Ultra-violet flame detector with high temperature remote sensing element

A flame sensor apparatus for flame sensing within a turbine, the apparatus including:

• a sensor assembly entirely located within the turbine at a first location, which is within the turbine, having a first, relatively elevated temperature, the sensor assembly including a photodiode, at the first location, for sensing characteristics of a flame within a combustion chamber of the turbine, the combustion chamber having an outer wall and an opening within the outer wall, the sensor assembly being located outside of the combustion chamber and sensing characteristics of the flame within the combustion chamber of the turbine through the opening, the photodiode outputting an electrical photocurrent that has an electrical current value that is indicative of the characteristics of the flame and the sensor assembly including an electrical wire, at the first location, electrically connected to the photodiode to receive the electrical photocurrent output from the photodiode and electrically convey the electrical photocurrent;
• an electrical assembly that is electrically remote from the sensor assembly and the combustion chamber at a second location, outside of the turbine away from the first location, and having a second temperature relatively lower than the first temperature at the first location;
• and
• an electric cable assembly extending from the sensor assembly, at the first location, to the electrical assembly, at the second location, and transitioning from the first location having the relatively elevated temperature to the second location having the relatively lower temperature, the electric cable assembly including an electrical cable electrically connected to the electrical wire of the sensor assembly and being configured to electrically convey the photocurrent, that is indicative of the characteristics of the flame, from the photodiode, and electrically conveyed by the electrical wire of the sensor assembly, to the electrical assembly, wherein the electric cable assembly is included as part of a sealed array filled with an inert gas.

A method of flame sensing within a turbine, including the steps of:

• providing a flame sensor apparatus for flame sensing within the turbine, said step of providing the flame sensor apparatus includes providing the flame sensor apparatus to include:
• a sensor assembly entirely located within the turbine at a first location, which is within the turbine, having a first, relatively elevated temperature, the sensor assembly including a photodiode, at the first location, for sensing characteristics of a flame within a combustion chamber of the turbine, the combustion chamber having an outer wall and an opening within the outer wall, the sensor assembly being located outside of the combustion chamber and sensing characteristics of the flame within the combustion chamber of the turbine through the opening, the photodiode outputting an electrical photocurrent that has an electrical current value that is indicative of the characteristics of the flame and the sensor assembly including an electrical wire, at the first location, electrically connected to the photodiode to receive the electrical photocurrent output from the photodiode and electrically convey the electrical photocurrent;
• an electrical assembly that is electrically remote from the sensor assembly and the combustion chamber, and that is at a second location, outside of the turbine away from the first location, and having a second temperature relatively lower than the first temperature at the first location;
• and
• an electric cable assembly extending from the sensor assembly, at the first location, to the electrical assembly, at the second location, and transitioning from the first location having the relatively elevated temperature to the second location having the relatively lower temperature, the electric cable assembly including an electrical cable electrically connected to the electrical wire of the sensor assembly and being configured to electrically convey the photocurrent, that is indicative of the characteristics of the flame, from the photodiode, and electrically conveyed by the electrical wire of the sensor assembly, to the electrical assembly;
• receiving electromagnetic radiation from the flame with the photodiode;
• producing the photocurrent corresponding to the electromagnetic radiation with the photodiode;
• conveying the photocurrent via the electrical cable of the electric cable assembly to the electrical assembly;
• and
• sensing the characteristics of the flame with the electrical assembly based on the photocurrent.