General Electric Company

Ge Infrastructure Technology, LLC

Michael Allen Ball

Kurt Kramer Schleif

Andrew David Ellis

Mario Joseph Arceneaux

Donald Shaw

Vincent Carmona

Robert D Jones

Zachary John Snider

Aninda Bhattacharya

Peter Ping-Liang Sue

Holly Renae Davis

Andrea Booher Kretschmar

Nathan Lee Brown

Venkata Ramana Murthy Hemadribhotla

Senthilkumar Datchanamoorthy

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 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

Systems and methods include a blade monitoring system. The blade monitoring system includes a processor. The processor is configured to receive a sensor signal from a sensor configured to observe a blade of the turbomachinery. The processor is also configured to derive a measurement based on a marking disposed on the blade of the turbomachinery, wherein the marking comprises a discrete feature; and to display the measurement to an operator of the turbomachinery

System and method for turbomachinery blade diagnostics via discrete markings

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 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.

A method for determining an arrival-time of a rotor blade in a turbine engine that includes the steps of: having an RF reader attached to a stationary surface in the turbine engine; having an RF tag attached to a first region of the rotor blade; having a reference RF tag attached to a rotating structure near the RF tag; in relation to a first revolution of the rotor blade occurring during the operation of the turbine engine, collecting an arrival-time for each of the RF tag and the reference RF tag with the RF reader via an RF monitoring process; comparing the arrival-time of the RF tag to the arrival-time of the reference RF tag to determine an arrival-time test result for the first region of the rotor blade for the first revolution.

An optical sensor for a rotating blade stage of a turbomachine is disclosed. The optical sensor includes a housing to be mounted relative to a circumferential interior surface of a casing of the turbomachine. Optical fiber(s) are operatively coupled to the housing for communicating: an optical signal for sending toward the rotating blade stage and a return optical signal reflected by the rotating blade stage, through the casing. An optical signal redirecting element is configured to redirect the optical signal from optical fiber(s) inwardly toward the rotating blade stage relative to the casing, and redirect the return optical signal reflected by the rotating blade stage into the at least one optical fiber. Optical fiber(s) have a longitudinal shape configured to follow the circumferential interior surface of the casing.

Optical sensor for circumferential interior surface of turbomachine casing, and related method

A system for attaching a probe to a casing of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The system may include a probe receptacle attachable to the casing. The probe receptacle may include an internal bore, a bayonet slot, a spring disposed within the internal bore adjacent to the bayonet slot, and a sealing surface within the internal bore. The system also may include a probe attachment assembly disposed about the probe and configured to engage the probe receptacle. The probe attachment assembly may include at least one bayonet positionable within the bayonet slot and a seal positionable adjacent to the sealing surface within the internal bore.

Systems and methods for attaching a probe to a casing of a gas turbine engine

A system for transmitting data from a rotating component of a turbomachine includes a plurality of thermal sensors coupled to corresponding rotatable components within the turbomachine where each thermal sensor generates a discrete analog signal indicative of temperature. A plurality of transmitter assemblies is coupled to an end of a rotor shaft of the turbomachine. The plurality of transmitter assemblies comprises a first transmitter assembly and a second transmitter assembly. The first transmitter assembly is configured to receive the discrete analog signals from the plurality of thermal sensors, multiplex the plurality of discrete analog signals into a single amplifier and an analog-to-digital converter to generate a single stream of digital data therefrom. The system also includes a slip ring assembly having a plurality of conductive rings where at least one of the conductive rings defines a digital signal path between the first transmitter assembly and a data acquisition system.

System and method for transmitting sensor data from a rotating component of a turbomachine

A method is presented. The method includes selecting a first window of signals and a second window of signals from clearance signals representative of clearances between a rotating component and a stationary casing surrounding the rotating component, determining a first signed average power value corresponding to the first window of signals, and a second signed average power value corresponding to the second window of signals, determining a resultant value based upon the first signed average power value and the second signed average power value, and determining one or more defects or potential defects in the rotating component based upon the resultant value.

Systems and methods to monitor a rotating component

Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for measuring turbine blade vibratory responses. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for measuring a vibratory response of a plurality of turbine blades. The method can include mounting an optical probe comprising at least one probe tip optical surface, wherein the at least one probe tip optical surface is substantially parallel to within about +15 or about &#x2212;15 degrees with respect to a trailing edge surface of at least one of the plurality of turbine blades, directing light towards a trailing edge surface of at least one of the plurality of turbine blades, receiving reflected light from the at least one of the plurality of turbine blades, and determining relative position of the at least one of the plurality of blades based at least in part on the reflected light.

Growing community of inventors

Greer, SC, United States of America

Michael Allen Ball