Hydropower

Case Study

Transforming Hydropower Maintenance with Smartphone-Based Video Vibration Analysis

Client: Sensatek Propulsion Technology, Inc.
Partners: Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), New York Power Authority (NYPA)
Project Site: Niagara Power Project (Robert Moses and Lewiston Pump Generating Plant)
Solution: Smartphone-based Phase-Based Motion Amplification (PBMA) for vibration monitoring
Industry: Renewable Energy – Hydropower

The Challenge

NYPA required a scalable, non-invasive, and cost-effective method for early detection of vibration-related anomalies in rotating equipment such as turbine shafts and wicket gates. Traditional vibration monitoring tools (e.g., proximity probes, accelerometers) had proven too costly, calibration-sensitive, or were not adopted due to complex installation and usability issues. Sensatek’s goal: validate a video-based monitoring tool that could match or exceed existing sensor capabilities.

The Innovation

Sensatek deployed a machine vision system using network cameras and later, iPhones, to capture high-speed video and extract displacement and vibration data using Phase-Based Motion Amplification (PBMA). Key techniques included:

Modal coordinate calibration to match camera data with proximity probe measurements
Fractal Dimension (FD) analysis to highlight structural irregularities
Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Blind Source Separation (BSS) to extract mode shapes from vibration patterns
Development of real-time cloud dashboards (Grafana + AWS) for visualizing time series and frequency data

Rapid Pivot to Smartphone Technology

Due to hardware and connectivity limitations with industrial cameras, Sensatek innovated further, developing a smartphone-based alternative using iPhone 13 Pro Max. This portable, user-friendly system:

Outcomes & Commercialization Results

Validation Against Proximity Probes:

Camera-based displacement measurements showed strong correlation with traditional sensors, accurately identifying shaft rotational frequency and peak-to-peak displacement.

Maintenance Team Buy-In

Teams preferred PBMA’s visual diagnostics over conventional vibration tools. The method required no technical calibration and clearly showed which gate or shaft was vibrating abnormally—all from a short video clip.

Cost Savings Potential:

A predictive maintenance strategy using smartphone PBMA could save NYPA an estimated $1.5 million annually, with a 10-year NPV of $10.54 million. Avoiding just one major failure ($500K–$1M) annually could boost ROI above $15 million.

Expanded Use Cases:

Maintenance teams identified additional high-value targets: compressors, water pumps, balance-of-plant motors, and shafts. The system proved effective even for diagnosing looseness, misalignment, and shaft imbalance in auxiliary equipment.

User-Centric Adoption Strategy:

By focusing on showing visual evidence of faults instead of just numbers, Sensatek overcame cultural barriers around sensor adoption. “Seeing is believing” became the driver of trust and deployment.

Scalable Commercialization Impact

Sensetek’s technology is innovative in nature and could lead to monitoring and trending methods that aid in the long-term maintenance of generation assets – Steven Wilkie, Dir., R&D at the New York Power Authority

Viable Applications:

Want This Technology in Your Facility?

We help commercialize field-validated technologies that transform maintenance and reliability practices. Contact us to learn how we can deploy smartphone-based video analytics for your rotating equipment and structural health monitoring needs.