An apparatus obtains a plurality of waveforms representing measurements of a physical characteristic of a machine's operation and a plurality of performance results of the machine corresponding respectively to the plurality of waveforms, each of the performance results indicative of the machine's performance under conditions at which the measurement represented by the corresponding waveform was made. The apparatus divides each of the waveforms into a common plurality of intervals and calculates, for each of at least one of the intervals, an influence value that represents a degree of influence of the plurality of waveforms on the plurality of performance results over the interval.

A combustion speed, for example, is estimated or evaluated, with a required accuracy, more simply than the conventional art, while reducing man-hours to produce a heat generation rate waveform of an internal combustion engine. An increase rate of a heat generation rate relative to a change in a crank angle in a heat generation rate increasing period (e.g., a first-half combustion period a) in which the heat generation rate increases after ignition of an air-fuel mixture is defined as a heat generation rate gradient b/a that is one of characteristic values of the heat generation rate waveform. The heat generation rate gradient is estimated based on a fuel density (e.g., fuel density .sub.fuel@dQpeak at heat generation rate maximum time) at a predetermined time set in advance in the heat generation rate increasing period so as to produce the heat generation rate waveform using the estimated heat generation rate gradient.

This invention encompasses embodiments for multi-modal integrated simultaneous measurement of various aspects of fluids contained in circulating systems such as automotive reciprocating engines and vehicle transmissions. These circulating systems perform constant internal lubrication, and heat and contaminant removal to protect the internal moving parts from the inherent friction and damage in normal operation. Most commonly this is achieved with fluids based on hydrocarbon and/or related synthetics, which, over time can lose their protective properties, and vary in their performance or breakdown/decay due to internal and external events. Several components within the lubricant fluid can be measured and can provide insight into the efficacy of the system to perform its designed mission. Described herein is a real-time, simultaneous, integrated, multi-modal sensor system for early warning notification that can be further enhanced using specifically designed nanoparticles that can be introduced into the system, engineered to specifically bind with the contaminants and/or undergo an irreversible state change upon certain experienced conditions to both increase the detectability as well as provide for a framework to improve filter performance.

A health monitoring system for a prime mover of a locomotive is disclosed. The health monitoring system comprises: the prime mover having a cylinder head with a first bank and a second bank; an EGR cooler; a turbocharger; a first temperature sensor provided on a first exhaust and a second temperature sensor provided on a second exhaust; a barometric pressure sensor; a controller in communication with the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the barometric pressure sensor, the controller configured to: monitor a temperature relationship between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor in real time at varying altitudes and atmospheres; detect instances of temperature differentials during operation; and identify an operational issue when instances of temperature differentials exceeds a temperature differential limit.

A learning unit learns a difference between a detected value ECT and a detected value RCT when it is determined that the detected value ECT and detected value RCT are stable while an engine is at a stop. A diagnostic unit performs a fault diagnosis for the engine based on the difference between the detected value ECT and detected value RCT having been corrected through use of a learned value learned by the learning unit. Accordingly, a fault diagnostic system for an internal combustion engine and a fault diagnostic method for an internal combustion engine can be achieved in which accuracy in fault diagnosis for the internal combustion engine can be improved and an erroneous diagnosis can be restrained.

A health monitoring system for a prime mover of a locomotive is disclosed. The health monitoring system comprises: the prime mover having a cylinder head with a first bank and a second bank; an EGR cooler; a turbocharger; a first temperature sensor provided on a first exhaust and a second temperature sensor provided on a second exhaust; a barometric pressure sensor; a controller in communication with the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the barometric pressure sensor, the controller configured to: monitor a temperature relationship between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor in real time at varying altitudes and atmospheres; detect instances of temperature differentials during operation; and identify an operational issue when instances of temperature differentials exceeds a temperature differential limit.