Rotor Imbalance Detection via Feature Speed Variation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Turbochargers in internal combustion engines often experience rotor imbalance due to harsh operating conditions, leading to potential engine outages, and existing methods lack effective means to detect and quantify this imbalance without additional component installation.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a stator and rotor with features on their periphery, and a processing subsystem that determines rotor imbalance by analyzing feature-to-feature speed variations, allowing for the detection of imbalance presence, amount, and orientation without additional components, using equations to calculate eccentricity and radial deflection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If additional components are installed to detect rotor imbalance, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotor imbalance detection accuracyVSAvoidsystem component quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor itself serves as the sensing element by incorporating features (such as teeth, protrusions, or markings) on its periphery that interact with the stator to generate detectable signals. This eliminates the need for separate sensors or additional detection components, allowing the rotor to self-diagnose its imbalance conditions through the natural interaction between rotor and stator features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The stator features act as an intermediary element that converts rotor imbalance into detectable signals. The interaction between rotor features and stator features creates measurable changes in speed, position, or timing that can be processed to determine imbalance characteristics without requiring direct contact with the rotor or additional sensing devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If rotor imbalance is not detected, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine outage preventionVSAvoiddetection system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of rotor imbalance conditions by continuously monitoring the interaction between rotor and stator features during operation. This early detection capability allows imbalance to be identified before it progresses to severe levels that would cause engine outages, enabling preventive maintenance actions to be taken in advance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a feedback loop where the processing subsystem continuously analyzes the signals generated by rotor-stator feature interactions and provides real-time information about rotor imbalance conditions. This feedback mechanism enables ongoing monitoring and adjustment, ensuring reliability by detecting and reporting imbalance issues as they occur during engine operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9983087B2Methods and systems to determine rotor imbalance

Publication Date: 2018.05.29 TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A system is presented. The system includes a stator component, a rotor component rotating inside the stator component, a plurality of features disposed on the periphery of the stator component or the rotor component, and a processing subsystem for determining at least one of an amount of rotor imbalance and an orientation of the rotor imbalance at least based upon feature-to-feature speed variation of the plurality of features.