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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11635750-B2
Application number	US-201916668602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2019
Priority date	Oct 30, 2019
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A measurement system for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a sensor assembly; and
a plurality of sensors coupled to the sensor assembly, wherein, from outside a casing of the gas turbine engine, the sensor assembly is configured to be removably inserted into and removed from a space defined by both an inner surface of a casing wall of the casing and a circumferential track disposed within the casing wall, via a single port coupled to the space, without having to disassemble the casing, wherein the circumferential track extends along the casing wall in direct contact with the casing wall, and wherein the circumferential track encloses the plurality of sensors within the space when the sensor assembly is inserted into the space.

2. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the measurement system is configured to acquire baseline data during an operation of the gas turbine engine for validating the operation of the gas turbine engine, wherein the operation of the gas turbine engine utilizes combustion in a combustor of the gas turbine engine to drive a compressor of the gas turbine engine.

3. The measurement system of claim 2 , wherein the measurement system is configured so that the baseline data is collected from the plurality of sensors after removal of the sensor assembly from the casing.

4. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the measurement system is configured to operate independent of a control system of the gas turbine engine.

5. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly is configured to extend circumferentially, relative to a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, along at least a portion of the casing in the space defined within the inner surface of the casing wall.

6. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors is spatially arranged so that each sensor is configured to align with a respective opening of a plurality of openings on the circumferential track facing toward an interior defined by the casing when the sensor assembly is inserted within the space.

7. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a compressor casing.

8. A turbine system comprising:
a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor comprising a compressor casing wall having an inner surface;
a combustor downstream of the compressor;
a turbine downstream of the combustor;
a circumferential track disposed within the compressor casing wall, wherein the circumferential track extends along the compressor casing wall in direct contact with the compressor casing wall; and
a circumferential cavity defined by both the inner surface of the compressor casing wall and the circumferential track, wherein the circumferential cavity extends about at least a portion of the inner surface of the compressor casing wall in a circumferential direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine; and
a measurement system, comprising:
a sensor assembly; and

a plurality of sensors coupled to the sensor assembly, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to be removably inserted within and removed from the circumferential cavity from outside the compressor casing wall, via a single port coupled to the circumferential cavity, without having to disassemble a compressor casing, wherein the circumferential track encloses the plurality of sensors within the circumferential cavity when the sensor assembly is inserted into the circumferential cavity.

9. The turbine system of claim 8 , further comprising a funnel for engaging the single port, the funnel being configured to facilitate insertion and removal of the sensor assembly.

10. The turbine system of claim 8 , wherein the circumferential track comprises a plurality of openings facing toward an interior of the compressor and spaced apart along the circumferential track in the circumferential direction, and each sensor of the plurality of sensors is spatially arranged so that each sensor is configured to align with a respective opening of the plurality of openings when the sensor assembly is inserted within the circumferential cavity.

11. The turbine system of claim 8 , wherein the measurement system is configured to acquire baseline data during an operation of the gas turbine engine for validating the operation of the gas turbine engine, wherein the operation of the gas turbine engine utilizes combustion in the combustor to drive a compressor of the gas turbine engine.

12. The turbine system of claim 8 , wherein the measurement system is configured to operate independent of a control system of the gas turbine engine.

13. The turbine system of claim 8 , wherein the circumferential cavity is one of a plurality of circumferential cavities defined within the inner surface of the compressor casing wall, each circumferential cavity of the plurality of circumferential cavities being spaced apart from each other in an axial direction relative to the longitudinal axis.

14. The turbine system of claim 13 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises a plurality of sensor assemblies, each sensor assembly of the plurality of sensor assemblies comprising a respective plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor assembly of the plurality of sensor assemblies is configured to be removably inserted within a respective circumferential cavity of the plurality of circumferential cavities, wherein a respective circumferential track encloses each sensor assembly within the respective circumferential cavity when each sensor assembly is inserted into the respective circumferential cavity.

15. A method, comprising:
inserting a sensor assembly having a plurality of sensors into a cavity defined by both an inner surface of a compressor casing wall of a compressor casing of a compressor of a gas turbine engine and a circumferential track disposed within the casing wall without having to disassemble the compressor casing, wherein the compressor casing includes a single port coupled to the cavity through which the sensor assembly is inserted from outside the compressor casing, wherein the circumferential track extends along the compressor casing wall in direct contact with the compressor casing wall, and wherein the circumferential track encloses the plurality of sensors within the cavity; and
acquiring, via the plurality of sensors, baseline data during an operation of the gas turbine for validating the operation of the gas turbine engine independent of a control system for the gas turbine engine, wherein the operation of the gas turbine engine utilizes combustion in a combustor of the gas turbine engine to drive the compressor; and
removing the sensor assembly from the cavity, via the single port, from outside the compressor casing without having to disassemble the compressor casing.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein, after removing the sensor assembly from the cavity, without having to disassemble the collecting the baseline data from the plurality of sensors.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Schleif Kurt Kramer
• Ellis Andrew David
• Jones Robert David
• Wassynger Stephen Paul

Classifications

• F05D2260/36

  by a form fit connection, e.g. by interlocking · CPC title

• F05D2230/80

  Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods · CPC title

• F05D2230/70

  Disassembly methods · CPC title

• F01D21/003

  Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H) · CPC title

• F01D17/02 Primary

  Arrangement of sensing elements · CPC title