| 摘要 |
The invention relates generating timing signals registering the passage of a component such as a turbine blade 6 past a (eg eddy current) sensor 4. The invention relates particularly to the generation of timing signals in real time for health monitoring of a mechanical system, for example for detecting excessive distortion or vibration of rotor blades in a turbine. In a disclosed arrangement, a method is provided in which a the sensor is configured to output a signal that is dependent on a separation between a component and the sensor, and the method comprises: performing a first passage event integral of an output from the sensor over at least a portion of a first passage event of a reference component past the sensor; performing a second passage event integral of an output from the sensor over at least a portion of a second passage event of a component to be measured past the sensor, the second passage event occurring after the first passage event; and generating a timing signal when the second passage event integral is equal to a predetermined fraction of the first passage event integral. The timing signal may comprise a short pulse marking passage of a particular region (eg a central region) of the component 6 past the sensor 4. |
