Experimental investigation on centrifugal compressor blade crack classification using the squared envelope spectrum

Abstract

Centrifugal compressors are a key piece of equipment for modern production. Among the components of the centrifugal compressor, the impeller is a pivotal part as it is used to transform kinetic energy into pressure energy. Blade crack condition monitoring and classification has been broadly investigated in the industrial and academic area. In this research, a pressure pulsation (PP) sensor arranged in close vicinity to the crack area and the corresponding casing vibration signals are used to monitor blade crack information. As these signals cannot directly demonstrate the blade crack, the method employed in this research is based on the extraction of weak signal characteristics that are induced by blade cracking. A method for blade crack classification based on the signals monitored by using a squared envelope spectrum (SES) is presented. Experimental investigations on blade crack classification are carried out to verify the effectiveness of this method. The results show that it is an effective tool for blade crack classification in centrifugal compressors. © 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.