Machine slip and direction sensing using flux gate sensor

1. An apparatus comprising:

a signal processor configured to

receive signaling from a flux sensor containing information about both a residual field from an electrical supply to a motor of a driven machine and a magnetic field from one or more rotating magnets placed on a rotating component of the driven machine; and

determine corresponding signaling containing information about the operation of the driven machine, based upon a difference between an electrical supply frequency and a slip frequency determined from the signaling received and processed.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is configured to provide the corresponding signaling for further processing to determine further information about the operation of the driven machine.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is configured to determine a percentage of load and power output of the driven machine based upon a comparison of an amount of slip to motor characteristics of the driven machine.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the signal processor is configured to determine the torque and the current drawn of the driven machine due to the amount of slip.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is configured to detect a malfunction of the driven machine, based upon an amount of slip outside of a normal range, including either too little as in the case of a dry running pump, or too much as in the case of an overloaded or seizing pump, and provide in the corresponding signaling containing information about an alarm or other notification.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is configured to detect increased belt slippage over time in a belt drive application, and provide in the corresponding signaling containing information about an alarm or other notification.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a vibration transducer; and the signal processor is configured to receive associated signaling from the vibration transducer placed on, or in relation to, the driven machine, and provide a synchronization of a vibration time waveform detected on the driven machine, based upon the slip frequency determined.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises the flux sensor and a driven machine bearing housing, the flux sensor being arranged on, or in relation to, the driven machine bearing housing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises the rotating component having the one or more magnets placed thereon.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating component comprises a bearing isolator having a stationary part and a rotating part with the one or more magnets placed therein.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating component comprises a shaft of the driven machine having the one or more magnets placed thereon.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the flux sensor is mounted to a driven machine bearing housing at a location; and

the rotating component is configured to rotate with a shaft of the driven machine, or is in proximity to the driven machine bearing housing or the location where the flux sensor is mounted.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is configured to process the signaling received and determine the electrical supply frequency and the slip frequency based upon a frequency isolating technique.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the frequency isolating technique includes using a Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) technique.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets is placed on the rotating component in a controlled pattern; and

the signal processor is configured to determine the direction of rotation of a shaft of the driven machine, based upon the signaling received.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the controlled pattern may include, or take the form of, one or more of the following: magnet location, magnet number, magnet strength or magnet polarity.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the signal processor is configured to determine the direction of rotation of a shaft of the driven machine, based upon the signaling received that contains information about the movement of the one or more magnets that rotate past the flux sensor and create a unique series of pulses that are processed to determine whether the shaft's rotation is clockwise or counterclockwise.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating component comprises a bearing isolator having a stationary part and a rotating part with the one or more magnets placed therein or thereon.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, with a signal processor, signaling from a flux sensor containing information about both a residual field from an electrical supply to a motor of a driven machine and a magnetic field from one or more rotating magnets placed on a rotating component of the driven machine; and

determining, with the signal processor, corresponding signaling containing information about the operation of the driven machine, based upon a difference between an electrical supply frequency and a slip frequency determined from the signaling received and processed.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises providing, with the signal processor, the corresponding signaling for further processing to determine further information about the operation of the driven machine.