The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 1992
Filed:
Mar. 18, 1991
Thomas E Bantel, Cincinnati, OH (US);
General Electric Company, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for inspecting a channel through a workpiece or cooling holes through the surface of a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The gas turbine engine blade is mounted in a fixture such that a heated gas may be forced into the hollow interior of the blade during a heat-up cycle, and after a predetermined period of time, a solenoid valve switches to shut off the heated gas and to permit a chilled gas to be forced into the hollow interior of the blade for a cool-down cycle. An imaging infrared radiometer generates a series of images of the blade during both the heat-up and cool-down cycles. A selected group of parameters are determined from the series of images generated by the IR radiometer and defects within the cooling holes may then be detected by analyzing the parameters, such as a transient response of the infrared signature of the cooling holes during both the heat-up and the cool-down cycles.