Mathematical Model, Simulation, and Experimental Calibration of Electrostatic Wear-Site Sensor

Electrostatic wear-site sensor (WSS) is one type of the electrostatic sensors based on electrostatic charging phenomenon and has been used in the condition monitoring of tribological systems. With the advantages of high sensitivity and resolution, WSS has been proved to be an effective sensing technique for sliding, rolling, and bearing contacts. However the sensing technique has so far not been widely used in industrial systems due to the difficulties in identifying the exact charge sources and charging mechanisms in a complex tribological system. This paper establishes a mathematical model and presents the results from a simulation of the sensing mechanisms with some useful parameters, which are successfully validated by experimental results. The initial WSS simulation results have led to a better sensor design and application.