System and method for improved journal bearing operations
A method ( 60, 90 ) includes executing a wear protocol to derive a start-stop (SS) wear, a steady-state operating hours (OH) wear, or a combination thereof, of a test journal bearing system ( 10 ). The method ( 60, 90 ) further includes observing operations of an engine ( 8 ) via one or more sensors to determine a number of start-stops, steady-state operating hours, or a combination thereof. The method ( 60, 90 ) also includes determining a determined journal bearing system wear ( 114 ) based on applying a physics-based model ( 94 ) of a journal bearing system ( 10 ) and the transfer function to the number of start-stops, the steady-state operating hours, or to the combination thereof. The method ( 60, 90 ) additionally includes executing one or more actionable items ( 116 ) on the engine ( 8 ) based on the determined journal bearing system wear ( 114 ).
1. A method comprising:
executing a wear protocol to derive at least one of: a start-stop (SS) wear, or a steady-state operating hours (OH) wear, or a combination thereof, of a test journal bearing system;
deriving a transfer function configured to determine a total wear for the test journal bearing system based on at least one of: the SS wear, or the OH wear, or the combination thereof;
observing operations of an engine via one or more sensors to derive at least one of: a number of start-stops, or steady-state operating hours, or a combination thereof;
determining a determined journal bearing system wear based on applying a physics-based model of a journal bearing system and the transfer function to at least one of: the number of start-stops, or the steady-state operating hours, or the combination thereof; and
executing one or more actionable items on the engine based on the determined journal bearing system wear.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transfer function comprises an SS=ƒ 1 −1 (ƒ 2 (OH)) where ƒ 1 −1 comprises an inverse function to f 1 .
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transfer function comprises an SS=ƒ 1 −1 (δ)=ƒ 1 −1 (ƒ 2 (OH)), wherein δ=ƒ 1 (SS), wherein δ=ƒ 2 (OH) and wherein δ is representative of wear.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physics-based model comprises a field-calibrated model.
5. The method of claim 4 , comprising deriving the field-calibrated model via data received from the sensors during field observations of engine operations to derive one or more calibration parameters K.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein deriving the one or more calibration parameters K comprises applying at least one of: a linear regression, a non-linear regression, or a data mining, or a combination thereof, to the data received via the sensors.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physics-based model of the journal bearing system comprises a mixed lubrication model that comprises both a lubricated regime and an asperity contact regime.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the lubricated regime comprises a p f =p where p f is equivalent of fluid pressure and p is equivalent to pressure, and wherein the asperity contact regime comprises a p c where p c comprises an asperity contact pressure.
9. The method of claim 8 , comprising deriving the asperity contact pressure via a Greenwood-Tripp asperity contact model.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the determined journal bearing system wear comprises determining at least one of: a journal bearing wear, a journal wear, or an oil wear, or a combination thereof.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transfer function comprises a field-calibrated transfer function.
12. The method of claim 11 , comprising deriving the field-calibrated transfer function via data received from the sensors during field observations of engine operations to derive one or more calibration parameters K.
13. A system, comprising:
an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising a memory or storage device storing one or more processor-executable executable routines; and
one or more processors configured to execute the one or more executable routines which, when executed, cause acts to be performed comprising:
controlling operations of an engine;
observing operations of the engine via one or more sensors to derive at least one of: a number of start-stops, or steady-state operating hours, or a combination thereof;
determining a determined journal bearing system wear based on applying a physics-based model of a journal bearing system and a transfer function to at least one of: the number of start-stops, or the steady-state operating hours, or the combination thereof; and
executing one or more actionable items on the engine based on the determined journal bearing system wear.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the transfer function comprises an SS=ƒ 1 −1 (ƒ 2 (OH)) where ƒ 1 −1 comprises an inverse function to f 1 .
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the physics-based model comprises a field-calibrated model.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the physics-based model of the journal bearing system comprises a mixed lubrication model that comprises both a lubricated regime and an asperity contact regime.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein executing the actionable items on the engine comprises at least one of: raising an alarm, turning off the engine, lowering engine speed, or adding a database log entry, or a combination thereof.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the transfer function comprises a field-calibrated transfer function.
19. The system of claim 13 , comprising the engine having the ECU.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the engine comprises a reciprocating internal combustion engine.