Airborne & Structure-borne

Ultrasound As A Key Component

of Predictive Maintenance
Matt Hansen
Regional Manager
UE Systems, Inc.
matth@uesystems.com
UE  Systems,  Inc.  
—  Founded  in  1973;  40+  years  experience  with  ULTRASOUND  
—  Direct  Corporate  support;  13  regional  offices  -­‐  US  &  Canada    
—  InternaOonal  Training  and  Technical  Support    
—  Europe-­‐  UE  European  Support  Office-­‐Netherlands  
—  OperaOons  Manager,  Trainer,  Tech  Support    
—  Asia-­‐  UE  Asia  Support  Office-­‐  Hong  Kong  
—  India/Middle  East-­‐  Hyderabad,  India  
—  LaOn  America-­‐  Director  of  Ops,  NY  
—  Trainer  and  Tech  Support  in  Mexico  

 
What  is  Ultrasound?  

ULTRASOUND

PULSE/ECHO POWER AIR BORNE/

STRUCTURE BORNE
What  is  Ultrasound?  
—  Very  simply,  ultrasound  instruments  are  listening  
devices  
—  Listen  for  high  frequency  sound  that  is  not  heard  in  
the  audible  range  (human  hearing)  
—  Instruments  listen  for  &  translate  the  high  frequency  
sound  into  audible  sound  heard  through  the  headset  
What  is  Ultrasound?  
—  Ultrasonic  range  is  20kHz  to  100kHz  
—  Normal  human  hearing  is  around  16kHz  to  17kHz  (upper  
range)  
—  Unit  of  measurement  is  a  decibel  (dB)  
—  Advantages:  
—  Very  direcOonal  
—  Easy  to  locate  sources  of  ultrasound  
—  We  can  hear  ultrasounds  above  normal  plant  background  
noise  
Typical  ApplicaOons  
—  Airborne  ApplicaOons  
—  Compressed  air  &  gas  
leak  detecOon  including  
CO2  
—  Vacuum  leaks  
—  Steam  leaks  to  
atmosphere  
—  Electrical  InspecOon  
—  Corona  
—  Tracking    
—  Arcing  
Typical  ApplicaOons  
—  Structure-­‐Borne  
ApplicaOons  
—  Bearings  
—  Motors  
—  Gearboxes  
—  Pumps  –  cavitaOon    
—  Steam  Traps  
—  Valves  
—  LubricaOon  
—  Over  &  Under  
Energy  ConservaOon    
—  Compressed  Air  &  Gas  Leak  Detection  
—  Source  of  the  ultrasound  is  turbulence  
—  Pressure  leaks  and  air  in  leakage  produce  turbulence  
—  Air  leaks  can  be  quantified  based  off  of  the  dB,  pressure  
at  the  leak,  and  the  cost/kilowatt  hour  of  electricity  

 
Electrical  InspecOon  
—  Electrical  inspecOon  with  
Ultrasound  
—  Used  on  low,  medium,  &  
high  voltage  systems  
—  Primarily  a  safety  iniOaOve  
—  We  can  scan  and  listen  
without  opening  energized  
electrical  components  
Electrical  InspecOon  
—  Factors  to  consider:  
—  Safety  
—  PrioriOze  electrical  equipment  prior  to  inspecOng  
—  Likelihood  of  equipment  failure?  
—  Economics  of  a  failure  
—  Am  I  only  relying  on  annual  infrared  scans?  
Electrical  InspecOon  
—  Best  Prac/ces:  
—  Infrared  scans  are  typically  done  by  an  outside  service  
provider  annually,  or  semiannually  
—  In  between  annual  infrared  scans,  use  ultrasound  to  
periodically  listen  for  condiOons  
—  Only  relying  on  infrared  increases  the  chances  of  missing  
condiOons  not  detected  by  infrared  
—  The  best  method  of  diagnosing  electrical  issues  with  
ultrasound  is  through  the  use  of  recorded  ultrasounds  
Electrical  InspecOon  
—  Corona  
—  IonizaOon  of  air  surrounding  an  electrical  connecOon  
greater  than  1000  volts  
—  By-­‐product  of  ionizaOon  is  nitric  acid  
—  Does  not  produce  significant  heat    
Electrical  InspecOon  
—  Tracking  
—  Low  current  pathway  to  ground  across  an  insulator  
—  Can  be  present  at  any  voltage  
 
Electrical  InspecOon  
—  Arcing  

Arcing Time Series

Equipment  Reliability  
—  Used  for  condiOon  monitoring  and  predicOve  
maintenance  
—  Trending  the  dB  level  over  Ome  
—  Any  increase  in  the  dB  level  indicates  a  change  has  taken  
place  
—  Very  effecOve  on  slow  speed  equipment  
—  Can  be  used  as  a  sorOng  tool  
—  Complements  other  PdM  inspecOons  such  as  vibraOon  
analysis  
Equipment  Reliability  
—  Best  Prac/ces:  
—  IniOal  ultrasound  data  should  include  both  decibel  readings  
and  sound  files  
—  Once  baseline  has  been  established,  decibel  readings  are  
recorded  
—  Set  alarm  levels    
—  Record  both  decibel  readings  and  sound  files  when  an  
alarm  is  reached  
Mechanical  InspecOon  
—  Bearings  
Pump  CavitaOon  

Pump Cavitation Before Repair

Pump After Repair

Ultrasound  Assisted  LubricaOon  
—  The  majority  (~60%)  of  premature  bearing  failures  are  
lubricaOon  related  
—  TradiOonal  lubricaOon  programs  are  Ome  based  
—  How  was  the  amount  of  grease  applied  determined?  
—  Using  ultrasound  we  can  determine  when  we  have  
applied  enough  grease  &  when  we  have  began  to  over  
lubricate  
—  Source  of  the  ultrasound  is  fric%on  
 Valve  Leak  DetecOon  
A,  B,  C,  D    METHOD  
—  Used  T2x o  confirm  w1here  the  leak  is  1originating.  
2x
x x
A B C D

• Easy as ABCD Valve application in UP10,000

& UP15000
•  Stethoscope Module Set frequency (25KHz)
•  ABCD Method Comparison analysis in software
Training the World one plant at a time!
Valves  

A B C D

Training the World one plant at a time!

The  3  Easy  Rules  of  Valves    
— If  “C”  is  loudest,  LEAK-­‐BY  is  present  

— If  Sound  Anenuates  from  A-­‐D,  valve  is  CLOSED  

— If  Readings  are  the  Same  or  Similar,  valve  is  

OPEN  

Training the World one plant at a time!

Conclusions  
—  Ultrasound  is  very  versaOle  and  can  be  used  for  many  
different  applicaOons  
—  Instruments  can  be  used  in  any  environment  
—  IS  and  ATEX  rated  instruments  available  
—  Ultrasound  is  a  complement  to  other  PdM  technologies  
—  Adds  another  tool  that  can  be  used  to  enhance  any  
maintenance  &  reliability  program  
UE  Systems,  Inc.  
—  Training  Courses  Offered  
—  Level  I  Ultrasound  
—  32  hour  course  taught  over  4.5  days    
—  Level  II  Ultrasound  
—  32  hour  course  taught  over  4.5  days  

—  2.5  Day  Technology  ImplementaOon  Course  

—  Webinars  –  free,  located  on  our  website  
—  Specialized  One  and  Two  Day  Courses  
—  One  Day  Compressed  Air  Survey  Course  
—  Two  Day  Level  I  Steam  Trap  Examiner  Course