The term “rotating equipment” encompasses a wide range of machines that are critical in most industrial processes. As such, the capability of performing online condition monitoring of these machines is of great importance in order to prevent unplanned downtime and catastrophic failure. The Eskom Rotor Laboratory is an experimental facility which was established to conduct research focusing on the application and development of new measurement and signal processing techniques towards this goal. A strong emphasis is placed on non-contact measurement techniques as well as condition monitoring of machines operating under fluctuating loads and speeds.
The Lab is equipped with several state-of-the-art experimental test benches that capacitate experimental testing of turbo machinery blades, gearboxes, gas seals and rotor dynamics.
Current focus research areas include online condition monitoring of turbo machinery blades, wind turbine blades and gearboxes and turbomachines via rotor dynamics. Research into advanced gas seal technologies are also under way.
