International Journal of Mechanical and Production

Engineering Research and Development (IJMPERD)

ISSN(P): 2249-6890; ISSN(E): 2249-8001
Vol. 6, Issue 4, Aug 2016, 25-34
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd

CONDITION MONITORING OF TURBOGENERATORS OF A

THERMAL POWER PLANT USING FUZZY LOGIC
CH. SAI AMULYA1 & M. SRINIVASA RAO2
1

M.Tech Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, GMRIT, Rajam, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh ,India
2

Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, GMRIT, Rajam, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT
Turbogenerator is one of the main components in thermal power plant and its maintenance plays avital role in
many applications. Condition monitoring is the process of determining the condition of machinery while in operation
which lessens the probability of failure by allowing the maintenance to be scheduled.In this work,vibration monitoring
analysis of steam turbo generators is studied. In this study Fuzzy Logic Toolbox in MATLAB is used for analysing the
health condition of the turbo generators considering displacement and velocity as parameters.For this purpose, a
thermal power plant (TPP) of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant has been chosen as a case study.This type of analysis is
very useful for assessing the condition of complex systems of thermal power plants.

Received: Jun 19, 2016; Accepted: Jul 14, 2016; Published: Jul 19, 2016; Paper Id.: IJMPERDAUG20163

INTRODUCTION
A condition monitoring program plays an essential role in industries that have plant machinery. It gives

Original Article

KEYWORDS:Condition Monitoring, Vibration Analysis, Thermal Power Plant, Fuzzy Logic, Health Condition

the health condition of the components of the power system. There are various types of condition monitoring
techniques depending on the industry and application which include vibration analysis, signal processing,
analysis, acoustic analysis, etc. Vibration condition monitoring analysis is carried out on Turbogeneratorsin TPP,
Visakhapatnam Steel plant. Bently Nevada 3500 series condition monitoring vibration system is used to measure
the vibration.
Cheng et al.[1] stated that fuzzy distributions were used instead of the classical probability distribution
for the components, and calculate the fuzzy numbers to solve the fuzzy system reliability via non-linear
programming techniques. He demonstrated that this approach and its computation algorithm are efficient and
simple to implement.Shaaban et.al[2] proposed a decision tree method to improve steam turbine generator fault
diagnosis. He stated that the method is an effective fault data disposal method for steam turbine generator fault
diagnosis.
Pavan Kumar et al.[3] stated that vibration-monitoring technique is very powerful tool for assessing the
condition of rotary machine and if used with proper precautionary methods it can reduce the breakdowns of
power plants. Lun et al.[4] described a reliable condition monitoring system to prevent machinery malfunction
and which predicts the useful life of the machine. For this purpose a bearing case from NASA data repository was
taken as a case study to validate the feasibility of the proposed method which showed that degradation of bearing
can be effectively monitored.

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Ch.Sai Amulya & M. Srinivasa Rao

Ariavie et al.[5] developed a Fuzzy Inference System for predicting the performance of steam turbine based on analyzing
the generated data for different inlet and outlet conditions. The result of efficiency for different types of membership
functions and defuzzification method was obtained. He stated that Fuzzy logic can be used to effectively predict the
performance of a steam turbine.Ignatio et al. [6]described how online remote condition monitoring increases the
maintenance system. His findings specified the several aspects of online remote condition monitoring system which
thermal power plants can consider to improve on plant safety.Shen et al.[7] developed a diagnostic model algorithm based
on the Fuzzy logic modeling method that estimated engine health condition analysis for prediction of engine operation
behavior. The resulted models were nonlinear in nature and could predict the performance and could be examined for
abnormality.
Yang et al.[8] proposed integrated fuzzy multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) method for vendor selection
problem that included triangular fuzzy numbers,interpretive structural modeling, the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process,
non-additive fuzzy integral to determine the best vendor based on fuzzy weights with fuzzy synthetic utilities.Rui
Francisco et al.[9] described a detection method for rotating machine failures based on a change in vibration pattern. He
stated that a Fuzzy System was adjusted to detect and analyze the evolution of severity and decision making about
maintenance of rotating machines.Malay et al. [10] explained that a Fuzzy base maintenance system (FBMS) has been
considered for his study taking frequency and downtime asinput parameters because fuzzy logic technique is best suited for
adapting multi variable parameters. His study aimed at reducing the causes of breakdowns and this model can be used to
analyze maintenance practice cost and maintenance time.
From the above literature survey, it was observed that as the time passes the health condition of the machine,
occurrence frequency of failures and its effect vary. Hence to mitigate these limitations, vibration analysis technique has
performed in this work for condition monitoring of turbo generators in thermal power plant of the Visakhapatnam Steel
plant. After that the results obtained from the vibration analysis have been further analysed by using Fuzzy logic tool in
MATLAB to evaluate the health condition of turbo generators.In this work Visakhapatnam Steel Plant has been taken as a
case study for the analysis.

CONDITION MONITORING OF TURBOGENERATORS USING VIBRATION ANALYSIS

Panel In this work the displacement and velocity of five turbo generators are collected from maintenance log
books of the thermal power plant. The health condition of five turbo generators is analysed and modelled by using Fuzzy
tool box in MATLAB as described below.
Condition monitoring of turbogenerators in Visakahapatnam steel plant is carried out by Bently Neveda 3500
series vibration monitoring system (BNVMS) as shown Figure 1.The vibration probes are connected to the turbogenerator
bearings at four positions i.e., at turbine front, turbine rear, geneator front and generator rear. Voltage from BNVMS is sent
to all probes and the vibration is taken in vertical, horizontal and axialdirections at all four positions which is sent to the
Distributed Control System (DCS). The DCS connected to Human Machine Interface takes the vibration trends at each
position of the system at every interval of time and the technical data of the system is also displayed.

Impact Factor (JCC): 5.7294

NAAS Rating: 2.45

Condition Monitoring of Turbogenerators of a Thermal Power Plant Using Fuzzy Logic

27

Figure 1: Bently Neveda Vibration Monitoring System in TPP, Vizag Steel Plant
By using the Bently NevedaVibration Monitoring System, the vibration data of turbo generators were collected
from the maintenance log books. Velocity and displacements of turbo generators are taken in three directions i.e., axial,
vertical and horizontal directions along turbine front,turbine rear, generator front and generator rear positions. The sample
data of TG 1 is shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Displacements and Velocities at Different Positions on TG 1
TG 1

Vertical

Horizontal

Axial

Position
TF
TR
GF
GF
TF
TR
GF
GF
TF
TR
GF
GF

Displacement
22
18
24
23
15
41
35
16
21
31
42
27

Velocity
1.7
1.5
2.1
2.1
2.3
4.6
3.9
1
1.5
3.6
4.9
3.3

CONDITION MONITORING OF TURBO GENERATORS USING FUZZY LOGIC

In this work, the data obtained from Bently NevedaVibration Monitoring System the displacement and velocity of
turbo generators are further analysed using fuzzy logic technique.The displacement and velocity of five turbo generators
are taken as the input parameters and health condition is taken as the output parameter in the fuzzy logic. In fuzzification,
each input parameter has sub divded into five triangular membership functions and the output parameter has sub divided
into trapezoidal membership functions. Fuzzy rules have been developed for each parameter and finally, after the
defuzzifcation process the health condition of each turbo generator has evaluated.

THE FUZZY SYSTEM

The fuzzy inference system contains following five steps : (i) Fuzzification (ii) Rule base (iii) Fuzzy inference
system (iv) data base and (v) Defuzzification. The fuzzy inference system is shown in Figure 1.
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Ch.Sai Amulya & M. Srinivasa Rao

The function of each block is mentioned briefly as below :

A fuzzification interface which converts the crisp inputs into degrees of match with linguistic values.
values Rule base
consisting a number of fuzzy if-then
then rules.A
rules A fuzzy inference system (FIS) is a system that uses fuzzy set theory to map
inputs (features in the case of fuzzy classification) to outputs.
outputs Database
se which defines the membership functions of the
fuzzy sets used in the fuzzy rules.A
A defuzzification interface which converts the fuzzy results of the inference into a crisp
output.

Figure 2: Fuzzy Inference System

FUZZIFICATION OF INPUT AND OUTPUT PARAMETERS

The application of fuzzy logic is to identify the variation in ranges of input and output variables. Then the range of
each process variable is divided into group of fuzzy subsets. Each fuzzy sub set is given a proper name and assigned a
member ship function. The membership function is assigned without depending on the results of the experiments. In
general membership functions are classified into trapezoidal, triangular etc. The Mamdani type of Fuzzy Inference System
was chosen for this work. Thee displacement and velocity of the each turbogenerator are taken as the input parameters while
the health condition is taken as the output of the Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) for vibration monitoring of turbo
generators. The fuzzification process of a fuzzy
fuzz logic system shown below in Figure 3

Figure 3 Fuzzification Process of TG 1

Displacementrange of TG 1:The maximum to and fro motion of the vibrating part when force is applied;
measured in Microns. The displacement is in the range of {0 50} from data
dat table 1 and is classified into five triangular
membership functions as Very high, High, Medium,
Medium Low and Very Low with ranges {-12.5
12.5 12.5}, {0 25}, {12.5 37.5},
{25 50}, {37.5 62.5}.
Impact Factor (JCC): 5.7294

NAAS Rating: 2.45

Condition Monitoring of Turbogenerators of a Thermal Power Plant Using Fuzzy Logic

29

Figure 4: Membership Functions of Displacement of TG 1

Velocity range of TG 1:The maximum speed at which the motion takes place in a vibrating part; measured in
mm/sec. The velocity parameter is in the range of {0 20} from data table 1 and is classified into five triangular
membership functions as Very high, High, Medium, Low and Very Low with ranges {-55 5}, {0 10}, {5 15}, {10 20}, {15
25}.

Figure 5: Membership Functions of Velocity of TG 1

Health condition of TG 1: The range of health condition is considered between {0 10} and is classified into five
trapezoidal membership functions as Very good, good, fair, rough and Very rough.with ranges {-2.2
{
2.2}, {0.3 4.7}, {2.8
7.2}, {5.3 9.7}, {7.8 12.2}.

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Ch.Sai Amulya & M. Srinivasa Rao

Figure 6: Membership Functions of Health Condition of TG 1

RULE EVALUATION
The relationship between input and the output
output in fuzzy system is given by a set of statements which are called
fuzzy rules. If all the fuzzy rules are saved in a data base, a fuzzy rule base will be established. The number of fuzzy rules
rule
in fuzzy system is related to the number of fuzzy set for each
each input variable. The fuzzy rules for TG 1 are shown in Figure
7. In this paper two input parameters are taken each has five subdivisions and one hundred twenty five rules rules are taken
based on if-then
then statement to describe this model.

Figure 7: Rules For Membership Functions of TG 1

DEFUZZIFICATION
The final step is the defuzzification process. It is a process of converting fuzzification value to an equivalent crisp
value of actual use. This process is based on the idea of deriving a crisp value for a fuzzy function. Defuzzification reduces
the collection of membership function values to a single scalar quantity.From the defuzzification process the health
condition of TG 1 at displacement, velocity range of {25 10} is {5}. From the defuzzification process the health condition
of TG 1 is said to befairas shown in Figure 8.
Impact Factor (JCC): 5.7294

NAAS Rating: 2.45

Condition Monitoring of Turbogenerators of a Thermal Power Plant Using Fuzzy Logic

31

Turbo Generator 1

Figure 8: Defuzzified Valuesof TG 1

RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS

The defuzzification process as performed in the previous section has been performed for other turbo generators
and the obtained results are incorporated from Figure 9 to Figure 12.
Turbo Generator 2

Figure 9: Defuzzified Valuesof TG 2

From the defuzzification process the health condition of TG 2 at displacement, velocity range of {75 10} is {5}.
From the defuzzification process the health condition of TG 2 is said to be fair.
Turbo Generator 3

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Ch.Sai Amulya & M. Srinivasa Rao

Figure 10: Defuzzified valuesof TG 3

From the defuzzification process the health condition of TG 3 at displacement, velocity range of {50 10} is {5}. From the
defuzzification process the health condition of TG 3 is said to be fair.
Turbo Generator 4

Figure 11: Defuzzified Valuesof TG 4

From the defuzzification process the health condition of TG 4 at displacement, velocity range of {125 10} is {5}.
From the defuzzification process the health condition of TG 4 is said to be fair.
Turbo Generator 5

Figure12: Defuzzified Valuesof TG 5

From the defuzzification process the health condition of TG 5 at displacement, velocity range of {25 10} is {5}.
From the defuzzification process the health condition of TG 5 is said to be fair.

Impact Factor (JCC): 5.7294

NAAS Rating: 2.45

Condition Monitoring of Turbogenerators of a Thermal Power Plant Using Fuzzy Logic

33

CONCLUSIONS
Vibration Monitoring and Analysis using Fuzzy tool box is the easiest way to analyse the complex systems.In this
work turbogenerators of thermal power plant are taken as a case study and a brief description of how to fuzzy the vague
condition monitoring data to get the health condition of the system easily than manual technique has been performed. In
this work, vibration monitoring analysis of steam turbo generators is studied. In this study Fuzzy Logic Toolbox in
MATLAB is used for analysing the health condition of the turbo generators considering displacement and velocity as
parameters. For this purpose, a thermal power plant (TPP) of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant has been chosen as a case
study.by using fuzzy logic, the vibration analysis data has been further analysed. The obtained results shows that exact
condition monitoring of turbo generators with less effort than the conventional vibration analysis. This type of analysis is
very useful for assessing the condition of complex systems of thermal power plants.
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