Ultrasound Condition Monitoring

Instruments based on airborne/structure borne ultrasound technology offer many opportunities for reducing energy waste and improving asset availability in plants. They expand the concept of ”Condition Monitoring” to include much more than basic mechanical fault inspections. Since these instruments detect friction, ionization and turbulence, their inspection capabilities range from trending bearing condition to determining lack of lubrication, locating compressed air leaks and detecting arcing, tracking and corona emissions in both open and enclosed electric equipment. Portable, instruments based on this technology are used to trend and analyze bearing condition, detect leaks (pressure and vacuum), test valves and steam traps, identify electrical problems and identify potential problems in gears, motors and pumps. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the technology, its applications, energy savings cost analysis and suggested inspection techniques. Overview: In today’s environment, generating revenues for any industry is important. Profit margins are shrinking and often the difference between a profit and a loss can be as simple as preventing loss and improving efficiencies. Locating sources of energy waste, identifying failure conditions in electrical and mechanical systems all contribute to helping improve the bottom line. In some cases it can be a dramatic improvement. Ultrasound inspection offers a unique position for condition monitoring as both a “stand-alone” inspection technology and as an effective screening tool that can speed up the inspection process and help inspectors determine effective follow-up actions for mechanical, electrical and leak applications. Whether you refer to proactive inspections as “predictive maintenance” or “condition monitoring”, the goal is the same; to note a deviation from a normal or baseline condition in order to determine whether or not to take corrective action in a planned orderly manner and to prevent an unplanned incident. The ideal end result is to maintain asset availability, reduce maintenance overhead and improve safety conditions. Not one technology can cover everything. The recommendation is to incorporate as many technologies as possible into inspection procedures to assure reliable results. This paper will review the basics of ultrasound technology, what is new to the technology and how it is used for condition monitoring to locate safety hazards, reduce energy waste and improve equipment availability. Ultrasound Technology Airborne/structure borne ultrasound instruments receive high frequency emissions produced by operating equipment, electrical emissions and by