An adaptive stochastic resonance method based on grey wolf optimizer algorithm and its application to machinery fault diagnosis

Stochastic resonance (SR) is widely used as an enhanced signal detection method in machinery fault diagnosis. However, the system parameters have significant effects on the output results, which makes it difficult for SR method to achieve satisfactory analysis results. To solve this problem and improve the performance of SR method, this paper proposes an adaptive SR method based on grey wolf optimizer (GWO) algorithm for machinery fault diagnosis. Firstly, the SR system parameters are optimized by the GWO algorithm using a redefined signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as optimization objective function. Then, the optimal SR output matching the input signal can be adaptively obtained using the optimized parameters. The proposed method is validated on a simulated signal detection and a rolling element bearing test bench, and then applied to the gear fault diagnosis of electric locomotive. Compared with the conventional fixed-parameter SR method, the adaptive SR method based on genetic algorithm (GA-SR) as well as the well-known fast kurtogram method, the proposed method can achieve a greater accuracy. The results indicated that the proposed method has great practical values in engineering.