Vibrodiagnostics as a predictive maintenance tool in the operation of turbo generators of a small hydropower plant

Abstract

The most important goal of monitoring and analysis of vibration is to provide information on the operational and technical condition of equipment in order to ensure strategic planning and maintenance management. The article addresses integration of vibrodiagnostics into the system of predictive maintenance in the operation of turbo generators of a small hydropower plant. Small hydropower plants are specific for their ability to provide relatively stable output without unnecessarily burdening the transmission system. Modern turbines are expected to be highly efficient and reliable in operation. By including these devices into the predictive maintenance system, it is possible to identify their possibly unusual behavior, estimate the remaining service life, and draw attention to incorrect setting of operating parameters. The task of research in this area was to evaluate the applicability of data obtained from vibrodiagnostics to identifying turbo generator failures and key parameters that may have a potential impact on the behavior of this type of equipment.