SENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• Main Authors: Potyrailo Radislav Alexandrovich, Jammu Vinay Bhaskar, Madyastha Venkatesh, Prabhu Rahul Srinivas
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 23.03.2017
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDEDFOR ELSEWHERE; BLASTING; CHECKING-DEVICES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; HEATING; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; LIGHTING; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MEASURING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PHYSICS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; STEAM ENGINES; TESTING; TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; WEAPONS

A system includes one or more processors and a resonant sensor that contacts oil within an engine of a vehicle system. The sensor generates electrical stimuli at different times during an operational life of the engine. Each electrical stimulus has multiple different frequencies applied to the oil. The one or more processors receive electrical signals representing impedance responses of the oil to the electrical stimuli. The one or more processors determine a concentration of a polar analyte in the oil at the different times based on the impedance responses and calculate a degradation value for the engine based on the polar analyte concentration. Responsive to the degradation value exceeding a designated degradation threshold, the one or more processors at least one of schedule maintenance for the vehicle system, provide an alert to schedule maintenance for the vehicle system, or prohibit operation of the vehicle system until maintenance is performed.