A method for determining a current wear (w) of a hydrostatic pump, particularly of a radial piston pump, with a variable-speed drive, where the pump is connected to a fluid passage, in which a fluid is pumped by the pump to create a current actual volume flow in the fluid passage. A current actual volume flow (Q.sub.act) is determined, by measuring the volume flow in the fluid passage at a predetermined drive-vector, a computed volume flow (Q.sub.comp) is determined, by a first computational method, at the predetermined drive-vector, and the current wear (w) of the pump is determined, by a second computational method, which relates the current actual volume flow (Q.sub.act) to the computed volume flow (Q.sub.comp).

A machine monitoring system automatically determines an optimal trigger angle for monitoring the rod drop of a reciprocating compressor, and sets the trigger angle configuration value accordingly. A key pulse is monitored using a key phase sensor, the amplitude of the rod drop transducer voltage versus time (or rotation angle) is analyzed, and a position of the minimal change in slope of the rod drop transducer voltage signal relative to the key mark is determined. The optimal trigger angle is determined based on this temporal position, the current speed and the configured piston angle. The optimal trigger angle is provided to the machine monitoring system for configuration. The system thereby relieves the service engineer from having to test several trigger angles with manually-operated test instruments to determine the optimal trigger angle.

A method for determining a current wear (w) of a hydrostatic pump, particularly of a radial piston pump, with a variable-speed drive, where the pump is connected to a fluid passage, in which a fluid is pumped by the pump to create a current actual volume flow in the fluid passage. A current actual volume flow (Q.sub.act) is determined, by measuring the volume flow in the fluid passage at a predetermined drive-vector, a computed volume flow (Q.sub.comp) is determined, by a first computational method, at the predetermined drive-vector, and the current wear (w) of the pump is determined, by a second computational method, which relates the current actual volume flow (Q.sub.act) to the computed volume flow (Q.sub.comp).

A method of monitoring degradation of seals of a packing case includes receiving signals from a first temperature sensor installed in a first location in a housing of the packing case; receiving signals from a second temperature sensor installed in a second location in the housing of the packing case; computing, from the signals, a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor at two or more times; and determining, at least in part from the temperature differential at the two or more times, a degradation indicator for at least one of the seals of the packing case.

A method of monitoring degradation of seals of a packing case includes receiving signals from a first temperature sensor installed in a first location in a housing of the packing case; receiving signals from a second temperature sensor installed in a second location in the housing of the packing case; computing, from the signals, a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor at two or more times; and determining, at least in part from the temperature differential at the two or more times, a degradation indicator for at least one of the seals of the packing case.

A method of monitoring degradation of seals of a packing case includes receiving signals from a first temperature sensor installed in a first location in a housing of the packing case; receiving signals from a second temperature sensor installed in a second location in the housing of the packing case; computing, from the signals, a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor at two or more times; and determining, at least in part from the temperature differential at the two or more times, a degradation indicator for at least one of the seals of the packing case.

A method of monitoring degradation of seals of a packing case includes receiving signals from a first temperature sensor installed in a first location in a housing of the packing case; receiving signals from a second temperature sensor installed in a second location in the housing of the packing case; computing, from the signals, a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor at two or more times; and determining, at least in part from the temperature differential at the two or more times, a degradation indicator for at least one of the seals of the packing case.