A Novel Impedance Micro-Sensor for Metal Debris Monitoring of Hydraulic Oil

Hongpeng Zhang,Yucai Xie,Wei Li,Haotian Shi,Yuwei Zhang,Xupeng Zhao,Laihao Ma,Zhiwei Xu,Chenyong Wang

doi:10.3390/mi12020150

Abstract

Hydraulic oil is the key medium for the normal operation of hydraulic machinery, which carries various wear debris. The information reflected by the wear debris can be used to predict the early failure of equipment and achieve predictive maintenance. In order to realize the real-time condition monitoring of hydraulic oil, an impedance debris sensor that can detect inductance and resistance parameters is designed and studied in this paper. The material and size of wear debris can be discriminated based on inductance-resistance detection method. Silicon steel strips and two rectangular channels are designed in the sensor. The silicon steel strips are used to enhance the magnetic field strength, and the double rectangular detection channels can make full use of the magnetic field distribution region, thereby improving the detection sensitivity and throughput of the sensor. The comparison experiment shows that the coils in series are more suitable for the monitoring of wear debris. By comparing and analyzing the direction and the presence or absence of the signal pulses, the debris sensor can detect and distinguish 46 µm iron particles and 110 µm copper particles. This impedance detection method provides a new technical support for the high-precision distinguishing measurement of metal debris. The sensor can not only be used for oil detection in the laboratory, but also can be made into portable oil detection device for machinery health monitoring.

Highlights

As the key working medium of the mechanical system, oil can be used to transfer energy, and play the role of lubrication, cooling, oxidation inhibition, vibration reduction and equipment life extension
This paper reports a method of oil debris monitoring using an impedance debris sensor
When the coils are connected in series, the basic inductance of the sensor with silicon steel strips is 4.70 × 10−5 H, the inductance signal noise is 5.0 × 10−10 H; the basic resistance is

Summary

Introduction

As the key working medium of the mechanical system, oil can be used to transfer energy, and play the role of lubrication, cooling, oxidation inhibition, vibration reduction and equipment life extension. Affected by the working environment of the mechanical system, the detection sensitivity of the monitoring device installed in the oil circuit is limited. It can only detect ferromagnetic debris with the size greater than 100μm. Zeng et al [27] presented a micro impedance sensor with two coils, and the detection sensitivity was improved by focusing the magnetic field [28]. These micro-sensors can be used as the core component of portable oil detection devices for real-time sampling monitoring on site. The sensor can be used in the laboratory, and can be made into portable oil detection device for machinery health monitoring

Sensor Design

Detection Principle

Impedance Detection System

Experiments

Findings

Conclusions