Method and Device for Determining an Indicator for Predicting Instability in a Compressor and Use Thereof

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The invention describes a method and device for predicting the onset of instability in a compressor (either axial or radial type). It works by monitoring high-speed pressure data within the compressor as the flow mass passes through various operating states with decreasing flow rates. By analyzing the skewness (the third statistical moment) of these pressure signals and looking for specific changes in the trend (sign changes in the slope of the curve), the system can indicate impending compressor instability before it occurs, such as reaching the critical pump limit. This provides an early warning system to prevent damage.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Testing compressors in laboratory or industrial test stands to determine safe operational boundaries without causing damage.
• Real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance of compressors in aerospace engines, such as jet engines, to prevent dangerous instabilities.
• Real-time protection and supervision of turbochargers in automotive or industrial machinery to extend component life and avoid catastrophic failures.
• Implementation as a safety and diagnostics feature in power generation plants that employ large compressors.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables early and reliable prediction of compressor instability, allowing preemptive intervention before mechanical failure occurs.
• Reduces the risk of catastrophic damage and costly shutdowns in critical machinery, as the system provides warnings before the instability point is reached.
• Eliminates or reduces the need for destructive testing during the determination of compressor operational limits, saving time and resources.
• Improves compressor safety, reliability, and lifespan through preventative maintenance and operation within safe parameters.
• Applicable to both new compressor designs and retrofitting to existing systems for enhanced operational security.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining an indicator for a prediction of an instability in a compressor, which is designed as an axial or radial compressor, having the following steps: operating a compressor designed as an axial or radial compressor in operating states, which differ by different values of a characteristic parameter for a flow mass flux of the compressor, wherein the operating states are run through at decreasing flow mass fluxes; determining the values of the characteristic value for the flow mass flux for the operating states; detecting time-resolved pressure measurement values when running through the operating states by means of a pressure sensor (6), which is arranged in a housing of the compressor, upstream adjacent to an entrance plane of a rotor stage (2); determining the skew for the operating states and determining an indicator for an instability of the compressor, if an algebraic sign change of the curve rise is determined for a curve profile of the skew over the characteristic parameter for the flow mass flux for the operating states. The invention further relates to the use of the method and a device for determining an indicator for a prediction of an instability in an compressor.