Time-frequency representation based on time-varying autoregressive model with applications to non-stationary rotor vibration analysis

Abstract

A parametric time-frequency representation is presented based on time-varying autoregressive model (TVAR), followed by applications to non-stationary vibration signal processing. The identification of time-varying model coefficients and the determination of model order, are addressed by means of neural networks and genetic algorithms, respectively. Firstly, a simulated signal which mimic the rotor vibration during run-up stages was processed for a comparative study on TVAR and other non-parametric time-frequency representations such as Short Time Fourier Transform, Continuous Wavelet Transform, Empirical Mode Decomposition, Wigner-Ville Distribution and Choi-Williams Distribution, in terms of their resolutions, accuracy, cross term suppression as well as noise resistance. Secondly, TVAR was applied to analyse non-stationary vibration signals collected from a rotor test rig during run-up stages, with an aim to extract fault symptoms under non-stationary operating conditions. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that TVAR is an effective solution to non-stationary signal analysis and has strong capability in signal time-frequency feature extraction.