Gas turbine exhaust diffuser mounted blade path thermocouple probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9880059-B2
Application number	US-201514732972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2015
Priority date	Jun 8, 2015
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A thermocouple probe assembly for monitoring the temperature of an exhaust gas flow at an output of a gas turbine engine. The probe assembly includes a plenum pipe positioned within an opening extending through an outer casing wall and a plenum plate of the engine, where an air gap is provided between the casing wall and the plate. The plenum pipe is rigidly secured to the plenum plate and resiliently mounted to the casing wall so that the plenum pipe is operable to slide relative to the wall. The probe assembly further includes a diffuser liner boss rigidly secured to an outer liner of an exhaust gas diffuser in the gas turbine engine, where the liner boss includes a central bore, and where the shaft of the thermocouple probe extends through the central bore in the liner boss so that the sensor is positioned within the exhaust gas diffuser.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermocouple probe assembly for monitoring temperature of an exhaust gas flow at an output of a gas turbine engine, said thermocouple probe assembly comprising:
a thermocouple probe including a probe shaft, a thermocouple sensor provided at a sensing end of the probe shaft, an electrical connector provided at an opposite end of the probe shaft from the thermocouple sensor and a guide pipe through which the probe shaft extends and being mounted to the probe shaft between the thermocouple sensor and the electrical connector;
a plenum pipe operable to be positioned within an opening extending through an outer casing wall and a plenum plate, where an air gap is provided between the outer casing wall and the plenum plate, said plenum pipe being rigidly secured to the plenum plate and resiliently mounted to the outer casing wall so that the plenum pipe is operable to move relative to the outer casing wall, said probe shaft and guide pipe extending through the plenum pipe and being spaced therefrom; and
a liner boss operable to be rigidly secured to an outer diffuser liner of an exhaust gas diffuser in the gas turbine engine, said liner boss including a central bore, wherein the probe shaft of the thermocouple probe extends through the central bore in the liner boss so that the thermocouple sensor is positioned within the exhaust gas diffuser, and wherein the guide pipe is rigidly secured to the liner boss.

2. The thermocouple probe assembly according to claim 1 wherein the plenum pipe is welded to the plenum plate and the liner boss is welded to the outer diffuser liner.

3. The thermocouple probe assembly according to claim 1 wherein the plenum pipe is resiliently mounted to the outer casing wall by an O-ring.

4. The thermocouple probe assembly according to claim 1 wherein the guide pipe is rigidly secured to the liner boss by a threaded connection.

5. The thermocouple probe assembly according to claim 1 wherein the guide pipe is rigidly secured to the probe shaft by a threaded connection.

6. A sensor probe assembly for monitoring temperature of an exhaust gas flow at an output of a gas turbine engine, said probe assembly comprising:
a sensor probe including a probe shaft and a sensor provided at a sensing end of the probe shaft;
a plenum pipe operable to be positioned within an opening extending through an outer casing wall and a plenum plate, where an air gap is provided between the outer casing wall and the plenum plate, said plenum pipe being rigidly secured to the plenum plate wall and resiliently mounted to the the outer casing wall; and
a liner boss operable to be rigidly secured to an outer diffuser liner of an exhaust gas diffuser in the gas turbine engine, said liner boss including a central bore, wherein the probe shaft of the thermocouple probe extends through the central bore in the liner boss so that the sensor probe is positioned within the exhaust gas diffuser.

7. The sensor probe assembly according to claim 6 wherein the plenum pipe is rigidly secured to the plenum plate and resiliently mounted to the outer casing wall so that the plenum pipe is operable to slide relative to the wall.

8. The sensor probe assembly according to claim 7 wherein the plenum pipe is resiliently mounted to the outer casing wall by an O-ring.

9. The sensor probe assembly according to claim 6 wherein the sensor probe includes a guide pipe through which the probe shaft extends, and wherein the probe shaft and the guide pipe extend through the plenum pipe and are spaced therefrom.

10. The sensor probe assembly according to claim 9 wherein the guide pipe is rigidly secured to the liner boss by a threaded connection.

11. The sensor probe assembly according to claim 9 wherein the guide pipe is rigidly secured to the probe shaft by a threaded connection.

12. The sensor probe assembly according to claim 6 where the sensor probe is a thermocouple probe.

13. The sensor probe assembly according to claim 6 wherein the plenum pipe is welded to the plenum plate and the liner boss is welded to the outer diffuser liner.

14. A method for mounting a thermocouple probe in an output of a gas turbine engine so as to monitor temperature of an exhaust gas flow, said probe including a probe shaft, a thermocouple sensor mounted at a sensing end of the probe shaft, an electrical connector mounted at an opposite end of the probe shaft from the thermocouple sensor and a guide pipe through which the probe shaft extends and being mounted to the probe shaft between the thermocouple sensor and the electrical connector, said method comprising:
positioning a plenum pipe within an opening extending through an outer casing wall of the engine and a plenum plate, where an air gap is provided between the outer casing wall and the plenum plate, so that the plenum pipe is rigidly secured to the plenum plate and resiliently mounted to the outer casing wall so that the plenum pipe is operable to move relative to the outer wall, said probe shaft and guide pipe extending through the plenum pipe and being spaced therefrom;
rigidly securing a diffusion liner boss to an exhaust gas diffuser liner of an exhaust gas diffuser in the gas turbine engine, said diffusion liner boss including a central bore; and
inserting the thermocouple probe through the plenum pipe so that it is spaced therefrom, rigidly securing the guide pipe to the diffusion liner boss and inserting the probe pipe through the central bore in the diffusion liner boss so that the thermocouple sensor is positioned within the exhaust gas diffuser.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the plenum pipe is welded to the plenum plate and the diffusion liner boss is welded to the exhaust gas diffuser liner.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the plenum pipe is resiliently mounted to the outer casing wall by an O-ring.

17. The method according to claim 14 wherein the guide pipe is rigidly secured to the diffusion liner boss by a threaded connection.

18. The method according to claim 14 wherein the guide pipe is rigidly secured to the probe shaft by a threaded connection.

Assignees

• Siemens Energy Inc

Inventors

• Myers Gerald A
• Giaimo John
• Buttice James
• Brooks Stephen

Classifications

• G01K1/14 Primary

  Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations · CPC title

• F05D2260/83

  Testing, e.g. methods, components or tools therefor · CPC title

• G01K2013/024

  Physics · mapped topic

• F01D17/085

  to temperature · CPC title

• G01K2205/04

  for measuring exhaust gas temperature · CPC title