Methods for monitoring turbine components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9835440-B2
Application number	US-201514972213-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2015
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

Methods for monitoring a components include locating a plurality of naturally occurring surface features on the component, locating at least one reference point, measuring a plurality of first distances between the plurality of naturally occurring surface features and the at least one reference point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring a turbine component, the method comprising:
locating a plurality of naturally occurring surface features on the turbine component;
locating at least one reference point;
measuring a plurality of first distances between the plurality of naturally occurring surface features and the at least one reference point;
using the turbine component in a turbomachine;
locating the plurality of naturally occurring surface features on the turbine component at a second point in time after the turbine component was used in the turbomachine;
locating the at least one reference point at the second point in time;
measuring a plurality of second distances between the plurality of naturally occurring surface features and the at least one reference point at the second point in time; and,
comparing the plurality of first distances to the plurality of second distances to determine a strain analysis, wherein the reference point comprises one of the plurality of naturally occurring surface features.

2. A method for monitoring a turbine component, the turbine component formed with a plurality of naturally occurring surface features, the method comprising:
locating the plurality of naturally occurring surface features on the turbine component;
locating at least one reference point;
measuring a plurality of first distances between the plurality of naturally occurring surface features and the at least one reference point;
using the turbine component in a turbomachine;
locating the plurality of naturally occurring surface features on the turbine component at a second point in time after the turbine component was used in the turbomachine;
locating the at least one reference point at the second point in time;
measuring a plurality of second distances between the plurality of naturally occurring surface features and the at least one reference point at the second point in time; and,
comparing the plurality of first distances to the plurality of second distances to determine a strain analysis.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of naturally occurring surface features comprise grain structures.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the naturally occurring surface features comprise surface topography features.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the naturally occurring surface features comprise grain structures.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of naturally occurring surface features comprise surface topography features.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein locating the plurality of naturally occurring surface features comprises determining a centroid for each of the naturally occurring surface features.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein locating the plurality of naturally occurring surface features comprises assigning a 2-dimensional coordinate location for each of the naturally occurring surface features.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of naturally occurring surface features comprise a diameter equal to or less than 500 microns.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reference point comprises one of the plurality of naturally occurring surface features.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of reference points are located, and wherein the plurality of first distances comprises distances between each of the plurality of naturally occurring surface features and each of the plurality of reference points.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a turbine component.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a nickel or cobalt based superalloy.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of naturally occurring surface features are located in a coating on the component.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the coating comprises yttria stabilized zirconia.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the plurality of second distances to the plurality of first distances comprises producing a strain map illustrating changes in distances.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Hovis Gregory Lee
• Burnside Jason Lee
• Ranson William Farris

Classifications

• G01B15/00

  Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electromagnetic waves or particle radiation, e.g. by the use of microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays or electrons (characterised by the use of optical techniques G01B9/00, G01B11/00) · CPC title

• G01B11/14 Primary

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00) · CPC title

• G01M15/14

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

• G01B11/24 Primary

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title

• G01M13/00 Primary

  Testing of machine parts · CPC title