Flow measurement for a gas turbine engine
AssigneeVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
InventorsVasileios KYRITSIS, Kevin Todd LOWE, Maurice BRISTOW, Peter LOFTUS
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flow machine having a flow passage and an air flow measurement system comprising a plurality of acoustic sensors. The acoustic sensors comprise at least one acoustic transmitter configured to transmit an acoustic waveform through the airflow passing through the flow passage to an acoustic receiver. At least one of the acoustic sensors is rotatable relative to one or more other acoustic sensor.
Claims20
A flow machine having a flow passage and an air flow measurement system, the air flow measurement system comprising:
- a plurality of acoustic sensors;
- the acoustic sensors comprising at least one acoustic transmitter configured to transmit an acoustic waveform through the airflow passing through the flow passage to an acoustic receiver;
- and
- where at least one of the acoustic sensors is rotatable relative to one or more other acoustic sensor.
A system configured to determine air flow through a flow machine having a flow passage, the system comprising:
- a plurality of acoustic sensors, the acoustic sensors comprising at least one acoustic transmitter configured to transmit an acoustic waveform through the airflow passing through the flow passage to an acoustic receiver, where at least one of the acoustic sensors is rotatable relative to one or more other acoustic sensor;
- and
- a processing system configured to receive signals from the acoustic sensors and determine a flow rate of the flow through the flow passage.
A method of determining air flow properties of an airflow through a flow passage of a flow machine, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing signal communication with a plurality of acoustic sensors mounted relative to the flow passage, where at least one of the acoustic sensors is rotatable relative to one or more other acoustic sensor;
- determining a time of flight of an acoustic waveform between said plurality of acoustic sensors;
- and
- using the time of flight between the plurality of sensors to determine an average flow velocity of the airflow through the flow passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.