Machine health monitoring system and method

1. A machine health monitoring method, comprising:

receiving vibration data from a sensor coupled with a machine or a component of the machine, the machine being a fan, a pump, or a motor, the vibration data indicating vibration of the machine or the component of the machine;

determining a baseline damage rate for the machine or the component based on the vibration data;

determining damage to the machine or the component for each of a plurality of load cycles based on the vibration data;

determining the time rate of change of the damage to the machine or the component over the plurality of load cycles;

determining a damage rate based on the time rate of change of the damage to the machine or the component relative to the baseline damage rate; and

outputting, based on the determined damage rate, an indication of health of the machine or the component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the damage for each of the plurality of load cycles comprises determining the damage for each of the plurality of load cycles at a critical failure-prone location as proportional to a load on the machine or the component raised to a material-dependent exponent.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the damage for each of the plurality of load cycles comprises relating a load on the machine or the component to one or more measurements from the vibration data using a transfer function.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the transfer function is frequency dependent.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the load is proportional to acceleration.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the load is proportional to velocity.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the load is proportional to displacement.

8. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

acquiring the one or more vibration measurements using wireless vibration accelerometers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the damage rate comprises determining one or more damage rates from one or more sensors at the machine or the component.

10. A machine health monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to receive vibration data from a sensor coupled with a machine or a component of the machine, the machine being a fan, a pump, or a motor, the vibration data indicating vibration of the machine or the component of the machine, the processor being configured to:

determine a baseline damage rate for the machine or the component based on the vibration data;

determine damage to the machine or the component for each of a plurality of load cycles based on the vibration data;

determine the time rate of change of the damage to the machine or the component over the plurality of load cycles;

determine a damage rate based on the time rate of change of the damage to the machine or the component relative to a baseline damage rate; and

outputting, based on the determined damage rate, an indication of health of the machine or the component.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the damage for each of the plurality of load cycles at a critical failure-prone location as proportional to a load on the machine or the component raised to a material-dependent exponent.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the damage for each of the plurality of load cycles by relating a load on the machine or the component to one or more measurements from the vibration data using a transfer function.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the transfer function is frequency dependent.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the load is proportional to one of acceleration, velocity, or displacement.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine one or more damage rates from one or more sensors at the machine or the component.

16. A machine health monitoring system, comprising:

at least one vibration sensor coupled with a machine or a component of the machine, the machine being a fan, a pump, or a motor, the at least one vibration sensor being configured to sense vibration of the machine or the component of the machine;

a wireless receiver configured to receive vibration data from the at least one vibration sensor, the vibration data indicating vibration of the machine or the component of the machine; and

a processor configured to receive the vibration data from the wireless receiver, the processor being configured to:

determine a baseline damage rate for the machine or the component based on the vibration data;

determine damage to the machine or the component for each of a plurality of load cycles based on the vibration data;

determine the time rate of change of the damage to the machine or the component over the plurality of load cycles; and

determine a damage rate based on the time rate of change of the damage to the machine or the component relative to the baseline damage rate; and

outputting, based on the determined damage rate, an indication of health of the machine or the component.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the damage for each of the plurality of load cycles at a critical failure-prone location as proportional to a load on the machine or the component raised to a material-dependent exponent.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the damage for each of the plurality of load cycles by relating a load on the machine or the component to one or more measurements from the vibration data using a transfer function.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the transfer function is frequency dependent.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the load is proportional to one of acceleration, velocity, or displacement.

21. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to determine one or more damage rates from one or more sensors at the machine or the component.