Gas turbine engine vane embedded beam interrupt optical tip-timing probe system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9297720-B2
Application number	US-201213725190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Dec 21, 2012
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

A method of observing an airflow passage within a gas turbine engine includes locating a support in view of an airflow passage and housing an optical fiber within the support.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of embedding a probe in an airflow passage within a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
housing a first optical fiber within a support, the support in view of an airflow passage;
housing a second optical fiber within a second support opposite the first optical fiber to define a beam across the airflow passage; and
locating the support within an airfoil;
wherein the gas turbine engine comprises a rotor blade within the airflow passage, and the rotor blade is operable to disrupt the beam across the airflow passage.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil is a static structure.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: locating the support within a leading edge of the airfoil.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: locating the support within a trailing edge of the airfoil.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: angling the beam with respect to an engine axis of rotation.

6. A method of embedding a probe within a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
housing a first optical fiber in a trailing edge of an airfoil; and
housing a second optical fiber in a leading edge of an airfoil in view of the first optical fiber;
wherein the gas turbine engine comprises a rotor blade operable to disrupt a line-of-sight between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising: defining a beam across an airflow passage.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising: angling the beam with respect to an engine axis of rotation.

9. An observation system for a gas turbine engine that comprises a rotor blade, the observation system comprising:
a support;
a first optical fiber within said support; and
a second optical fiber operable to form a beam with the first optical fiber and positioned opposite from the first optical fiber across an airflow passage;
wherein the first and the second optical fibers are arranged such that the rotor blade is operable to disrupt the beam; and
wherein said support is mounted within an airfoil.

10. The observation system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said support is a hypo tube.

11. The observation system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said support is less than approximately 0.04 inches (1 mm) in diameter.

12. The observation system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said first optical fiber and/or said second optical fiber is approximately 0.002-0.008 inches (50-200 microns) in diameter.

13. The observation system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said first optical fiber and/or said second optical fiber is not coupled to an optical lens.

14. The observation system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said support is mounted within a leading edge of the airfoil.

15. The observation system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said support is mounted within a trailing edge of the airfoil.

16. The observation system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said support is mounted within a High Pressure Compressor vane.

17. An observation system for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a first support mounted within an airfoil;
a second support;
a first optical fiber within the first support; and
a second optical fiber within the second support, the second optical fiber operable to form a beam with the first optical fiber and positioned opposite from the first optical fiber across an airflow passage;
wherein the observation system is configured as an optical rotor blade tip timing observation system.

18. The observation system of claim 17 , wherein the first support is positioned upstream of the second support.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Agoos Ian F
• Warren Eli C

Classifications

• G01M15/14 Primary

  Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines · CPC title

• G01M5/0066

  by exciting or detecting vibration or acceleration (vibration testing of structures G01M7/00) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49229

  Prime mover or fluid pump making · CPC title

• F01D9/065

  Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26) · CPC title

• F05D2270/332

  Maximum loads or fatigue criteria · CPC title