Development of a Case Vibration Measurement System for the DC-990 Gas Turbine

The continued use of gas turbines in industrial applications and increased customer desires for trend analysis has led gas turbine suppliers to develop sophisticated, reliable, cost-effective vibration monitoring systems. This paper discusses the application of case vibration monitoring systems and the design criteria for each component. Engine installation, transducer mounting brackets, types of transducers, interconnecting cables and connectors, charge amplifiers, and signal conditioning and monitoring are considered. Examples are given of the benefits experienced with the final system in several of Dresser Clark’s engine development programs, by manufacturing and production testing, and by Dresser’s field service staff.