Application of Composite Spectrum in Steam

Turbo-Generator Set

Keri Elbhbah1, Jyoti K. Sinha1, W. Hahn2, G. Tasker2

1
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering. The University of Manchester,
Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
2
West Burton Power Station, EDF Energy, Retford, Nottinghamshire DN22 9BL, UK.

Email: keri.elbhbah@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk;
jyoti.sinha@manchester.ac.uk.; Wolfgang.Hahn@edfenergy.com;
Geoff.Tasker@edfenergy.com

Abstract Composite spectrum and composite bispectrum techniques have been

recently developed for identifying fault(s) in rotating machines. The fusion of the
measured vibration data at all the machine bearings in the frequency domain is
used to construct such a composite spectrum and composite bispectrum for the
representation of the entire machine. These…………... The observations and re-
sults of the current study also indicate the presence of localised misalignment and
suspected rotating stall in the composite spectrum.

Key words Rotating Machines, Condition Monitoring, Spectrum, Data Fusion,

Composite Spectrum.

1.0 Introduction

West Burton power plant is a plant owned by EDF Company and consists of 4
steam (TG) units for power generation. Each TG unit consists of a High Pressure
(HP) turbine, an Intermediate Pressure (IP) turbine, and three Low Pressure (LP)
turbines, together with a generator and an exciter. The schematic of the TG set
consisting of 14 journal bearings are shown in Figure 1.
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Figure 1 Schematic diagram of TG set

Figure 1 Schematic diagram of Turbo generator set

Vibration based diagnosis often requires vibration measurements on all bearing

pedestals in both horizontal and vertical directions for the fault diagnosis. Such
measurement approach is ……………indicates the possibility of rotor stall, for
which the LP turbines seem to be the source [1]. This effect is not seen on the HP,
IP and the generator bearings.

Recently, data fusion ……..data from all bearings [2]. The composite ………on a
small experimental rotating rig [3]. This is expected to simplify the condition
monitoring procedure and fault diagnosis process. This technique is
………………observations and the results are discussed in the paper.

2.0 Spectrum

The conventional power spectrum density (PSD) …………………..of the signal

as;

PSD, S xx ( f k )  E[ X ( f k ) X f k )] ,
*
k = 1, 2, 3, …, N (1)

Where, S xx ( f k ) is the power density, X ( f k ) is the DFT at frequency f k for

*
the time series x(t ) and X ( f k ) is its complex conjugate. N is the number of
the frequency points. E[ ] denotes the mean operator, here it means that the PSD is
the averaged spectrum over a time length of the signal, say, t.

2.1 Spectrum analysis [1]

Typical measured amplitude spectra at bearing 4 ………………………is

deliberately kept, as it is expected that the rotor well self-align during operation.
 3

Similarly, the measured spectra at …………………….any indication of this phe-

nomenon.
0.6

Acceleration, m/s2
0.4

0.2

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Frequency, Hz
Figure 2 Typical amplitude spectra at bearing 4

0.06
Acceleration, m/s2

0.04

0.02

0
50 100 150 200 250 300
Frequency, Hz

Figure 3 Typical amplitude spectra at bearing 11

0.6 0.6
Acceleration, m/s2

Acceleration, m/s2

a b
0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2

0 0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Frequency, Hz Frequency, Hz
0.6
0.6
Acceleration, m/s2

c
Acceleration, m/s2

d
0.4
0.4

0.2 0.2

0 0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Frequency, Hz Frequency, Hz

Figure 4 Typical amplitude spectra at 3000 RPM, a-Bearing 5, b-Bearing 6, c-Bearing 7,

d-Bearing 8
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3. Composite Spectrum

The composite spectrum is ………………for all the bearings and the composite
spectrum is calculated as [3];
n

X r
CS
*
( f k ) X CS ( fk )
S NCCS ( f k )  r 1
(2)
n
r
Where, X CS ( f k ) is called the Composite Fourier Transformation……………
r
conjugate. X CS ( f k ) is computed as;

r
X CS ( fk )  S x1 12 x2 ( f k ) S x2 23x3 ( f k )....S x( b 1) ( b 1) b xb ( f k )  1
( b 1) (3)

Where, S x1 12x2 is the Cross-power Spectral Density (CSD) between the two sig-

nals x1 (t ) and x2 (t ) collected at two bearings. It is also computed by using the

Discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of these signals as;

CSD, S x p p ( p 1) x p 1 ( f k )  [ X p ( f k ) p2 ( p 1) ( f k ) X *p 1 ( f k )] (4)

Where,  p2( p 1) is the ordinary coherence [4] between two signals averaged over
the time length.

3.1 Composite Spectrum Analysis

Composite spectrum (CS) has been computed for the measured vibration data
from ………………………the composite spectrum is capable of identifying the
local defects.
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4.0 Conclusion

Data fusion (composite spectrum) proposed…………… compared to the adopted

practice in the vibration-based diagnosis in rotating machines.

References

[1] Sinha, J.K., Hahn, W., Elbhbah, K., Tasker, G., and Ullah, I., 2012. Vibration
Investigation for Low Pressure Turbine Last Stage BLADE Failure in Steam
Turbines of a Power Plant. ASME TurboExpo 2012, June 11-15. Copenhagen,
Denmark.
[2] Sinha, J.K., and Elbhbah, K., 2013. A Future Possibility of Vibration based
Condition Monitoring of rotating machines. Mechanical Systems and Signal
Processing (MSSP), 34 (2013), pp. 231–240.
[3] Elbhbah, K., and Sinha, J.K., 2013. Vibration-based Condition Monitoring of
Rotating Machines using a Machine Composite Spectrum. Journal of Sound
and Vibration, (JSV), 332(2013), pp. 2831-2845.
[4] Ewins, D.J., 2000. Modal Testing–Theory, Practice and Application. Research
Studies Press, UK, 2nd Edition.
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Authors’ Biography

Passport size photo Keri Elbhbah

Dr Keri Elbhbah is Knowledge Transfer Partnership

(KTP) Associate, School of MACE, The University of
Manchester, UK and currently based in EDF West
Burton Power Station, Retford, UK. Dr Elbhbah is doing
project on vibration-based blade health monitoring of
steam turbines.

Passport size photo Jyoti K. Sinha

Dr Jyoti K. Sinha is Programme Director, Reliability

Engineering and Asset Management MSc and Head,
Dynamics Laboratory, School of Mechanical, Aerospace
and Civil Engineering. The University of Manchester,
Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. Dr Sinha is involved in and
solved a number of industrially applied research projects
related to Vibration-based Condition Monitoring and
Maintenance of Machines and Structures in last 26
years. Dr Sinha is the author of more than 60 technical
reports, nearly 150 technical papers (Journals and
conferences) and gave a number of keynote/invited
lectures. Dr Sinha is also the associate editor of two
international journals, Structural Health Monitoring: An
International Journal and Journal of Vibration
Engineering and Technologies, editorial board member
of the journal Structural Monitoring and Maintenance,
author of a book “Vibration Analysis, Instruments and
Signal Processing” and co-author of two books. He is
also technical committee member of IFTOMM
Rotordynamics.