Rotor states of motion estimation using on-shaft MEMS accelerometers

This paper presents a novel method for measuring rotational acceleration, speed, and position in industrial applications involving stationary mounted rotating drivelines. The proposed method utilizes shaft-mounted MEMS type accelerometers, while accounting for imperfect mounting, non-matched sensitivity of the sensors, and possible misalignment. By combining linear accelerations from accelerometers mounted on the surface of a rotating driveshaft with a state space model of the rotational states of motion in an extended Kalman filter, the proposed method provides accurate measurements with great flexibility in sensor placement. Next to the method to obtain the states of motion, a calibration strategy is also introduced to deal with often unknown sensor parameters. The data can be transmitted over a slip ring or by wireless transmission, making it a convenient and cost-effective approach for obtaining rotational states of motion in industrial settings.