Gas Turbine Blade Flutter Monitoring for Real-Time Parameter Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gas turbine blades often experience flutter, leading to efficiency, lifetime, and component issues due to deflection from nominal positions, constraining design and operation, necessitating effective monitoring and control systems to mitigate these effects.

Innovation Solution

A flutter control system utilizing sensors and processors to detect blade deflection and adjust operational parameters, such as fuel and oxidant supply, temperatures, and pressures, to reduce or eliminate blade flutter, thereby enhancing reliability and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If blade flutter is not controlled, then the turbine can operate at higher power output, but the blade reliability and lifetime deteriorate due to deflection from nominal positions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower outputVSAvoidblade reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses sensors to detect blade position and flutter conditions, then feeds this information back to a control system that adjusts operational parameters in real-time to suppress flutter while maintaining power output

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control system modifies operational parameters such as fuel flow rate, oxidant flow rate, blade pitch angle, or rotational speed to change the aerodynamic and structural conditions, thereby eliminating flutter and improving blade reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If blade flutter is not controlled, then design margins can be reduced for cost reduction, but manufacturing precision and component quality worsen due to flutter-induced stresses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign costVSAvoidblade position precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Real-time feedback from position sensors allows the system to maintain precise blade positioning during operation, compensating for the reduced design margins and preventing flutter-induced positioning errors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control system proactively adjusts operational parameters before flutter conditions develop, preventing deflection from nominal positions and maintaining manufacturing precision throughout operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If blade flutter is not controlled, then operational flexibility increases, but efficiency deteriorates due to energy loss from blade deflection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidenergy loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The control system continuously monitors blade position and operational parameters, providing real-time feedback that enables efficient operation across a wide range of conditions while minimizing energy loss from flutter

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts operational parameters in real-time to optimize efficiency at different operating points, maintaining adaptability while reducing energy loss through active flutter control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10954812B2Gas turbine blade flutter monitoring and control system

Publication Date: 2021.03.23 GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECH LLC

AI summary

A flutter control system for a turbine includes a processor. The processor is configured to detect blade flutter of a turbine. The blade flutter indicates that blades of the turbine are in a deflected position different from a nominal operating position. The processor is configured to control operational parameters of the turbine that reduce or eliminate the blade flutter to improve the reliability and efficiency of the turbine.