General Electric Company

Philip T Smith

Andrew Scott Kessie

John David Weickert

Charles Rickards

James R Noel

Gregory Griffin

Joshua Daniel Brown

The present disclosure is directed to an integrated electrostatic sensor for detecting dust and/or other airborne particulates in an engine, e.g. in an aircraft gas turbine engine. The electrostatic sensor includes an outer housing having a sensing face, an electrode configured within the outer housing adjacent to the sensing face, and an amplifier configured with the electrode. The electrode contains a plurality of electrons configured to move as charged dust particles flow past the sensing face. Thus, the amplifier is configured to detect a dust level as a function of the electron movement. The electrostatic sensor also includes a circuit board configured within the outer housing and electrically coupled to the amplifier. Thus, the circuit board is configured to send the one or more signals to a controller of the engine indicative of the dust level.

Electrostatic sensor

The present disclosure is directed to an integrated multi-chip module (MCM) sensor assembly having at least one electrostatic sensor and a circuit board. The electrostatic sensor includes an outer housing with an electrode and an amplifier configured therein. The electrode includes a first end and a second end separated by a predetermined length. The second end includes a sensing face that is substantially flush with an edge of the outer housing. Further, the electrode contains a plurality of electrons configured to respond to one or more charged particles that flow past the sensing face by moving either towards or away from the second end. Thus, the amplifier is electrically coupled to the electrode so as to detect a particle level flowing past the sensing face as a function of the electron movement. Moreover, the circuit board is configured within the outer housing and is electrically coupled to the sensor.

Electrostatic particle sensor

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Philip T Smith