Gas Turbine Optical System for Spatial Temperature Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face anomalies such as flame-out, improper flame temperature, and fuel mal-distribution within the combustor, leading to increased emissions and potential damage to internal components, which existing monitoring systems fail to detect and mitigate effectively.
Innovation Solution
An optical system with viewing ports and optical devices, including laser absorption spectroscopy and sensor arrays, is used to monitor the spatial temperature distribution in the exhaust chamber, with a controller analyzing the data to generate control signals for adjusting combustion parameters, such as fuel flow and air flow, to maintain optimal engine performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional monitoring systems are used, then the system is simple, but anomalies such as flame-out, improper flame temperature, and fuel mal-distribution cannot be detected effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into multiple independent optical devices, each viewing a specific sector of the combustor through circumferentially spaced viewing ports. Each optical device independently monitors its designated zone, allowing the system to achieve comprehensive 360-degree coverage while maintaining modular simplicity that facilitates installation and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple viewing ports are introduced as intermediary access points through the combustor wall, enabling optical devices to observe combustion parameters without direct intrusion into the high-temperature combustion zone. This intermediary approach allows precise temperature and flame monitoring while protecting the sensing equipment from extreme environmental conditions.
2Reliability
If real-time monitoring of combustion parameters is implemented, then combustion anomalies can be detected, but the system requires complex optical devices and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The controller receives real-time radiation intensity data from multiple optical devices, processes this information to detect combustion anomalies, and generates control signals that are fed back to adjust combustion parameters. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures reliable anomaly detection and mitigation while maintaining systematic simplicity through automated control rather than complex manual intervention systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional mechanical temperature sensors and probes that would require direct contact with combustion gases are replaced with optical devices that measure temperature remotely through radiation intensity analysis. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical shielding and cooling systems while providing reliable real-time temperature monitoring in the harsh combustor environment.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple viewing ports are used to capture spatial temperature distribution, then complete combustion chamber coverage is achieved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The combustor circumference is divided into multiple sectors, with each optical device assigned to monitor a specific angular range through its dedicated viewing port. This segmentation allows complete 360-degree spatial coverage to be achieved using a manageable number of discrete optical devices, each with a focused field of view that collectively encompasses the entire combustion chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple optical devices are optically coupled to a single controller that merges and processes data from all viewing ports simultaneously. This merging approach consolidates the computational burden and data integration functions into a single processing unit, reducing overall system complexity despite the use of multiple sensing points for comprehensive area coverage.
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 system enables real-time monitoring and control of combustion processes, reducing emissions and preventing damage to engine components by detecting anomalies and adjusting parameters accordingly, ensuring compliance with emission standards and minimizing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one optical device is a laser absorption spectroscopy device
Implementation Method 2
the at least one optical device is an infrared laser
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine engine optical system includes a plurality of viewing ports in an engine case that are circumferentially spaced from one-another. At least one optical device is optically coupled to the ports for viewing an internal chamber defined by the engine case and for depicting at least spatial temperature distributions. The chamber may be an exhaust chamber and the controller may have the capability to correlate events in the exhaust chamber to events in an upstream combustor chamber and may thereby adjust operating parameters of a fuel system of the combustor.