Planet Gear Pin Strain Sensor Integration for Turbine Engine Health Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current health determination systems for turbine engine power gearboxes lack accuracy and precision in detecting internal damage and defects, such as gear wear and bearing issues, due to reliance on external sensors and single sensor configurations.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating strain gauges and accelerometers within the pins of planet gears to measure strain and vibration, providing detailed load share information and torque measurements, which are combined with physics-based models for predictive maintenance and health assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If external sensors and single sensor configurations are used for health determination, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and detection accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is integrated within the planet gear structure itself, with the sensor housed inside the planet gear to directly measure strain on the pin. This nesting approach allows the sensor to be positioned at the critical measurement location without adding external components, thereby improving measurement precision while avoiding external sensor mounting complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The planet gear structure serves dual functions: it performs its primary gear transmission function while simultaneously housing the strain sensor to enable health monitoring. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate external sensing systems, improving detection accuracy without proportionally increasing overall device complexity
2Reliability
If multiple sensors are integrated within the planet gear pin, then measurement precision and health monitoring capability improve, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is integrated into the planet gear pin during the manufacturing process itself, rather than being added as a post-assembly component. This preliminary integration allows for more straightforward manufacturing workflows and reduces the complexity of assembling multiple separate sensor components into the final gearbox assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor housing is merged with the planet gear structure, creating a unified component that serves both mechanical and sensing functions. This merging reduces the total number of discrete parts and simplifies the manufacturing process compared to integrating multiple separate sensors into the pin
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
This approach enables precise monitoring of gearbox health, predicting maintenance needs and detecting failure modes, thereby improving maintenance intervals and overall gearbox durability.
Implementation Method 1
a strain gauge disposed within the pin and configured to produce a signal indicative of a strain on the pin
Implementation Method 2
an accelerometer disposed within the pin and configured to produce a signal indicative of a vibration of the planet gear
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A gearbox assembly (746) includes a gear assembly (747) that includes a planet gear (754), a pin (782, 1182) disposed within the planet gear (754), a first sensor (702, 1102), and a second sensor (711, 1111). The first sensor (702, 1102) is disposed within the pin (782, 1182) and is configured to produce a signal indicative of a strain of the pin (782, 1182). The second sensor (711, 1111) is disposed within the pin (782, 1182) and is configured to produce a signal indicative of a vibration of the pin (782). Another gearbox assembly (46) includes a gear assembly (47) including a planet gear (254), a pin (282, 582) disposed within the planet gear (254), and a strain sensor (202, 502). The strain sensor (202, 502) is disposed within the pin (282, 582) and is configured to produce a signal indicative of a strain of the pin (282, 582). The strain sensor (202, 502) is located within the pin (282, 582) at a circumferential location of the pin (282, 582) that is opposite to a location of a force (381, 481) acting on the pin (282, 582) when the planet gear (254) rotates about the pin (282, 582).