Imaging Acoustic Signature Analyses for Plant Turbo-machinery

Impact Technologies, in collaboration with the Penn State Applied Research Laboratory, proposes to develop and demonstrate an automated, acoustic sensing based machinery condition monitoring system for operation in a plant environment. Utilizing advanced sensor design, unique and innovative signal processing and acoustic imaging techniques, advanced beamforming, and proven data fusion for automated detection, isolation, and classification, Impact will provide a solid foundation for automated plant monitoring and enabled decision support using non-contact, multi-machine capable, acoustic arrays. Operating as a stand alone system or adding flexibility and fidelity to traditional machine-based sensing approaches, the developed sensors and associated processing applications will offer substantial and significant new potential to the current machinery prognostics and health management field. Substantial additional potential may be realized through interferometry and integration with other non-contact sensing technologies.