Fuel cell compressor air bearing wear sensor

摘要

A wear sensor system, compressors using the wear sensor system and methods of detecting wear on a bearing. The wear sensor system includes a stationary housing-mounted circuit comprising a first inductor electrically connected to a voltage source and a rotating shaft-mounted circuit comprising a second inductor electrically connected to a capacitor. When there is no metal-to-metal contact between the shaft of the compressor and the housing into which the shaft is mounted, the housing-mounted circuit inductively charges the shaft-mounted capacitor and reduces a current level when the shaft mounted capacitor is charged. Likewise, when there is metal-to-metal contact between the shaft and the housing (which is indicative of bearing wear), the shaft-mounted circuit is grounded; this causes the housing-mounted circuit to increase the current level. This increased current level may be output to a suitable device for display or other indicia of bearing wear.

主权项

1. A sensor system for detecting wear in a rotating shaft that is disposed in a housing, the system comprising:
a stationary housing-mounted circuit comprising a first inductor electrically connected to a voltage source and in a non-contact inductive coupling to the shaft; and a shaft-mounted circuit cooperative with the housing-mounted circuit and comprising a second inductor electrically connected to a capacitor such that upon electrically-conductive contact between the shaft and the housing, the shaft-mounted circuit becomes grounded, thereby causing the housing-mounted circuit to increase a current level.