RF Tag Rotor Blade Timing Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring rotor blade vibrational response in turbine engines are costly, unreliable, and require expensive sensors and air cooling, often necessitating modifications that degrade the blades and are impractical for extended use.
Innovation Solution
The integration of RFID technology using RF tags attached to rotor blades and readers positioned within the turbine engine to measure time-of-flight or signal strength, eliminating the need for expensive probes and air cooling, and allowing for more accurate and reliable blade timing data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional blade timing methods are used, then blade vibrational response can be measured, but the cost is high and reliability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/optical sensing systems with RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. RF tags are attached to rotor blades and readers are positioned in the turbine engine to measure time-of-flight or signal strength, eliminating the need for expensive physical probes and air cooling infrastructure. This substitution of mechanical systems with electromagnetic field-based systems reduces implementation costs while improving reliability for blade timing measurements.
2Measurement precision
If expensive probes and air cooling are used, then measurement precision can be maintained, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates complex mechanical probe systems and air cooling infrastructure by using RFID technology. RF tags attached to rotor blades communicate with readers through electromagnetic fields, allowing measurement of blade timing data without physical contact. This reduces device complexity while maintaining measurement precision through time-of-flight or signal strength measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces RF tags as intermediary elements attached to rotor blades. These tags serve as mediators between the rotating blades and the stationary readers, enabling non-contact measurement of blade timing. The RF tags transmit information about blade position and vibration through electromagnetic signals, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining measurement accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If blade modifications are made for monitoring, then measurement capability is improved, but blade strength and durability are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical measurement methods with non-contact RFID technology. Instead of modifying blade structures to accommodate sensors or measurement devices, small RF tags are attached to the blade surfaces. These tags do not compromise blade structural integrity while enabling comprehensive vibration and timing measurements through electromagnetic field interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses RF tags that create an electromagnetic signature or copy of the blade's physical presence and motion characteristics. Rather than directly measuring the blade itself, the system measures the electromagnetic signals emitted or reflected by the tags attached to the blades, preserving blade integrity while capturing all necessary vibrational and timing data.
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 provides cost-effective, flexible, and reliable monitoring of rotor blade health, reducing implementation costs and enabling longer-term testing without physical degradation, with richer and more reliable data for blade timing analysis.
Implementation Method 1
emitting an RF signal from the RF reader; recording a first time as being when the RF signal is emitted by the RF reader; receiving the RF signal at the RF tag and emitting a return RF signal by the RF tag in response thereto; receiving the return RF signal at the RF reader; recording a second time as being when the return RF signal is received at the RF reader; and determining the time-of-flight data point as being the duration occurring between the first time and the second time
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining an arrival-time of a rotor blade that includes attaching an RF reader to a stationary surface and an RF tag to the rotor blade. Time-of-flight data points are collected via an RF monitoring process that includes: emitting an RF signal from the RF reader and recording a first time; receiving the RF signal at the RF tag and emitting a return RF signal by the RF tag in response thereto; receiving the return RF signal at the RF reader and recording a second time; and determining the time-of-flight data point as being the duration occurring between the first time and the second time. The RF monitoring process is repeated until multiple time-of-flight data points are collected. A minimum time-of-flight is determined from the multiple time-of-flight data points, and the arrival-time for the rotor blade is determined as being a time that corresponds to the minimum time-of-flight.