Method for developing a unified quality assessment and providing an automated fault diagnostic tool for turbine machine systems and the like

Abstract

A computer implemented process is provided for assessing and characterizing the degree of success or failure of an operational event of a machine system such as a fluid compressor machine or turbine machine or the like on a continuous numerical scale. The computer implemented process develops and tracks machine unit signatures, machine site signatures and machine fleet signatures to evaluate various operational events and provide fault detection. At least some sensor data acquired from the machine system during an operational event is transformed to correct or at least reduce variabilities in the data caused by ambient conditions and fuel quality. The transformed data is then analyzed using statistical methods to determine how closely the operational event conforms to an expected normal behavior and the information is used to develop a single comprehensive quality assessment of the event. By saving, tracking and updating operational event assessments over time, machine/component degradation may be recognized at any early stage and corrective action may be initiated in advance of a catastrophic failure.