Novel Spectral Enhancement for Incipient Fault Detection of Rotating Machinery

ASRI proposes to develop a low-cost PC-based Dynamic Signal Analyzer (DSA) utilizing a novel spectral enhancement method to provide incipient fault-detection capabilities for rotating machinery. Based on a new spectral analysis technique called Coherent Phase Line Enhancer (CPLE), the DSA will significantly enhance critical speed-related signatures in vibration measurements thus providing early detection for machinery health monitoring and diagnosis. Unlike the conventional method for Power Spectral Density (PSD) function estimation, the CPLE technique incorporates phase information into the spectral estimation process. This is achieved through detection of a unique coherent phase relationship associated with all speed-related signal components in the wave-number domain. Accordingly, the CPLE spectrum detects well-hidden fault-mechanism signatures (bearing, gear, rotor instability, etc.) that are often unnoticed by a conventional PSD. The significance of the proposed innovation is attributed to its enhanced capability to cope with severe operational environments where health-monitoring measurements are heavily corrupted by background noise. Successful development of CPLE-DSA can enhance incipient fault detection capability, reducing catastrophic engine failure risks and will improve reliability of NASA's advanced propulsion systems. Phase I will demonstrate feasibility and relative benefits of CPEL-DSA. In Phase II a PC-based CPLE-DSA hardware/software prototype will be built and tested for demonstration.