Method of visually inspecting turbine blades and optical inspection system therefor
AssigneeSiemens Energy, Inc.
InventorsHans-Gerd Johann Brummel, William Alexander Landi, Dennis Lemieux, Michael Twerdochlib, Stephen Price Masticola
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical inspection system is for visually inspecting the blades of a turbine at turning gear operation. The inspection system includes an imager for capturing images of the blades, an optical passage coupled to the imager and structured to provide maximum viewing area of the blades through an inspection port in the turbine and an illuminating assembly adapted to illuminate the blades while the imager captures images thereof. A method wherein the captured blade images are inspected for blade defects, is also disclosed.
Claims20
An optical inspection system for visually inspecting a blade of a turbine, said turbine including an inspection port said optical inspection system comprising:
- an imager arranged to capture images of said blade while said turbine is at a turning gear operation;
- a viewing device coupled to said imager and structured to permit said imager to view said blade through the inspection port of said turbine;
- and
- an illuminating assembly arranged to illuminate said blade while said imager captures images thereof,
- wherein said viewing device includes a temperature-resistant window.
An optical inspection system for visually inspecting a blade of a turbine, said turbine including an inspection port, said optical inspection system comprising:
- an imager arranged to capture images of said blade while said turbine is at a turning gear operation;
- a viewing device coupled to said imager and structured to permit said imager to view said blade though the inspection port of said turbine;
- and
- an illuminating assembly arranged to illuminate said blade while said imager captures images thereof;
- wherein said viewing device is an optical passage structured to maximize the amount of said blade which can be viewed through said inspection port, said optical passage including a first end, a second end and an intermediate portion therebetween;
- wherein the first end of said optical passage is coupled to said inspection port;
- and wherein said imager is coupled to the second end of said optical passage.
A method of visually inspecting a turbine during a turning gear operation comprising the steps of:
- providing a turbine including a plurality of blades and an inspection port for viewing said plurality of blades, said blades being coupled to a rotating shaft;
- providing an optical inspection system for visually inspecting at least one of said plurality blades through said inspection port, said optical inspection system including an imager, a viewing device coupled to said imager and adapted to capture images of said at least one of said plurality of said blades through said inspection port, and an illuminating assembly adapted to illuminate said at least one of said plurality of blades while said imager captures images thereof;
- determining when said turbine is in said turning gear operation;
- monitoring the position of the shaft of said turbine in order to determine when said at least one of said plurality of blades is in proper view for capturing images;
- illuminating said at least one of said plurality of blades;
- capturing images of said at least one of said plurality of blades;
- deconvolving the images;
- and
- analyzing the images in order to determine whether or not any of said plurality of blades has a defect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.