Rotor Damage Estimation From Outer-Surface Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large rotating electric machines, such as turbine generators, face significant stress on their rotors due to centrifugal forces, leading to potential damage, especially in hard-to-visualize areas, necessitating frequent disassembly for inspection, which is time-consuming and costly, thereby reducing operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An inspection device and method that includes a storage unit for tendency information, a measurement unit to measure deformation on the rotor's outer surface, and a damage estimating unit to predict damage location and scale based on this information, allowing for non-invasive estimation of rotor damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rotating electric machine is periodically disassembled for inspection, then damage in hard-to-visualize portions can be detected, but inspection time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical disassembly inspection method with a non-contact optical measurement system. A measurement device captures deformation information from the rotor's outer surface, and a damage estimation device uses this data to infer internal damage without requiring physical disassembly, thus resolving the contradiction between detection accuracy and inspection time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces deformation information from the outer surface as an intermediary to infer the state of hard-to-visualize internal portions. By measuring deformation on the accessible outer surface and using damage tendency information to correlate this with internal damage patterns, the system enables indirect detection of internal damage without direct observation
2Reliability
If the rotating electric machine is periodically disassembled for inspection, then appropriate treatment can be conducted, but operating rate drops significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the time-consuming mechanical disassembly process with a rapid non-contact measurement and estimation system. The measurement device quickly captures deformation data, and the estimation device rapidly processes this information to assess rotor condition, enabling frequent inspections without impacting operational productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary assessment of rotor damage using outer surface deformation measurements before disassembly is required. By estimating damage early based on accessible measurements, the system enables proactive maintenance planning that minimizes unplanned downtime and maintains higher operating rates
3Reliability
If the rotating electric machine is periodically disassembled for inspection, then component damage can be identified, but inspection cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive mechanical disassembly and manual inspection processes with automated optical measurement and computational estimation systems. The measurement device captures deformation data non-contactly, and the estimation device uses algorithms to identify damage, reducing labor costs and inspection expenses while maintaining high accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual model of the internal damage state based on outer surface deformation measurements. By generating this digital copy of the damage condition through estimation algorithms, the system eliminates the need for physical disassembly and expensive manual inspection procedures while accurately identifying damage
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the estimation of damage in hard-to-visualize rotor areas without disassembly, reducing inspection time and cost, thereby improving the operational efficiency and extending the life of the rotating electric machine.
Implementation Method 1
a measurement unit configured to measure the amount of deformation that has occurred in the measurement target portion
Implementation Method 2
a damage estimating unit configured to estimate the position and the scale of the damage that has occurred in the measurement target portion based on the tendency information and the amount of deformation in the measurement target portion
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an inspection device for a rotating electric machine, including: a storage unit configured to store tendency information indicating a relationship among a position of damage that occurs in an inspection target portion being a range to be inspected of a rotor included in a rotating electric machine, a scale of the damage, and an amount of deformation that occurs in a measurement target portion set on an outer surface of the rotor; a measurement unit configured to measure the amount of deformation that has occurred in the measurement target portion; and a damage estimating unit configured to estimate the position and the scale of the damage that has occurred in the measurement target portion based on the tendency information and the amount of deformation in the measurement target portion, which has been measured by the measurement unit.