US 11,747,138 B2
Shaft alignment online condition monitoring system using planetary gear apparatus
Mohamad Abduladhim Al Ibrahim, Al-Hassa (SA); and Salem Khalid Al Turki, Hafouf (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Feb. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/182,552.
Prior Publication US 2022/0268572 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. G01B 11/27 (2006.01); F16H 57/08 (2006.01); F16H 1/46 (2006.01); F16H 1/36 (2006.01); B60K 25/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01B 11/272 (2013.01) [F16H 1/36 (2013.01); F16H 1/46 (2013.01); F16H 57/082 (2013.01); B60K 2025/005 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for shaft alignment monitoring comprising:
a first planetary gear set comprising:
a first sun gear, having first sun gear teeth, designed to rotate at an operating speed of rotating equipment,
at least one planetary gear, having planetary gear teeth, and
a first ring gear, having first ring gear teeth, designed to rotate at a speed lower than the operating speed of the rotating equipment,
a second planetary gear set comprising:
a second sun gear, having second sun gear teeth, designed to rotate at the operating speed of the rotating equipment,
at least one planetary gear, having planetary gear teeth, and
a second ring gear, having second ring gear teeth, designed to rotate at a speed lower than the operating speed of the rotating equipment,
at least one laser source installed on the first ring gear of the first planetary gear set, and
at least one laser receiver installed on the second ring gear of the second planetary gear set,
wherein the at least one laser source corresponds with the at least one laser receiver to measure alignment readings while the rotating equipment is rotating at speeds up to and including the operating speed, and
wherein the alignment readings are read and processed by a laser alignment data collector connected to a computer processor.