In-situ blade-mounted optical camera inspection system for turbine engines
AssigneeSiemens Energy, Inc.
InventorsForrest R. Ruhge, Clifford Hatcher, JR.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Turbine engine casing interiors are visually inspected in a fully assembled turbine casing by mounting an optical camera on a turbine blade that captures optical images, such as of the casing abradable surface. Optical images are recorded as the blade circumferentially sweeps the turbine casing when the turbine is operated in turning gear mode or manually rotated. Blade rotational position data are collected by a rotational position sensor. A data processing system correlates the captured optical images and rotational position data about the turbine casing circumference. This method and apparatus provide an accurate and cost effective solution for accessing a turbine casing interior.
Claims16
A method for in-situ visual inspection of a turbine engine casing interior, comprising:
- providing a gas turbine with a rotatable rotor having a turbine blade with a radially outwardly projecting tip in opposed spaced relationship with a circumscribing turbine casing, defining a gap there between;
- coupling at least one optical camera to the turbine blade, the camera capable of capturing camera images in its field of view and generating a camera image data set;
- coupling a rotor rotational position sensor to the turbine;
- rotating the rotor so that the turbine blade tip sweeps at least a portion of the circumscribing turbine casing while generating the image data set with the camera and a rotational position data set with rotational position sensor;
- acquiring the image and rotational position data sets with a data acquisition system that is coupled to the camera and the rotational position sensor;
- and
- correlating camera image relative to rotational position with the image and rotational data sets in a data analyzer system that is coupled to the data acquisition system.
A method for in-situ visual inspection of a turbine engine casing interior, comprising:
- providing a turbine engine with a rotatable rotor having a turbine blade with a radially outwardly projecting tip in opposed spaced relationship with a circumscribing turbine casing, defining a gap there between;
- coupling at least one optical camera to the turbine blade, the camera capable of capturing camera images in its field of view and generating a camera image data set;
- and
- rotating the rotor so that the turbine blade tip sweeps at least a portion of the circumscribing turbine casing while generating the image data set with the camera.
A system for in-situ visual inspection of a turbine engine casing interior, comprising:
- at least one optical camera that is capable of capturing camera images in its field of view and generating a camera image data set, coupled to the turbine blade;
- a rotor rotational position sensor, coupled to the turbine, that is capable of generating a data set of blade rotational position;
- a data acquisition system that is coupled to the camera and the rotational position sensor, for acquiring the image and rotational position data sets during rotor rotation as the turbine blade tip sweeps at least a portion of the circumscribing turbine casing;
- and
- a data analyzer system, coupled to the data acquisition system, for correlating the camera image and rotational data sets with camera image relative to rotational position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.