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US 12,656,268 B2Granted
Optical turbine engine blade damage detector
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsDavid L. Lincoln, Paul Attridge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A damage detection system includes one or more emitters, one or more receivers, and a controller. Emitters are arranged to transmit continuous beam or intermittent light pulses toward rotor blades during operation of a turbomachine. Light returns collected at the receivers define a light return amplitude profile. The controller analyzes the light return amplitude profile to identify light amplitude changes indicative of one or more damaged blades. When the light return profile satisfies one or more damage criteria, the controller outputs an indication of blade damage to another turbomachine controller, system, or display.
Claims18
A turbomachine comprising:
- a plurality of blades rotatable about an axis of the turbomachine;
- and
- a system for detecting damage of the plurality of blades, the system comprising:
- an emitter mounted to the turbomachine and orientated to emit a plurality of light pulses along an emission axis intersecting the plurality of blades;
- a first receiver mounted to the turbomachine that has a first field of view intersecting the emission axis to define a first interrogation volume through which the plurality of blades rotates during operation of the turbomachine, wherein the emitter and the first receiver are mounted to the turbomachine upstream from the plurality of blades relative to a direction of air flow through the plurality of blades during operation of the turbomachine;
- and
- a controller in communication with the emitter and the first receiver, the controller comprising a processor and computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
- emit the plurality of light pulses from the emitter toward the plurality of blades as the blades rotate within the turbomachine;
- receive, at the first receiver, a plurality of first light returns scattered by the plurality of blades within the first interrogation volume;
- receive, at the first receiver, an ambient light level;
- determine, by the controller, a plurality of first times of flight of the plurality of first light returns;
- identify, by the controller, a subset of the plurality of first light returns associated with the plurality of blades based on a time-of-flight range and the plurality of first times of flight;
- determine, by the controller, a first amplitude change of the subset of the first light returns based on an amplitude of the first light returns and the ambient light level;
- and
- output, by the controller, an indication of topographical damage to the blades based on a comparison between the first light amplitude change of the light returns and a threshold light amplitude change.
12 more elements
A turbomachine comprising:
- a plurality of blades rotatable about an axis of the turbomachine;
- and
- a system for detecting damage of the plurality of blades, the system comprising:
- an emitter mounted to the turbomachine and orientated to emit a plurality of light pulses along an emission axis intersecting the plurality of blades;
- a first receiver mounted to the turbomachine that has a first field of view intersecting the emission axis to define a first interrogation volume through which the plurality of blades rotates during operation of the turbomachine;
- a second receiver mounted to the turbomachine that has a second field of view intersecting the emission axis to define a second interrogation volume through which the plurality of blades rotates during operation of the turbomachine, wherein the emitter, the first receiver, and the second receiver are mounted to the turbomachine upstream from the plurality of blades relative to a direction of air flow through the plurality of blades during operation of the turbomachine;
- and
- a controller in communication with the emitter, the first receiver, and the second receiver, the controller comprising a processor and computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
- emit the plurality of light pulses from the emitter toward the plurality of blades as the blades rotate within the turbomachine;
- receive, at the first receiver, a plurality of first light returns scattered by the plurality of blades within the first interrogation volume;
- receive, at the second receiver, a plurality of second light returns scattered by the plurality of blades within the second interrogation volume;
- receive, at the first receiver, an ambient light level;
- determine, by the controller, a plurality of first times of flight of the plurality of first light returns;
- identify, by the controller, a subset of the plurality of first light returns associated with the plurality of blades based on a time-of-flight range and the plurality of first times of flight;
- determine, by the controller, a first amplitude change of the first light returns based on an amplitude of the subset of first light returns and the ambient light level;
- determine, by the controller, a plurality of second times of flight of the plurality of second light returns;
- identify, by the controller, a subset of the plurality of second light returns associated with the plurality of blades based on the time-of-flight range and the plurality of second times of flight;
- determine, by the controller, a second amplitude change of the second light returns based on an amplitude of the subset of second light returns and the ambient light level;
- and
- output, by the controller, an indication of topographical damage to the blades based on a comparison of the first light amplitude change of the light returns and a first threshold light amplitude change and a second comparison between the second amplitude change of light returns and a second threshold light amplitude change.
17 more elements
A method of detecting damage of a plurality of blades rotatable within a turbomachine, the method comprising:
- emitting a plurality of light pulses from an emitter toward the plurality of blades as the blades rotate within the turbomachine;
- receiving, at a first receiver, a plurality of first light returns scattered by the plurality of blades, wherein the emitter and the first receiver are mounted to the turbomachine upstream from the plurality of blades relative to a direction of air flow through the plurality of blades during operation of the turbomachine;
- receiving, at the first receiver, an ambient light level;
- determining, by the controller, a plurality of first times of flight of the plurality of first light returns;
- identifying, by the controller, a subset of the plurality of first light returns associated with the plurality of blades based on a time-of-flight range and the plurality of first times of flight;
- determining, by the controller, a first amplitude change of the first light returns based on an amplitude of the subset of first light returns and the ambient light level;
- and
- outputting, by a controller, an indication of topographical damage based on a comparison between the first amplitude change of the light returns and a first threshold light amplitude change.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.