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US 11,145,960 B2Granted
Tip clearance sensor system with an integral patch antenna array
AssigneesRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., ROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsJohn Joseph Costello, Richard Joseph Skertic, Glen Steven Bishop, Geoffrey L. Gatton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A patch antenna array sensor is provided. The patch antenna array sensor includes a ceramic matrix composite body in which a patch antenna array is embedded, wherein the patch antenna array sensor is configured to detect blade tip clearance or some other aspect of one or more blades in a gas turbine engine.
Claims16
A tip clearance sensor system comprising:
- a patch antenna array sensor comprising a patch antenna array, wherein the patch antenna array comprises a plurality of patch antennas and is embedded in a ceramic matrix composite body;
- a transceiver configured to transmit an excitation signal to the patch antenna array and to thereby cause a signal beam to radiate from the patch antenna array;
- and
- a processor configured to focus the signal beam on a rotatable blade in a gas turbine engine by setting a frequency and/or a phase angle of the excitation signal,
- wherein the patch antenna array is configured to receive a reflection of the signal beam off of the rotatable blade,
- wherein the transceiver is configured to receive a measurement signal from the patch antenna array,
- wherein the processor is configured to determine a distance between the patch antenna array and a tip of the rotatable blade by a processing of the measurement signal,
- wherein the processor is configured to determine the distance from a change in a modulation of the measurement signal as compared to a modulation of the excitation signal,
- wherein the shorter the distance between the patch antenna array and the tip of the rotatable blade, the greater the change in the modulation of the measurement signal from the modulation of the excitation signal.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- causing a signal beam to radiate from a patch antenna array which is embedded in a ceramic matrix composite body,
- wherein causing the signal beam to radiate comprises
- transmitting an excitation signal to a plurality of patch antennas included in the patch antenna array,
- wherein the signal beam is focused on a rotatable blade in a gas turbine engine by setting a frequency and/or a phase angle of the excitation signal with a processor;
- receiving a reflection of the signal beam off of the rotatable blade at the patch antenna array;
- receiving a measurement signal at the processor from the patch antenna array;
- and
- determining a distance between the patch antenna array and a tip of the rotatable blade by processing the measurement signal with the processor,
- wherein the distance is determined by the processor from a change in a modulation of the measurement signal as compared to a modulation of the excitation signal,
- wherein the shorter the distance between the patch antenna array and the tip of the rotatable blade, the greater the change in the modulation of the measurement signal from the modulation of the excitation signal.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.