Electrical Component Life Estimation by Stress Cycle Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to accurately estimate electrical component degradation in systems like motor drives, particularly due to stress factors such as temperature, voltage, and rotational speed, leading to unpredictable component failure and potential downtime.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that maintain cycle count values corresponding to operating parameter ranges and increment these values based on measured stress cycles, calculating a cumulative degradation value to predict component failure probability, allowing for proactive maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing degradation estimation methods are used, then component failure prediction is simplified, but accuracy of degradation estimation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the operating parameter range into multiple discrete ranges (e.g., temperature ranges, voltage ranges, speed ranges). For each range, separate cycle count values and maximum cycle values are maintained. This segmentation allows accurate tracking of stress cycles at different operating conditions while keeping the complexity manageable through structured data organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-establishes maximum cycle values for each operating parameter range based on component reliability data and failure probability thresholds. These maximum cycle values are determined beforehand and stored in the system, enabling real-time degradation calculation without complex computations during operation. This preliminary action improves accuracy while reducing computational complexity.
2Reliability
If cycle count values for multiple operating parameter ranges are maintained, then degradation assessment accuracy improves, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides operating parameters (temperature, voltage, speed) into discrete ranges, with each range having its own cycle count counter. This segmentation enables accurate tracking of stress exposure across different operating conditions while organizing data in a structured manner that simplifies processing through systematic iteration over ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where measured operating parameters are continuously compared against range thresholds, and the appropriate cycle count value is automatically incremented. This feedback loop ensures accurate real-time degradation assessment while reducing processing complexity through automated threshold-based decision making.
3Productivity
If maximum cycle values corresponding to failure probability thresholds are used, then predictive maintenance capability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores maximum cycle values for each operating parameter range based on desired failure probability thresholds (e.g., 10%, 5%, 1% failure probability). These values are determined during system configuration or initialization and stored for immediate use, enabling proactive maintenance planning without complex real-time calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows the system to accommodate different failure probability thresholds by maintaining multiple sets of maximum cycle values corresponding to different risk levels. Users can select appropriate threshold levels based on their maintenance requirements, providing flexibility while keeping the underlying system structure consistent and manageable.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for estimating electrical component degradation caused by an operating parameter that stresses the component in a series of stress cycles, in which cycle count values are maintained which individually correspond to a range of values of the operating parameter, and a plurality of maximum cycle values are stored, which individually correspond to one of the ranges and represent the number of stress cycles in the corresponding range at which the component is expected to have a user defined failure probability value. For a given stress cycle, one of the count values is incremented that corresponds to the range that includes a measured or sensed value, and a cumulative degradation value for the electrical system component is computed as a sum of ratios of the individual count values to the corresponding maximum cycle values.