BTT Probe Mounting With Sliding Cooling Sleeve for Thermal Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing BTT probe fixing apparatuses in gas turbines fail to stably fix and maintain the probe in real time due to thermal expansion and mechanical stresses, leading to potential damage and instability in blade monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A BTT probe fixing apparatus comprising a flexible cooling sleeve and a probe holder that accommodates the BTT probe, allowing it to be slidably mounted and thermally expandable, with gaskets for sealing and a three-way connection port for cooling, ensuring the probe remains fixed and functional despite thermal and mechanical changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the BTT probe is rigidly fixed to the casing, then the probe position is stable during installation, but the probe becomes damaged or unstable during operation due to thermal expansion and mechanical stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling sleeve is designed to be movable within the probe holder, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position in response to thermal expansion and mechanical stresses during gas turbine operation, while the probe holder itself remains fixed to the casing. This dynamic configuration resolves the contradiction by enabling the probe to maintain both stability and damage resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling sleeve acts as a flexible intermediate structure that can deform and move to accommodate thermal and mechanical changes in the casing, protecting the BTT probe from direct stress while maintaining probe functionality and position.
2Manufacturing precision
If the cooling sleeve is made rigid to maintain probe position, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the apparatus cannot accommodate thermal expansion of the casing
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling sleeve transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic movable component that can adjust its position within the probe holder, simultaneously achieving positioning accuracy and thermal expansion accommodation through controlled movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The design explicitly accounts for thermal expansion by allowing the cooling sleeve to move within the probe holder as the casing expands thermally, maintaining probe positioning accuracy despite temperature changes during operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If the probe holder is fixed to the casing without movement capability, then installation simplicity is improved, but the probe cannot maintain fixed position relative to the vane carrier during thermal cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing system is segmented into two functional parts: the probe holder that remains fixed to the casing for simple installation, and the movable cooling sleeve that adjusts to maintain probe position. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the installation function from the position maintenance function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively stabilizes the BTT probe, enabling reliable real-time monitoring of blade conditions by accommodating thermal expansion and mechanical stresses, thereby enhancing the reliability and maintenance efficiency of gas turbines.
Implementation Method 1
the probe holder being configured to move according to thermal expansion of the casing while maintaining the cooling sleeve and the BTT probe in a fixed position relative to the vane carrier
Implementation Method 2
the cooling sleeve may be formed of a flexible material, so that the cooling sleeve is capable of being bent by an external force and is capable of being restored when the external force is removed
Data Source
AI summary
The BTT probe fixing apparatus includes a cooling sleeve inserted into a fixing hole formed in a vane carrier, the cooling sleeve accommodating a BTT probe measuring vibration of a blade therein, and the cooling sleeve having a lower end thereof fastened to the fixing hole. Furthermore, the BTT probe fixing apparatus includes a probe holder having a lower end fastened to a penetration hole formed in a casing and having an inner portion where the cooling sleeve penetrates therethrough and is inserted thereinto such that the cooling sleeve is capable of being slid in the probe holder, the probe holder being configured to move according to thermal expansion of the casing while maintaining the cooling sleeve and the BTT probe in a fixed position relative to the vane carrier.