Blade Tip Timing Resonance Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for analyzing blade tip timing data from gas turbine engines are prone to operator subjectivity and lack reproducibility, often requiring manual intervention and are limited to the development phase due to noise and undersampling issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving correlation factors to identify resonant vibration events, which automates the analysis by detecting blade timings, determining correlation factors, and applying adaptive filtering to reduce noise and improve consistency, allowing for real-time health monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If blade tip timing method is used to avoid complex telemetry systems, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to undersampling and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines data from multiple timing probes to collectively characterize blade vibrations. By merging information from several probes that each undersample the vibration, the system achieves measurement precision comparable to single-probe systems without requiring complex telemetry infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an automated analysis system with correlation factors as an intermediary between the raw BTT data and the vibration characterization results. This intermediary processing layer objectively interprets the undersampled and noisy data, converting it into reliable vibration measurements without requiring manual intervention.
2Measurement precision
If manual analysis of BTT data is performed, then measurement precision can be maintained through skilled interpretation, but ease of operation deteriorates due to operator subjectivity and lack of reproducibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an automated analysis system that performs vibration characterization independently without requiring operator intervention. The system uses correlation factors to objectively identify resonant events and extract vibration parameters, making the analysis self-service and eliminating operator subjectivity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through correlation factors that quantitatively measure the relationship between expected and actual blade arrival times. This feedback mechanism enables the automated system to objectively detect resonant vibration events and adjust the analysis accordingly, ensuring reproducible results across different operators.
3Productivity
If BTT data is used for real-time health monitoring, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to noise and undersampling issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary automated processing steps including correlation factor calculation and resonant event identification before final vibration characterization. This preliminary action prepares the noisy BTT data by objectively identifying relevant events and filtering out noise, ensuring reliable results for real-time monitoring applications.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for identifying resonant frequency vibration events in an assembly of rotating blades mounted on a rotor. A plurality of circumferentially spaced stationary timing probes associated with the blades detect the times at which the blades pass the respective probes. The method includes the steps of: obtaining blade timings detected by the probes, determining, for successive rotations of the assembly, respective correlation factors for one or more of the blades, each correlation factor quantifying the degree of correlation between the blade timings detected by the probes for a particular blade on a particular rotation and the blade timings detected by the probes for that blade on the previous rotation and identifying a resonant vibration event when the one or more correlation factors cross a predetermined threshold.