United Technologies Corporation

Other

Bruce D Hockaday

Thomas M Ritter

Geary R Carrier

Kenneth D Taylor

Mark R Fernald

James P Waters

Charles W Haldeman

Paul G Suchoski, Jr

W Schuyler Montgomery

A fiber grating temperature sensor includes a hollow tube, an optical fiber disposed in the hollow tube such that a gap exists between at least a portion of an internal surface of the hollow tube and an exterior surface of the optical fiber. The optical fiber includes at least one Bragg grating. A lubricant is disposed within the hollow tube, between the exterior surface of the fiber and the interior surface of the hollow tube.

Fiber grating temperature sensor

According to an aspect, a bowed rotor sensor system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The bowed rotor sensor system includes a bowed rotor sensor operable to transmit a sensing field in an observation region and receive a signal indicative of a gap between an air seal and a blade tip within the gas turbine engine. The bowed rotor sensor system also includes a controller operable to monitor a plurality of gap data from the bowed rotor sensor indicative of the gap between the air seal and the blade tip of a plurality of blades passing through the observation region and determine a bowed rotor status of the gas turbine engine based on the gap data.

Bowed rotor sensor system

In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a probe seating and locking device comprising a main body and a sleeve disposed at least partially concentrically about a probe. In various embodiments, the main body comprises a relief cut, a probe channel in communication with the relief cut, and a probe housing extending from the main body, wherein the probe housing has a probe passage in communication with the probe channel. In various embodiments, the probe passage comprises a first end, a second end, and a sensing aperture, wherein the probe housing is coupled to the main body at the first end. In various embodiments, the probe is disposed in the probe channel and is in contact with the seating step.

Non-intrusive stress measurement system un-lensed probe seating locking device

A method for configuring a sensor of a non-interference stress management system is disclosed. The method may include determining a focal distance between a light transmitting fiber and a transmit lens, the focal distance configured to focus light from the transmit fiber to form a focused transmit beam, the transmit beam targeting a reflective structure. The method may further include positioning the light transmitting fiber and the transmit lens, wherein the light transmitting fiber and the transmit lens are separated by a transmit gap based on the focal distance and positioning a light receptive fiber and a receive lens to receive a focused reflected beam from the reflective structure, wherein the light receptive fiber is separated from the receive lens by a receive gap based on the focal distance.

Focused optical configuration for NSMS probes

A phosphor thermometer is disclosed. The phosphor thermometer may comprise a light source configured to emit an excitation light, and an input waveguide configured to transmit at least a portion of the excitation light from the light source to a temperature sensing end. A phosphor may be located at the temperature sensing end and it may be configured to emit a fluorescence signal upon absorption of at least a portion of the excitation light transmitted by the input waveguide. The phosphor thermometer may further comprise an output waveguide configured to transmit at least a portion of the fluorescence signal from the phosphor to a detector. The detector may determine a fluorescence decay constant from the time dependent decay of the fluorescence signal, and the fluorescence decay constant may be correlated with a temperature.

Phosphor thermometer with two waveguides

A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section mounted relative to an engine static structure. A module includes instrumentation that is mounted to the engine static structure. The module includes an energy harvesting power source that is configured to provide electricity to the instrumentation during engine operation and is independent of an external electrical power source.

Wireless power for gas turbine engine instrumentation

A station probe employed in a gas turbine engine includes a rake portion having a plurality of sensors for sensing conditions in the gas turbine engine. An environmental container attached to the rake portion includes signal conditioning circuitry that locally analyzes sensor signals received from the plurality of sensors to generate measured values, and a communication module for communicating the measured values to a control room.

Station probe for gas turbine engines

A method for determining axial location of rotor blades is provided. The method may monitor an output signal of a sensor configured to detect the proximity of the rotor blades, wherein at least one of the rotor blades being marked with a position marker that is configured to cause a recognizable inconsistency in the output signal only when the rotor blades rotate at a known default axial position. The method may further determine the axial displacement of the rotor blades if the inconsistency is not detected in the output signal for at least one full revolution of the rotor blades.

Optical detection of airfoil axial position with NSMS

A self-exciting optical strain sensor (20) includes dual parallel bridges (22,24) having parallel facing surfaces (32,34). Light energy (38) entering a Fabry-Perot cavity (36) formed by this surfaces (32,34) induces a periodic buildup and release of energy in the cavity (36) which is directly related to the natural resonant frequency of the bridges (22,24). Analysis of the intensity of light emitted (50) from the cavity (36) determines the bridge natural frequency.

Self-exciting optical strain gage

An optical speed sensor includes a laser diode 10 that provides a broadband source light 12 to a coupler 18 which provides a source light 22 to a fiber Bragg grating 26 which reflects a first reflection wavelength of light 28 and passes the remainder as a light 30. The light 30 is incident on another fiber Bragg grating 32 which reflects a second reflection wavelength of light 34. The power of an output signal 40 is indicative of the reflected light beams 34,28, and is measured by a photodetector 46. The gratings 26,32 are mounted on a magnetostrictive material 60 which is connected to a permanent magnet 62 which is connected to a material 70 which conducts magnetic fields. The material 60 expands and contracts in response to the strength of magnetic fields therein. The reflection wavelengths for both gratings 26,32 are the same when the tooth 100 is not nearby, thereby causing the output signal 40 to be primarily equal to the reflected light 28. However, when the tooth 100 is nearby, the material 60 and the grating 32 expands causing the reflection wavelengths to separate, thereby causing the power of the output signal 40 to increase. Because both gratings 26,32 are on the same material thermal expansions will have no effect on the sensor measurement. Alternatively, one of the gratings 26,32 may be mounted to the material 70 or the magnet 62. The detection may performed in either reflection or transmission mode.

Optical fiber grating based sensor

A method of attaching an optical fiber to an IOC includes the step of preparing the IOC for attachment by utilizing a dicing saw to cut into the IOC at a depth less than the thickness of the IOC, the cut forming a surface which is normal or at an angle with respect to an optical axis of the waveguide, such step of cutting having the additional result of optically polishing the surface. A portion of the IOC between the initial cut and an end of the IOC is then progressively removed by a series of cuts using the dicing saw, the cuts are to a predetermined depth which is less than the thickness of the IOC, and greater than the radius of the fiber so as to insure proper coupling of the IOC waveguide and fiber core, such series of cuts producing a stepped surface in the IOC. Next, the fiber core is optically aligned with the waveguide by translational and rotational positioning of the fiber end face adjacent to the surface and above the stepped surface. The fiber end face is then secured to the cut surface with adhesive or other suitable means, and the fiber is attached to the stepped surface with adhesive or other suitable means.

Attaching optical fibers to integrated optic chips

A package for an IOC fabricated from an anisotropic material, such as X-cut lithium niobate or lithium tantalate, having identical thermal expansion coefficients in the X and Y directions and a different thermal expansion in the Z direction, or for an IOC fabricated from an isotropic material, such as gallium arsenide or silicon, includes an IOC enclosure having a planar mounting surface which has identical thermal expansion coefficients in the X and Y directions. The coefficients of the planar mounting surface are relatively similar to the thermal expansion coefficients of a planar surface of the IOC. A planar surface of the IOC is attached to the planar mounting surface of the package.

Strain isolated integrated optic chip package

A method of attaching an optical fiber to an IOC includes the step of forming an alignment groove in the waveguide surface of the IOC by utilizing a laser ablation system to remove a predetermined portion of the IOC material. Next, a dicing saw or other cutting means is used to cut into the IOC at a depth less than the thickness of the IOC, the cut forming a cut surface which is normal or at an angle with respect to both an optical axis of the waveguide and to an axis of the alignment groove, such step of cutting performing the additional function of optically polishing the cut surface. Next, an optical fiber is disposed within the alignment groove, and the fiber core is optically aligned with the optical axis of the waveguide by translational and rotational positioning of the fiber end face adjacent to the cut surface. The fiber end face is then secured to the cut surface with adhesive or other suitable means, and the fiber is attached to the IOC within the alignment groove with adhesive or other suitable means.

A micromachined silicon pressure transducer employs a vibrating bridge that is formed from the same silicon slab as the pressure responsive diaphragm. The resonant frequency of the bridge is a temperature insensitive representation of the pressure.

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Vernon, CT, United States of America

Bruce D Hockaday