Power generator and power generator auxiliary monitoring
View Patent ↗A generator monitoring system and method includes a plurality of sensors ( 12 ) disposed within a generator enclosure ( 18 ) to sense health conditions of a generator ( 10 ) housed within the enclosure. The sensors are interconnected to provide a single communication path ( 14 ) for allowing communication with the plurality of sensors. A monitoring device ( 16 ) outside the generator enclosure receives health condition information from each of the plurality of sensors via the single communication path. A sensor may be disposed within the generator enclosure to detect particulates emitted from a monitored portion (e.g., 52 ) of the generator housed within the enclosure. A sensor may be disposed proximate a bus bar connection ( 130 ) of the generator to sense a health condition of the bus bar connection and generate corresponding health condition information provided to the monitoring device.
1. A generator monitoring system comprising:
a plurality of sensors disposed within a generator enclosure to sense a plurality of health conditions of a generator housed within the enclosure and serially interconnected via a bus architecture to provide a single communication path for allowing communication with the plurality of sensors, wherein the single communication path is configured for providing a reduced number of conductors compared to a number of conductors that would be required if the sensors were wired in parallel; and
a monitoring device disposed outside the generator enclosure receiving health condition information from each of the plurality of sensors via the single communication path.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors comprises:
a detector generating a signal responsive to a health condition of the generator; and
a processor disposed within the enclosure processing the signal to generate health condition information.
3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a memory disposed within the enclosure in communication with the processor for storing the health condition information.
4. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a transmitter disposed within the enclosure in communication with the processor for transmitting the health condition information to the monitoring device via the single communication path.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the detector comprises an ion detector, an acoustic detector, a radio frequency detector, an ozone detector, or a temperature detector.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors limit the respective health information provided to the monitoring device.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors limit the respective health information to health information indicative of a failure condition.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors provide health information when requested by the monitoring device.
9. A generator comprising the system of claim 1 .
10. A generator monitoring method comprising:
serially interconnecting a plurality of sensors disposed within a generator enclosure for detecting a plurality of health conditions of a generator housed within the enclosure so that a single communication path is provided for allowing communication with the plurality of sensors, wherein the single communication path is configured for providing a reduced number of conductors compared to a number of conductors that would be required if the sensors were wired in parallel; and
providing a connection thru the enclosure for the single communication path to a monitoring device outside the generator enclosure.
11. A generator monitor comprising:
a sensor disposed within a generator enclosure to detect particulates emitted from a monitored portion of a generator housed within the enclosure due to overheating, the sensor further comprising:
a fluid sampler comprising a first flow path and a second flow path having a filter disposed therein in communication with the ion detector, and
a flow controller for selectively allowing an unfiltered sample and a filtered sample of a fluid to flow through respective flow paths to the ion detector to detect particulate concentration indicative of overheating by comparing filtered and unfiltered ion detections; and
a monitoring device outside the generator enclosure receiving the detected particulate concentration and providing an indication of a generator overheating condition.
12. The monitor of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises an ion detector generating a signal indicative of a particulate concentration.
13. The monitor of claim 11 , wherein the monitor comprises a collector comprising a plurality of inlet points disposed proximate a corresponding plurality of different portions of the generator for collecting respective fluid samples and delivering the samples to the sensor.
14. A generator comprising the monitor of claim 11 .
15. A generator monitoring method comprising:
disposing a particulate sensor within a generator enclosure proximate a portion of a generator housed within the enclosure being monitored for overheating;
providing an unfiltered sample of a fluid disposed proximate the portion of the generator to the sensor;
providing a filtered sample of the fluid disposed proximate the portion of the generator to the sensor;
generating, at the sensor, information responsive to a particulate emission indicative of overheating of the portion of the generator being monitored by comparing filtered and unfiltered sample sensor outputs; and
providing the information to a monitoring device outside of the generator enclosure.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising correlating the particulate information to a location of the sensor to determine the portion of the generator experiencing heating.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining when a particulate concentration of the unfiltered sample is higher than a particulate concentration of the filtered sample.