General Electric Company

Ge Infrastructure Technology, LLC

General Electric Technology Gmbh

Andrew David Ellis

Kurt Kramer Schleif

Michael Allen Ball

Robert D Jones

Mario Joseph Arceneaux

Donald Shaw

Vincent Carmona

David L Beshears

Stephen W Allison

Fabian Gubelmann

Roman Stefan Peter

Jason Ryan Henderson

Thomas Gloor

Duane Weldon Dinkel

Zachary John Snider

Stephen Paul Wassynger

Cale Brittain

Robert David Jones

David Beshears

Donald W Shaw

An apparatus and method for radiation measurement are used to determine clearance of a rotating gas turbine component. The apparatus includes a probe body on a stationary component outward of the rotating component and a pair of sensor assemblies coupled to the probe body. Each sensor assembly includes a plurality of prisms coupled to the probe body Each prism of the plurality of prisms has a distinct angular orientation to direct radiation from the focusing lens to the rotating component surface off-axis with respect to an axis of the respective radiation source of the pair of radiation sources and with less directional variation than radiation from the respective radiation source.

Apparatus and method for transmitting radiation to a rotating component

A sensor system for a turbomachine having an axis is disclosed. The sensor system includes a mounting member including a body configured to be mounted to a circumferential slot defined in at least a circumferential portion of a circumferential interior surface of a casing of the turbomachine. A plurality of sensors is coupled to the mounting member and configured to measure an operational parameter of the turbomachine.

Systems and methods for sensors on circumferential interior surface of turbomachine casing

A sensor system for a turbomachine having an axis is disclosed. The sensor system includes a mounting member including a body configured to be mounted to only a circumferential portion of a circumferential interior surface of a casing of the turbomachine. A plurality of sensors are coupled to the mounting member and configured to measure an operational parameter of the turbomachine.

Systems and methods for sensors on only part of circumferential interior surface of turbomachine casing

A milling device for machining a slot into an inner surface of a casing for a gas turbine engine. The milling device includes a frame assembly including multiple structural guides configured to engage structural features on the inner surface of the casing to maintain an axial position of the milling device relative to a longitudinal axis of the casing. The milling device also includes a milling cutter coupled to the frame assembly. The milling device is configured to be displaced in a circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal axis to machine the slot, via the milling cutter, along the inner surface of the casing in the circumferential direction.

System and method for machining a slot in an inner surface of a casing for a gas turbine engine

Thermocouples for high temperature applications are provided. A thermocouple includes a vessel formed from a dielectric material, the vessel defining a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber and second chamber in fluid communication. The thermocouple further includes a first thermoelement disposed in the first chamber, the first thermoelement formed from a first thermoelectric material. The thermocouple further includes a second thermoelement disposed in the second chamber, the second thermoelement formed from a second thermoelectric material different from the first thermoelectric material, and wherein the second thermoelement is a liquid at operating conditions of the thermocouple.

Thermocouples for high temperature applications

A measurement system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The measurement system comprises a sensor assembly. The measurement system also includes multiple sensors coupled to the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly is configured to be removably inserted within a space defined by a circumferential track embedded within an inner diameter of a casing of the gas turbine engine without having to disassemble the casing.

System and method for removably inserting a sensor assembly into a compressor casing

A mounting member for a sensor for a turbomachine having an axis is disclosed. The mounting member includes a body configured to mount to a portion of a circumferential interior surface of a casing of the turbomachine. An opening extends through a radially inner surface of the body, and is configured to position the sensor facing radially inward relative to the axis. A passage in the body extends longitudinally through the body to route a communications lead of the sensor circumferentially relative to the circumferential interior surface of the casing.

Sensor mounting for circumferential interior surface of turbomachine casing

A system is provided with a measurement system having a light source, a light sensor, and a controller coupled to the light source and the light sensor. The controller is configured to determine a clearance between a rotor and a casing at least partially based on an interruption of light transmitted from the light source to the light sensor.

System and method for optical measurements in a rotary machine

A casing for a turbomachine is disclosed. The casing includes a casing body including an interior surface and an exterior surface. At least one sensor is coupled relative to the interior surface of the body, the at least one sensor at most only partially extending through the body. A communications lead is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor, and extends circumferentially along the interior surface of the body.

A method for determining an arrival-time of a rotor blade that includes attaching an RF reader to a stationary surface and an RF tag to the rotor blade. Time-of-flight data points are collected via an RF monitoring process that includes: emitting an RF signal from the RF reader and recording a first time; receiving the RF signal at the RF tag and emitting a return RF signal by the RF tag in response thereto; receiving the return RF signal at the RF reader and recording a second time; and determining the time-of-flight data point as being the duration occurring between the first time and the second time. The RF monitoring process is repeated until multiple time-of-flight data points are collected. A minimum time-of-flight is determined from the multiple time-of-flight data points, and the arrival-time for the rotor blade is determined as being a time that corresponds to the minimum time-of-flight.

Methods and systems for monitoring rotor blades in turbine engines

A mounting system for a tool for machining a half-shell casing of a turbomachine is disclosed. The mounting system includes a base frame including a mounting element configured to fixedly mount the base frame to the half-shell casing, wherein the base frame spans at least a portion of the half-shell casing. A tool mount includes a first end pivotally coupled to the base frame to pivot about a pivot axis that is substantially parallel relative to an axis of the half-shell casing, and a second end configured to couple to and position the tool for machining the half-shell casing.

Mounting system for tool for machining circumferential interior surface of turbomachine casing

A system is provided with a measurement system having a plurality of light sources, a plurality of light sensors, and a controller coupled to the plurality of light sources and the plurality of light sensors. The controller is configured to monitor one or more parameters between a rotor and a casing at least partially based on an interruption or a transmission of one or more paths of light from the plurality of light sources to the plurality of light sensors.

A system is provided with a measurement system having a light source, a plurality of light sensors, and a controller coupled to the light source and the plurality of light sensors. The controller is configured to monitor one or more parameters between a rotor and a casing at least partially based on an interruption or a transmission of light from the light source to the plurality of light sensors.

A method for determining an arrival-time of a rotor blade that includes attaching an RF reader to a stationary surface and an RF tag to the rotor blade. Strength-of-signal data points are collected via an RF monitoring process that includes: emitting an RF signal from the RF reader; receiving the RF signal at the RF tag and emitting a return RF signal by the RF tag in response thereto; receiving the return RF signal at the RF reader; measuring a signal strength of the return RF signal as received by the RF reader; and determining the strength-of-signal data point as being equal to the measured signal strength. The RF monitoring process is repeated until multiple strength-of-signal data points are collected. A maximum strength-of-signal is determined from the multiple strength-of-signal data points, and the arrival-time for the rotor blade is determined as being a time that corresponds to the maximum strength-of-signal.

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Greenville, SC, United States of America

Andrew David Ellis