Inspection system for a combustor of a turbine engine

An inspection system for a turbine engine, comprising:

• at least one inspection system housing including at least one internal chamber, wherein the at least one inspection system housing is attachable to a pilot nozzle port in a combustor of the turbine engine;
• at least one extendible camera support shaft positioned within the at least one internal chamber extending distally from a distal opening in the at least one inspection system housing, wherein the at least one inspection system housing attaches to the pilot nozzle port such that the at least one inspection system housing extends outwardly from an outer surface of the pilot nozzle port while the at least one extendible camera support shaft has a smaller outer size than the pilot nozzle port and extends through the pilot nozzle port and into the combustor of the turbine engine;
• wherein the at least one extendible camera support shaft is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the at least one extendible camera support shaft;
• wherein the at least one extendible camera support shaft is extendible such that a distal end of the at least one extendible camera support shaft is movable longitudinally along the longitudinal axis;
• wherein the at least one extendible camera support shaft is sized to extend from the at least one inspection system housing at the pilot nozzle port through the combustor to a distal end of a transition section extending distally from the combustor;
• at least one camera supported by the at least one extendible camera support shaft at a location outside of the at least one inspection system housing distal to the distal opening;
• wherein the at least one camera is rotatable about an axis generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the at least one extendible camera support shaft;
• wherein the at least one extendible camera support shaft includes a camera cavity and wherein the at least one camera is positioned at least partially within the cavity;
• a data management system configured to coordinate detailed image information together with at least one image captured by at least one camera;
• and
• wherein the data management system stores images together with position coordinates.

An inspection system for a turbine engine,

• comprising:
• at least one inspection system housing including at least one internal chamber, wherein the at least one inspection system housing is attachable to a pilot nozzle port in a combustor of the turbine engine;
• at least one extendible camera support shaft positioned within the at least one internal chamber extending distally from a distal opening in the at least one inspection system housing, wherein the at least one inspection system housing attaches to the pilot nozzle port such that the at least one inspection system housing extends outwardly from an outer surface of the pilot nozzle port while the at least one extendible camera support shaft has a smaller outer size than the pilot nozzle port and extends through the pilot nozzle port and into the combustor of the turbine engine;
• wherein the at least one extendible camera support shaft is telescopic, is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the at least one extendible camera support shaft, is motor driven and is extendible such that a distal end of the at least one extendible camera support shaft is movable longitudinally along the longitudinal axis for a change in lateral location;
• wherein the at least one extendible camera support shaft is sized to extend from the at least one inspection system housing at the pilot nozzle port through the combustor to a distal end of a transition section extending distally from the combustor;
• at least one camera supported by the at least one extendible camera support shaft at a location outside of the at least one inspection system housing distal to the distal opening;
• wherein the at least one camera is motor driven and rotatable about an axis generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the at least one extendible camera support shaft for a change in rotation;
• wherein the at least one extendible camera support shaft includes a camera cavity and wherein the at least one camera is positioned at least partially within the cavity;
• at least one motor in communication with the at least one camera lens for rotating the lens about the axis generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the at least one extendible camera support shaft for a change in tilt of the at least one camera lens;
• a data management system configured to coordinate detailed image information together with at least one image captured by at least one camera;
• and
• wherein the data management system stores images together with position coordinates and presents images together with position coordinates for analysis with algorithms for calculating interval extension of specific components within the turbine engine.