n. The coefficients k i can be acquired in the framework of the evaluation, for example by calculation, estimation, simulation, observation, approximation or other statistical or mathematical methods. To this end, n measurements can be carried out, for example at n different rotational speeds, so that the n coefficients k i can be determined. If there are more measurements than coefficients k i to be determined, a regression function can be used in order to acquire the coefficients k i .

[0017] The current power-rotational movement-relation in particular also indicates a linear relationship between the rotational movement of the rotor assembly and the power of the electric motor, which is used in one preferred embodiment alone or in combination with other parameters for acquiring the status of the bearing assembly (for example the linear component of a polynomial of the order n = 2 or n > 2). For example, the linear coefficient k1 of the linear component between the power-rotational movement-relation can be compared with at least one reference value and, from this, the status of the bearing assembly is determined. In the simplest case, a unique reference value can be used as a threshold comparison to distinguish between a functionally intact and a bearing assembly that needs maintenance or repair. Alternatively, a plurality of reference values can also be used to form different assessment levels of the bearing assembly. The at least one reference value can also be dependent on parameters, in the form of a reference table, a reference characteristic curve or a reference family of characteristic curves, etc.

[0018] In particular, in the case of such a power-rotational motion-correlation that comprises a nonlinear component, in acquiring the bearing state the constant component that is independent of the at least one rotational motion parameter and the quadratic component in which the at least one power parameter depends on the square of the at least one rotational motion parameter and optionally further included higher-order components (n > 3) can be kept and not taken into account. The quadratic component in particular describes the correlation of the current operating state and the generated flow. The constant component that is independent of the at least one rotational motion parameter is likewise unimportant for assessing the bearing state and can be kept and not taken into account.

[0019] In one embodiment, the power consumption of the electric motor is acquired and evaluated on the basis of the at least one power parameter in the case of a predefined rotational motion. Here, the rotational motion of the rotor assembly can be a constant rotation. From the power required by the electric motor for maintaining the rotational motion, the state of the bearing assembly can be inferred.

[0020] As an additional or alternative solution, the rotational motion of the rotor assembly can be acquired and evaluated on the basis of the at least one rotational motion parameter in the case of a predefined power consumption of the electric motor. The power supplied to the electric motor here, for example, can be constant. In one embodiment, the power supplied to the electric motor can be reduced from the current operating state, for example, to zero, and the resulting change in the rotational motion is acquired and evaluated. Here, the rotational motion change is dependent on the bearing state, so that this bearing state can be acquired on the basis of the rotational motion change.

[0021] In a further embodiment, the duration required for achieving a predefined rotational motion change, in particular a rotational speed change, of the rotor assembly in the case of a predefined power of the electric motor can be acquired and evaluated. Here, for example, the rotational motion can be changed between two predefined rotational speed states. Here, the rotational speed can be increased or decreased.

[0022] In general, the rotary device can acquire and evaluate the resulting rotational motion of the rotor assembly on the basis of the at least one rotational motion parameter in the case of a known, in particular predefined, power consumption of the electric motor, or alternatively the power consumption required therefor of the electric motor on the basis of the at least one power parameter in the case of a known, in particular predefined, rotational motion of the rotor assembly. In both alternatives, the state of the bearing assembly can thus be acquired.

[0023] The rotary device can have a motor control that is connected to the electric motor, in particular via an electrical connection, for control and / or regulation. Preferably, the motor control is electrically connected to the stator winding of the stator of the electric motor, in particular in order to generate a stator magnetic field or stator rotating magnetic field that varies spatially around the rotational axis, as it were, a circumferential stator magnetic field or stator rotating magnetic field.

[0024] The motor control is preferably configured in such a way that the rotational movement of the electric motor, in particular the rotational speed of the electric motor, is adjusted in the normal operation of the rotary device. Within the test operation, the rotational speed regulation can optionally be temporarily deactivated during an acquisition period for acquiring at least one current rotational movement parameter and at least one current power parameter, for example in order to predefine the power consumption of the electric motor.

[0025] The electric motor is for example a brushless direct current motor (BLDC).

[0026] The motor control and the evaluation device can be implemented as a common computing device or as separate, communicatively connected units. If at least one parameter is to be acquired in a computational manner, the acquisition device can optionally have a computing unit. In this case, at least the configuration of the acquisition device as a component of the computing unit can be a component of the motor control and / or the evaluation device or be communicatively connected with the motor control and / or the evaluation device. The acquisition device can have one or more sensors which are communicatively connected with the motor control and / or the evaluation device, either indirectly or directly.

[0027] The acquisition device can acquire any one of the further parameters mentioned below or a plurality of the parameters mentioned below in any combination in addition to the at least one rotational movement parameter and the at least one power parameter: - a vibration parameter which describes a vibration at a non-rotationally supported component of the rotary device, - a noise parameter which describes a noise generated during the rotational movement of the rotor assembly, - a temperature parameter which describes a temperature at a component of the rotary device, in particular at a non-rotationally supported component of the rotary device, - an environmental parameter which describes a state of the surrounding atmosphere, for example an ambient temperature, an atmospheric pressure in the environment, a humidity of the atmosphere in the environment, etc., - a load parameter which describes a mechanical load at the rotor of the electric motor, for example a pressure generated downstream in a flow path of a generated fluid flow.

[0028] The vibration parameter can be detected for example by means of an acceleration sensor. The noise parameter can be detected for example by means of a microphone. The temperature parameter can be detected for example by means of a temperature sensor.

[0029] If the rotary device is a flow-generating device, the load parameter can be detected for example by means of a pressure sensor downstream of the rotor assembly. As an alternative or in addition, the load parameter can be acquired by means of a torque sensor at the rotor assembly. One of these sensors or a plurality of these sensors can be a component of the acquisition device.

[0030] As an additional or alternative option, the acquisition device can have further sensors, for example a pressure sensor upstream of the rotor assembly in the case of an embodiment in which the rotary device is a flow-generating device, one or more sensors detecting the atmosphere in the surroundings (atmospheric pressure, atmospheric temperature, atmospheric humidity, etc.). As an additional or alternative option, the acquisition device can also detect the current state of one or more further components of a system or machine of which the rotary device is a constituent part.

[0031] The method according to the application can be carried out, in particular, in the case of any of the previously described embodiments using a rotary device and, in particular, a flow-generating device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] Advantageous design features of the application result from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings. Preferred embodiments of the application are explained in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 a block diagram of an embodiment of a rotary device configured as a flow-generating device is shown, Figure 2 a schematic diagram of a flow generator from a flow-generating device is shown, Figure 1 Figure 3 a schematic diagram of the acquisition of a power-rotational movement-correlation indicating the correlation of the power of an electric motor of a rotary device and the rotational movement of a rotor assembly about an axis of rotation is shown, Figure 4 a schematic, block-diagram-like diagram of an embodiment for the evaluation of the acquired power-rotational movement-correlation from a coefficient comparison is shown, Figure 3 Figure 5 and Figure 6 flow diagrams of embodiments of the method according to the application are shown, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Figure 1 a block diagram of an embodiment of a rotary device 10 is shown, which is implemented as a flow-generating device 11 by way of example. The flow-generating device 11 has at least one flow generator for generating a flow of fluid. In the embodiment described here, the flow generator is formed by a fan 12 for generating an air flow in a flow channel 13. The flow-generating device 11 can have a plurality of flow generators and, by way of example, a plurality of fans 12.

[0034] Each flow generator (here: fan 12) has a stator 15 and a rotor 16 (here: impeller 16) arranged in the flow channel 13. Figure 2 ​​) of the electric motor 14. The rotor 16 is a component part of a rotor assembly 17 of the rotary device 10, which is, by way of example, a component part of the flow generating device 11 or of at least one flow generator (here: the fan 12). The rotor assembly 17 is rotatably supported about the axis of rotation A by means of a bearing assembly 18. In the present embodiment, the rotor assembly 17 has a fan impeller and / or a plurality of fan blades 19 which are indirectly or directly rotationally connected to the rotor 16 of the electric motor 14. Upon rotation of the rotor assembly 17 about the axis of rotation A, the fan blades 19 of the fan 12 generate a gas flow, for example an air flow, in the flow channel 13. The fan blades 19 can also be drivingly connected to the rotor 16 of the electric motor 14 in another manner as an alternative to the illustrated embodiment. Preferably, all component parts of the rotor assembly 17 rotate about a common axis of rotation A.

[0035] In the present embodiment, the electric motor can be embodied as a brushless direct current motor (BLDC).

[0036] The bearing assembly 18 has at least one rotational bearing which is configured as a rolling element bearing. As rolling elements, cylinders or balls can be used.

[0037] The electric motor 14 is controlled by means of a motor control 24. The motor control is preassigned at least one motor control parameter C, for example a motor voltage U and / or a motor current I, for this purpose. In the embodiment illustrated here, the electric motor 14 is speed-regulated. The rotational speed n of the rotor 16 of the electric motor 14 and thus of the rotor assembly 17 can be set by means of a suitable motor control parameter C, for example by means of a stator magnetic field rotating about the axis of rotation A, which is generated by means of stator windings of the stator 15 which are arranged distributed about the axis of rotation A. For this purpose, the motor control 24 can have, for example, a frequency converter.

[0038] The rotary device 10 or the flow generating device 11 has an acquisition device 25. The acquisition device 25 is provided for acquiring a parameter which characterizes a current operating state of the rotary device 10 or the flow generating device 11 and optionally additionally an environmental state.

[0039] In the present embodiment, the acquisition device 25 has one or more sensors for this purpose. The number of sensors and the at least one sensorially detected parameter can vary depending on the embodiment. By way of example, the acquisition device 25 has a rotational speed sensor 26 for detecting the rotational speed of the rotor 16 of the electric motor 14, which preferably coincides with the rotational speed n of the rotor assembly 17. The rotational speed sensor 26 can be a component part of the electric motor 14 or also of another component part of the rotor assembly 17. As an additional or alternative solution to the rotational speed sensor 26, a torque sensor can also be used.

[0040] Instead of a physical rotational speed sensor 26, it is also possible to use a method for acquiring the rotational speed, which is implemented as software, for example an observer. The rotational speed sensor can thus be realized only as a hardware component or as a software component or as a combination of a hardware component and a software component.

[0041] Instead of the rotationally fixed drive connection between the rotor 16 and the further component parts of the rotor assembly 17, in particular the fan wheel or fan blades 19, it is also possible to implement a drive connection with a transmission and / or another coupling unit, for example if the drive connection should provide a transmission ratio other than 1 : 1 and / or if the rotational axis of the rotor 17 and the rotational axis of the further component parts of the rotor assembly 17 should not be arranged along a common straight line, as in the embodiment shown.

[0042] For detecting the vibrations or oscillations in the form of a vibration parameter V, there is an acceleration sensor 27 or another suitable oscillation sensor. The acceleration sensor 27 is assigned to a non-rotating component part of the fan 12, as an example. The noise parameter G, which characterizes the noise, for example the contained frequencies and / or the noise level, when the rotor assembly 17 is rotated about the rotational axis A, is detected by means of a solid-state sound sensor, as an example by means of a microphone 28.

[0043] The gas pressure or air pressure, which is represented in the present embodiment as a load parameter L, is detected downstream of the fan 12 in the flow channel 13 by means of a pressure sensor 29. It is also possible to detect the pressure upstream of the fan 12 as an additional or alternative solution.

[0044] Furthermore, there is at least one environmental sensor, which is exemplarily embodied here by a temperature sensor 30 for detecting a temperature parameter T of the surrounding atmosphere. As an additional or alternative solution to the temperature sensor 30, there can also be a humidity sensor for detecting the humidity of the surrounding atmosphere or a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere outside the flow channel 13.

[0045] In general, the number and type of sensors present can vary depending on the application.

[0046] As an additional or alternative solution to the at least one sensor, the acquisition device 25 can have a computing unit 31, for example a microprocessor. By means of the computing unit 31, the acquisition device 25 can acquire one or more parameters in a computed manner. The computing unit 31 is preferably in communication connection with the motor control 24 or the computing unit 31 and the motor control 24 together are component parts of a computing device 32, as is schematically shown in dashed lines in Figure 1 Fig. 2.

[0047] In Figure 1In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the sensors 26 to 30 of the acquisition device 25 are in communication connection with the computing unit 31 of the acquisition device 25. As an alternative or in addition, at least one of the sensors 26 to 30, for example the rotational speed sensor 26, can be in direct communication connection with the motor control 24. The sensor signals required in the motor control 24 can thus be transmitted directly or indirectly via the computing unit 31 to the motor control 24.

[0048] The acquisition device 25 is designed to acquire at least one current rotational movement parameter D and at least one current power parameter P. The current rotational movement parameter D describes a current rotational movement of the rotor assembly 17 or the rotor 16 about the rotational axis A, for example the rotational speed n and / or the angular speed. In the embodiment explained here, the rotational speed n is used as the rotational movement parameter D.

[0049] The current power parameter P describes a current power of the electric motor 14, for example the electric power. The power can be acquired, for example, by means of the set motor voltage U and the set motor current I. As an additional or alternative possibility, the torque M of the electric motor 14 can also be used as the power parameter P. The motor control parameters C present in the motor control 24, for example the motor voltage U and / or the motor current I, can be provided to the acquisition device 25 in order to acquire at least one power parameter P.

[0050] In general, as the rotational movement parameter D, any one of the following parameters or a plurality of the following parameters in any combination can be used: - the rotational speed n, - the angular speed of the rotor assembly 17, - the counter voltage or the electromagnetic force (EMK) induced in the stator winding of the stator 17 by the rotational movement of the rotor 16, - the circumferential speed or the frequency or other suitable quantity for describing the spatially varying stator field of the stator 17 about the rotational axis A (stator rotational field), - any one of the motor control parameters C set by the motor control 24 for the rotational movement control of the rotor 16.

[0051] As the power parameter P, as explained, any one of the following parameters or any combination of the following parameters can be used: - the motor voltage U of the electric motor 14, - the motor current I of the electric motor 14, - the electric power of the electric motor 14, - the torque M or other parameters describing the electric or mechanical power of the electric motor 14, - a motor control parameter C of the motor control 24 for setting the power of the electric motor 14, such as for example a duty cycle of the motor current I and / or the motor voltage U.

[0052] The at least one power parameter P and the at least one rotational movement parameter D can be acquired by the acquisition device 25 perceptively, computationally, by means of an observation or in another suitable manner.

[0053] The rotary device 10 and the flow-generating device 11 according to the example furthermore have an evaluation device 33, which can be a component of the computing device 32 together with the motor control 24 and / or the computing unit 31. The evaluation device 33 is alternatively constructed separately and is in communication connection at least with the acquisition device 25 and additionally, alternatively, with the motor control 24. In particular, the evaluation device 33 and, if present, the computing unit 31 of the acquisition device 25 form a common unit. The acquisition of the parameters in terms of computation and the evaluation of the at least one parameter can be functionally integrated in a common method flow.

[0054] The evaluation device 33 is provided for acquiring a state parameter B characterizing the state of the bearing assembly 18 using at least one current power parameter P and at least one current rotational movement parameter D. To this end, a relationship or correlation is established according to the example between the current power of the electric motor 14 described by the at least one power parameter P and the current rotational movement of the rotor assembly 17 described by the at least one rotational movement parameter D.

[0055] The power required by the electric motor 14 for generating a particular rotational movement or rotational movement change is dependent, inter alia, on the state of the bearing assembly 18. In particular, the at least one current power parameter P and the at least one current rotational movement parameter D are acquired in order to acquire the bearing state during an acquisition period At (which can be referred to as a test state of the rotary device 10) in order to test the bearing state of the bearing assembly 18. Here, a temporally non-stationary operation of the electric motor 14 is preferably induced within the acquisition period At, for example in such a way that the rotational movement and / or the electrical power supplied to the electric motor 14 is changed. For example, the power supplied to the electric motor 14 can be known or predefined, and the rotational speed n generated within the acquisition period At is acquired, or the rotational speed n can be known or predefined, and the power consumed or generated by the electric motor 14 within the acquisition period At is acquired. Here, for example, the following test states of the rotary device 10 can be used within the acquisition period At: 1) the electrical power can be increased or decreased within the acquisition period At, and the resulting change in the rotational movement is acquired; 2) at least one rotational speed change (for example an increase and / or a decrease from an initial rotational speed to a target rotational speed) can be predefined within the acquisition period At, and the power change required for this is acquired; 3) the duration for changing the rotational movement (for example increasing or decreasing the rotational speed) can be acquired and evaluated at a known or predefined power.

[0056] To this end, a first embodiment of the method according to the application, which is referred to as first method V1, is exemplarily set forth in Figure 5 In a first method step V11 of the first method V1, at least one rotational movement parameter D and at least one power parameter P are acquired within an acquisition period At by means of the acquisition device 25. During the acquisition period At (i) at a known (constant or time- varying) power, the time-varying rotational movement resulting therefrom is acquired, and / or (ii) at a known (constant or time-varying) rotational movement, the time-varying power resulting therefrom is acquired. As explained, the current power of the electric motor 14 is acquired and indicated by the at least one power parameter P within the acquisition period At, and the current rotational movement of the rotor assembly 17 is acquired and indicated by the at least one rotational movement parameter D within the acquisition period At.

[0057] In a second method step V12 of the first method V1, the values obtained for the at least one rotational movement parameter D and the at least one power parameter P within the acquisition period At are pre-processed according to an example. Thereby, a time variation dD of the rotational movement of the electric motor 14 and / or a time variation dP of the power can be acquired. Subsequently, the acquired parameters D, P and / or their time variations dD, dP are evaluated in a third method step V13 of the first method V1 in such a way that, as explained before, a relationship between the respectively predefined parameter D, P and the resulting parameter P or D, respectively, is established. Finally, a state parameter B describing the state of the bearing assembly 18 can be acquired thereon in a fourth method step V14 of the first method V1.

[0058] According to Figure 3 , 4 and 6, further embodiments of the method (hereinafter referred to as second method V2) are set forth in the following in order to acquire the state of the bearing assembly 18 or the bearing state parameter B.

[0059] First, during the acquisition period At, the rotational movement parameter D and the associated power parameter P are detected at a plurality of sequentially following time points, respectively, by the acquisition device 25 (first method step V21 of the second method V2 in Figure 6 Then, from the respective parameter values, a power-rotational movement-correlation KA is acquired in a computational manner and / or by approximation, as exemplarily set forth in Figure 3 Figure 6 ​The second method step V22 in the second method V2). Here, for example, the power parameter can be obtained based on the following nth-degree polynomial function depending on the rotational motion parameter D: (1) According to equation (1), the polynomial function has the current coefficient k. i The current coefficient can be obtained based on the values ​​acquired for the power parameter P and the rotational motion parameter D. Depending on the order n of the polynomial function, multiple corresponding measurements or acquisitions must be performed for the rotational motion parameter D and the power parameter P within the acquisition time interval Δt.

[0060] The current power-rotational motion-correlation KA can then be obtained through approximation (e.g., "polynomial fitting"). Any known approximation method can be used here, such as least squares or similar methods.

[0061] Ideally, the acquired polynomial function or the acquired current power-rotational motion-correlation KA should have at least degree 2 (i.e., n≥2). A quadratic function (n=2) is sufficient.

[0062] As illustrated in Figure 4 As explained in the text, the obtained coefficient k i At least one coefficient in the reference coefficient k R Compare( Figure 6 (Step V23 of the third method in the second method V2). In this comparison, it is also possible to use two or more reference coefficients k of different sizes. Rm (m=1 to max): k R1 <k R2 <k R3 <... <k Rmax2 In the simplest case, the only reference coefficient k R It is sufficient and therefore manifests as a threshold to distinguish between fault-free bearing assemblies 18 and bearing assemblies 18 that are not supported as specified, such as bearing assemblies with unacceptable wear, insufficient lubrication, or damage.

[0063] Specifically, in the third method step V23 of the second method V2, a coefficient k1 is used for comparison with at least one reference coefficient k. R The reference coefficient describes the linear relationship between the power parameter P and the rotational motion parameter D. For example, it can be used to evaluate the linear relationship between the torque M (power parameter P) and the rotational speed n (rotational motion parameter D). This is determined by whether the coefficient k1 of the linear component describing the polynomial function exceeds the reference coefficient k. Rto obtain a bearing condition parameter B which differentiates between bearing assemblies 18 which are running properly according to the specification and bearing assemblies which are not running properly according to the specification and which can therefore have two states as an example (fourth method step V24 of the second method V2).

[0064] If a plurality of reference coefficients k Rm (m > 2) are used, the bearing condition parameter B can correspondingly have and differentiate between more than two different states, for example: (1) bearing assemblies which are running properly according to the specification, (2) bearing assemblies which have a maintenance requirement, (3) defective bearing assemblies, etc.

[0065] The rotary device 10 or the flow-generating device 11 and in particular the evaluation device 33 can output the acquired condition parameter B of the bearing assembly 18 via a suitable operating interface for an operator or to a superior or external device, such as for example a central server or a cloud.

[0066] As an additional option or alternative to the variants described above, it is also possible to use methods and / or devices of machine learning and / or artificial intelligence (KI) in acquiring the condition parameter B of the bearing assembly 18. For example, the acquisition of the relationship between the rotational movement or the rotational movement change and the power or the power change of the electric motor 14 can be evaluated by means of methods and devices of artificial intelligence and / or machine learning and on the basis of this the condition parameter B is acquired. In such a processing approach it is possible in the evaluation device 33 to learn by means of training data and / or in the operation of the rotary device 10 when the bearing assembly 18 has a proper or improper condition. Here too the rotational movement or the rotational movement change is correlated with the power or the power change of the electric motor 14 and from this the condition of at least one bearing of the bearing assembly 18 is inferred. For this purpose, for example, artificial neural networks, semantic networks, frames, predicate logic or support vector machines (SVM) or other known devices can be used in the evaluation device 33. The machine learning can be supervised learning, unsupervised learning or reinforcement learning. Methods for pattern recognition, pattern analysis or pattern prediction can be used in the framework of the machine learning.

[0067] In the framework of the evaluation of the at least one rotational movement parameter D and / or the at least one power parameter P by the evaluation device 33, in all embodiments it is also possible to optionally take into account further parameters, for example at least one load parameter which describes the load state at the rotor 16 of the electric motor 14 and / or at least one environmental parameter of the surrounding atmosphere and / or at least one noise parameter during the operation of the rotary device 10 and / or at least one vibration parameter during the operation of the rotary device 10.

[0068] The electrical power required for realizing the specific rotational movement of the rotor 16 also depends on the load or work that has to be applied by the rotor assembly 17 and the fan blades 19 according to the example in order to generate a gas flow. An increased counter pressure can be generated in the flow channel 13, for example, due to an installed assembly, for example a filter 37, which can vary depending on the state of the flow channel 13. The filter 37 can clog and increase the flow resistance as the duration of operation increases. Switchable or settable cover plates, valves, etc. present in the flow channel 13 can also change the load at the rotor 16. It is thus possible to alternatively consider at least one load parameter L (according to the example the pressure in the flow channel 13 downstream of the fan 12). Depending on the application, the load parameter L can also indicate the position of a valve, flow opening, cover plate, etc.

[0069] Environmental influences, such as temperature, humidity, etc., can influence the rotating device and in particular the electric motor 14, for example the electrical resistance in the stator winding. Such influences can be taken into account by means of a temperature parameter T. As an additional or alternative possibility, the temperature parameter T describes the temperature directly at the electric motor 14 or at the stator 15 (for example a temperature sensor at or in the electric motor 14).

[0070] By taking into account vibrations (vibration parameter V) and / or noise (noise parameter G), the accuracy of the evaluation can be further improved, for example in order to detect external influences or damage outside the bearing assembly 18 and can be distinguished from an unregulated bearing. Noise measurements in the region of the flow channel 13 can thus, for example, indicate damage at the rotating components of the rotor assembly 17 (for example the fan blades 19) or abrasive contact of the rotating components of the rotor assembly 17 at the surrounding components of the system (for example the flow channel 13). By means of the vibration parameter V, for example, additional parameters can be provided in order to better distinguish an unregulated bearing due to the bearing assembly 18 from external influences.

[0071] In the present embodiment, the acquisition device 25 and the evaluation device 33 are constituent components of the computing device 32. As an alternative thereto, the computing unit 31 and / or the evaluation device 33 can also be provided by means of a centrally connected server or via an internet service (cloud service).

[0072] In any of the embodiments described above, the evaluation device 33 can also be set up to evaluate at least one rotational movement parameter in the frequency domain. For this purpose, the at least one rotational movement parameter D can be transformed into the frequency domain by means of a Fourier transform, in particular an FFT, and evaluated there in terms of its components, i.e. the values of the frequencies and / or the values of the frequency components. Here, as the rotational movement parameter D, the counter voltage or the electromagnetic force (EMK) generated in the stator winding of the stator 17 by the rotation of the rotor 16 can preferably be used. Harmonic oscillations and / or wavelet analysis, for example in the framework of a wavelet transform, or similar analyses can also be used.

[0073] The application relates to a rotary device 10, in particular a flow generating device 11, and to a method V1, V2, which rotary device or method is set up to acquire a state of a bearing assembly 18 of the rotary device 10. The bearing assembly 18 rotatably supports a rotor 16 of an electric motor 14 and / or a rotor assembly 17 having the rotor about a rotational axis A. At least one rotational movement parameter D describing a rotational movement about the rotational axis A and at least one power parameter P describing a power of the electric motor 14 are acquired. The at least one rotational movement parameter D and the at least one power parameter P are acquired at a current observation point in time, in particular at least one observation point in time in an acquisition period Δt. The at least one rotational movement parameter D and the at least one power parameter P are evaluated in terms of their relationship to one another, and from this a state parameter B describing a state of the bearing assembly 18 is acquired. In particular, for this purpose a linear component of a power-rotational movement correlation KA between the at least one current rotational movement parameter D and the at least one current power parameter P is used.

[0074] List of reference signs: 10 rotary device 11 flow generating device 12 fan 13 flow channel 14 electric motor 15 stator 16 rotor 17 rotor assembly 18 bearing assembly 19 fan blade 24 motor control 25 acquisition device 26 rotational speed sensor 27 acceleration sensor 28 microphone 29 pressure sensor 30 temperature sensor 31 computing unit 32 computing device 33 evaluation device 37 filter At acquisition time period A rotational axis B state parameter of the bearing assembly C motor control parameter D rotational motion parameter dD time variation of the rotational motion parameter dP time variation of the power parameter G noise parameter I motor current KA current power-rotational motion-correlation k i coefficient of the current power-rotational motion-correlation (i = 0, 1, 2,..., n) k R reference coefficient L load parameter M torque n rotational speed P power parameter T temperature parameter U motor voltage V vibration parameter V1 first method V11 first method step of the first method V12 second method step of the first method V13 third method step of the first method V14 fourth method step of the first method V2 second method V21 first method step of the second method V22 second method step of the second method V23 third method step of the second method V24 fourth method step of the second method.

Claims

1. Rotating device (10), in particular flow generating device (11), having: - an electric motor (14) having a stator (15) and a rotor (16), - a rotor assembly (17) having the rotor (16), which is rotatably supported about an axis of rotation (A) by means of a bearing assembly (18), - an acquisition device (25) which is provided for acquiring at least one rotational movement parameter (D) which describes a current rotational movement of the rotor assembly (17) and at least one power parameter (P) which describes a current power of the electric motor (14), - an evaluation device (33) which is provided for evaluating the at least one rotational movement parameter (D) and the at least one power parameter (P) in terms of their relationship to one another, - the evaluation device (33) being provided for acquiring and evaluating at least one current power-rotational movement-correlation (KA) which corresponds to a polynomial of at least second order in order to evaluate the at least one rotational movement parameter (D) and the at least one power parameter (P) in terms of their relationship to one another. The current power-rotational movement-correlation (KA) has linear and non-linear components. The current power-rotational movement-correlation (KA) indicates a linear coefficient (kl) of a linear component between the rotational movement of the rotor assembly (17) and the power of the electric motor (14), and this linear coefficient describes a state of the bearing assembly (18). The current power-rotational movement-correlation (KA) is a mathematical function. - an evaluation device (33) which is designed to evaluate the at least one current rotational movement parameter (D) and the at least one current power parameter (P) in terms of their relationship to one another, thereby deriving a state of the bearing assembly (18), wherein The evaluation device (33) is provided for acquiring and evaluating a power consumption of the electric motor (14) on the basis of the at least one power parameter (P) in the case of a predefined rotational movement of the rotor assembly (17).

2. The rotating apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The evaluation device (33) is provided for acquiring and evaluating a rotational movement of the rotor assembly (17) on the basis of the at least one rotational movement parameter (D) in the case of a predefined power consumption of the electric motor (14).

3. The rotating apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The evaluation device (33) is provided for evaluating a duration for achieving a predefined change in rotational speed in the case of a predefined power consumption of the electric motor (14).

4. The rotating apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The predefined rotational movement of the electric motor (14) is a constant rotational speed, or wherein the predefined power consumption of the electric motor (14) is a constant power consumption.

5. A rotating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, 9. Rotating device according to any one of the preceding claims, further having a motor control (24) which is electrically connected to the electric motor (14), in particular to the stator (15), in order to control and / or regulate.

6. A rotating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The motor control (24) and the evaluation device (33) are embodied in a common computing device (32).

7. A rotating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The acquisition device (25) is provided for acquiring at least one of the following-mentioned parameters as rotational movement parameter (D):

8. The rotating apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein, - one or more rotational speeds of the rotor assembly (17), - an angular speed of the rotor assembly (17), 10. The rotating apparatus of claim 9, wherein, - an electromagnetic force and / or a voltage induced in a stator winding of the stator (15) of the electric motor (14) by a rotational movement of the rotor (16) of the electric motor (14), 11. A rotating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, ​ ​ ​ ​ - a time- and / or space-varying magnetic field parameter describing a stator magnetic field of the stator (15), - a motor control parameter (C) for a rotational movement control of a rotor (16) of the electric motor (14).

12. A rotating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The acquisition device (25) is designed to acquire at least one of the following parameters in addition to the at least one rotational movement parameter (D) and in addition to the at least one power parameter (P): - a vibration parameter (V) describing a vibration at a non-rotationally supported component part of the rotary device (10), - a noise parameter (G) describing a noise generated during a rotational movement of the rotor assembly (17), - a temperature parameter (T) describing a temperature at a component part of the rotary device (10), - a load parameter describing a mechanical load at the rotor (16) of the electric motor (14).

13. A rotating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The acquisition device (25) is designed to acquire at least one of the following parameters as a power parameter (P): - a motor voltage (U) of the electric motor (14), - a motor current (I) of the electric motor (14), - an electric power of the electric motor (14), - a torque (M) of the electric motor (14), - a motor control parameter (C) for a power control of the electric motor (14).

14. Method for acquiring a state of a bearing assembly (18) of a rotary device (10), in particular a flow generating device (11), the rotary device having an electric motor (14) with a stator (15) and a rotor (16), a rotor assembly (17) with the rotor (16), which is rotatably supported about an axis of rotation (A) by means of the bearing assembly (18), wherein, The method has: - acquiring at least one rotational movement parameter (D) describing a current rotational movement of the rotor assembly (17) and at least one power parameter (P) describing a current power of the electric motor (14), - evaluating the at least one current rotational movement parameter (D) and the at least one current power parameter (P) in terms of a relationship with respect to one another, wherein a state of the bearing assembly (18) is acquired thereby.

Images