# US 8,786,848 B2 · Inspection system for a combustor of a turbine engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,848 B2 - Document ID: US8786848B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/101,338 - Filed: 2011-05-05 - Published: 2012-11-08 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-05 - Assignees: Siemens Energy, Inc. - Applicants: Clifford Hatcher; Forrest R. Ruhge; Ian T. Doran; Robert G. Shannon; Dennis H. Lemieux - Inventors: Clifford Hatcher; Forrest R. Ruhge; Ian T. Doran; Robert G. Shannon; Dennis H. Lemieux - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786848B2 ## CPC - F01D 21/003: {Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H)} - F01D 9/023: {Transition ducts between combustor cans and first stage of the turbine in gas-turbine engines; their cooling or sealings} - H04N 7/183: {for receiving images from a single remote source} - F23R 2900/00019: Repairing or maintaining combustion chamber liners or subparts - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - F23R: GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS (fluidised bed combustion apparatus specially adapted for operation at superatmospheric pressures F23C10/16) ## Abstract An inspection system formed at least from an inspection system housing including at least one internal chamber that supports an extendible camera support shaft extending distally through a pilot nozzle port into a combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The inspection system may include a camera capable of capturing high quality images together with position coordinates. Thus, the inspection system enables images in a combustor of a gas turbine engine to be captured and recaptured at a subsequent outage so that the images may be analyzed and compared for preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and the like. The inspection system may include three degrees of freedom for the camera mounted on the extendible camera support shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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; at least one camera lens 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 lens is rotatable about an axis generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the at least one extendible camera support shaft; a data management system configured to coordinate detailed image information together with at least one image captured by at least one camera in communication with the at least one camera lens; and wherein the data management system stores images together with position coordinates. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one camera is coupled to the at least one extendible camera support shaft and wherein the at least one camera lens is attached to the at least one camera. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one camera is positioned at a distal end of the at least one extendible camera support shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one extendible camera support shaft is a tube. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The inspection system of claim 4, 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, further comprising at least one motor in communication with the at least one extendible camera support shaft that is configured to rotate the at least one extendible camera support shaft for a change in rotation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, further comprising at least one motor in communication with the at least one extendible camera support shaft that is configured to move the at least one extendible camera support shaft longitudinally along the longitudinal axis for a change in lateral position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, further comprising 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 to change tilt of the at least one camera lens. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the data management system correlates position coordinates with images as metadata. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the data management system presents images together with position coordinates for analysis with algorithms for calculating interval extension of specific components within the turbine engine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one camera lens is a combined automatic and manual focus lens. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one camera is a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, 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, and wherein the at least one extendible camera support shaft is telescopic. ### Claim 14 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The inspection system of claim 14, further comprising at least one motor in communication with the at least one extendible camera support shaft that is configured to rotate the at least one extendible camera support shaft for a change in rotation, at least one motor in communication with the at least one extendible camera support shaft that is configured to move the at least one extendible camera support shaft longitudinally along the longitudinal axis for a change in lateral position, and 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The inspection system of claim 14, wherein the at least one camera is a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera with a combined automatic and manual focus lens. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The inspection system of claim 14, wherein the at least one camera is positioned at a distal end of the at least one extendible camera support shaft, and the at least one extendible camera support shaft is a tube. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The inspection system of claim 14, wherein the data management system presents images together with position coordinates for analysis with algorithms for calculating interval extension of specific components within the turbine engine. ### Claim 19 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.