Patent ID: 8668381
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: F01D,F05D,G05B

Abstract:
1. A monitoring system for monitoring performance parameters of an apparatus operating at an elevated temperature, the monitoring system comprising: sensors mounted on the apparatus for sensing the performance parameters thereof and generating analog sensor outputs; at least one hub unit mounted sufficiently close to the apparatus so as to be subjected to a first temperature in excess of 125° C., the hub unit comprising means for receiving the analog sensor outputs from the sensors, a control circuit board, and at least one signal conditioning circuit board, the control circuit board and the signal conditioning circuit board operating together to condition the analog sensor outputs and produce corresponding digital data, the control circuit board and the signal conditioning circuit board comprising electrical circuit components that define an analog signal processing path and have accuracy and precision characteristics that drift in response to component aging and to changes in the first temperature to which the hub unit is subjected; a collector unit mounted sufficiently close to the apparatus so as to be subjected to a second temperature of less than the first temperature, the collector unit comprising a power supply and means for receiving the digital data from the hub unit, the power supply supplying electrical power to the collector unit, the control circuit board and the signal conditioning circuit board of the hub unit, and the sensors, the collector unit comprising an enclosure containing a system voltage reference device and means for maintaining the system voltage reference device at a regulated temperature, the system voltage reference device producing a reference voltage; means for performing a continuous calibration scheme by periodically applying the reference voltage and a zero voltage to the signal conditioning circuit board to determine and remove errors in the analog signal processing path resulting from the drifts of the electrical circuit components of the control circuit board and the signal conditioning circuit board; and a distributor computer unit located sufficiently remote from the apparatus so as to be subjected to a third temperature of less than the second temperature, the distributor computer unit comprising means for receiving the digital data from the collector unit and means for processing the digital data to assess the performance parameters of the apparatus.