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US 11,952,905 B1Granted
Detecting engine exhaust debris using saturation current
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsJeremiah C. Lee, Daniel McMenamin, Alek Gavrilovski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is provided for an engine. During this method, a saturation current of a gas flow is measured. The gas flow includes combustion products generated by the engine. The saturation current is monitored to determine presence of debris entrained within the gas flow.
Claims20
An engine system, comprising:
- a saturation current probe configured to measure a saturation current of a gas flow, wherein the gas flow comprises combustion products generated within an engine by combustion of a fuel-air mixture;
- and
- a processing system configured to determine presence of debris particles entrained within the gas flow with the combustion products based on the saturation current.
An engine system, comprising:
- a saturation current probe comprising a plurality of electrodes, the saturation current probe configured to
- direct an electrical potential across a gas flow flowing through a gap between the plurality of electrodes, the gas flow comprising combustion products generated by combustion of a fuel-air mixture within a gas turbine engine;
- vary a voltage of the electrical potential directed across the gas flow through the gap between the plurality of electrodes;
- and
- measure a saturation current of the electrical potential directed across the gas flow through the gap between the plurality of electrodes as the voltage is varied;
- and
- a processing system configured to determine presence of debris particles entrained within the gas flow based on the saturation current.
4 more elements
A method for an engine, comprising:
- measuring a saturation current of a gas flow using a saturation current probe, the gas flow comprising combustion products generated within the engine by combustion of a fuel-air mixture;
- communicating probe data indicative of the saturation current measured by the saturation current probe to a processing system;
- and
- processing the probe data within the processing system to determine presence of debris particles entrained within the gas flow with the combustion products.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.