Sealing system for optical sensors in gas turbine engines

Abstract

A sealing system (20) for an optical sensor of a turbine engine that diverts and exhaust seal leakage away from the seal (22, 24) to prevent ingestion of humid air through the seal (22, 24) is disclosed. The sealing system (20) may include inner and outer optical housings (26, 28) with first and second seals (22, 24) positioned there between separating inner and outer optical housings (26, 28) radially. The sealing system (20) may include one or more leakage manifolds (30) positioned between the first and second seals (22, 24) and containing one or more manifold rings (32). The manifold ring (32) may be positioned between and in contact with the first and second seals (22, 24) enabling the first and second seals (22, 24) to form a double seal. The manifold ring (32) may also be configured to capture leakage air that has seeped past the first seal (22) and exhaust that leakage air through one or more exhaust vents (34) in the outer optical housing (28) before leaking through the sealing system (20).

Description

technical field [0001] The present application relates to turbine engines, sealing technology, and optical sensors, and more particularly, to a sealing system for an optical sensor. Background technique [0002] In turbine engines, optical sensors such as those used for flame scanning in the combustion region of the turbine need to be able to detect flames for safety and to ensure optimal engine operation. Currently, for example figure 1 As shown, various existing techniques and methods for sealing such optical sensors generally allow a small leakage of moist air from the combustion region of the turbine to leak past the optical barrier for the optical sensor. Lens containment housing 10 may be removably attached to lens support 12 and may be sealed using a single pressure seal 14 . Seal 14 is often prone to leaks. Leakage of moist air can allow condensation to occur within the optical sensing area of ​​the turbine and often results in the formation of small droplets or m...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Said droplets or moisture can cause degradation of the optical signal sent to the signal processor and, as a result, can lead to misfires of the turbine engine when the system erroneously determines that there is a misfire situation when in fact the opposite is true. Interrupt (false trip)

A nuisance outage of a turbine engine often results in a substantial loss of customer satisfaction, loss of real revenue, loss of turbine availability, and loss of productivity

Moreover, current technologies and methods are often prone to failure

In addition, the electrical heating methods commonly used to deal with steam problems require added complexity and substantial expense

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