Energy Component Damage Estimation via Transfer Functions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Energy system components operating under high-stress conditions, such as high temperatures and pressures, suffer from creep and fatigue damage, leading to premature failures and increased operational costs due to inaccurate estimation of inspection intervals.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize transfer functions dependent on operating conditions to estimate crack-initiation time and propagation, allowing for informed scheduling of inspections and adjustments to operating parameters, incorporating sensors to monitor critical regions and record data for predictive maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If periodic inspections are conducted to detect component damage, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to operational suspensions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent reliabilityVSAvoidsystem productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary damage estimation by continuously monitoring operating conditions and applying them to transfer functions during normal operation. This preliminary assessment allows the system to predict component health status without requiring periodic shutdowns for inspection, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring reliability through advance damage detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The component monitoring system serves itself by using operational data to automatically estimate its own damage accumulation. The transfer functions are applied to actual operating conditions to self-assess crack initiation and propagation, eliminating the need for external inspection interventions and continuous operational suspensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Duration of action of stationary object

If operating conditions are adjusted to extend component longevity, then duration of action is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to reduced operating efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent longevityVSAvoidsystem productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts operating parameters based on real-time damage estimation. Rather than statically reducing operating conditions to extend component life, the system continuously monitors damage accumulation and adapts operational parameters accordingly, allowing maximum productivity when components are healthy and providing protective adjustments only when damage thresholds are approached

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operating parameters dynamically based on estimated damage levels. Transfer functions calculate crack initiation and propagation based on actual operating conditions, and these parameter estimates drive adaptive adjustments that extend component longevity without permanently reducing productivity, as adjustments are made only when and where needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If premature inspections are scheduled to prevent failures, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to unnecessary operational suspensions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidoperational time loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring operating conditions and feeding them into transfer functions to update damage estimates in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the system to accurately determine when inspections are truly necessary, preventing both premature and delayed inspection scheduling, thereby reducing unnecessary operational suspensions while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

By performing preliminary damage estimation during normal operation using transfer functions and monitored operating data, the system identifies components that truly require inspection before failures occur. This preliminary assessment prevents premature inspections by only flagging components with actual damage risk, thus avoiding unnecessary operational suspensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS7715991B2Systems and methods for monitoring energy system components

Publication Date: 2010.05.11 GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECH LLC

AI summary

A method for estimating an amount of damages sustained by a component operating in an energy system by monitoring the component is provided. The method includes generating a transfer function that is dependent upon an input of at least one operating condition of the component and an output of a crack-initiation time and/or a crack propagation for at least one critical region. The method further includes receiving data from at least one sensor coupled to the component, wherein the data relates to the at least one operating condition of the component, and inputting the received data from the at least one sensor into the transfer function to calculate at least one of the crack-initiation time and the crack propagation for the at least one critical region. The method also includes recording at least one of the crack-initiation time and the crack propagation on a memory storage device.