Shielded EM Communication Network for Gas Turbine Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
In gas turbine engines, the challenge of providing reliable electromagnetic communication in harsh environments with potential interference and access limitations leads to bulky, expensive, and vulnerable wiring systems, which exceed the capabilities of existing interconnect systems.
Innovation Solution
A shielded electromagnetic network using metal waveguides and Faraday shielding to contain and secure electromagnetic signals, allowing communication through functional components of the machine, including RFID tags powered by EM transmitting sources, which store parameters of interest independently of the remote processing unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wire routing is used for electromagnetic communication, then communication reliability is improved, but cable cost, volume and weight exceed desired limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire routing system with an electromagnetic field-based communication system. Sensors and control devices communicate wirelessly through electromagnetic signals that penetrate the Faraday cage shielding, eliminating the need for physical cable routing through the engine component while maintaining communication reliability in the harsh environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic waves as an intermediary medium to transmit information between sensors/control devices and external systems. The electromagnetic signals serve as a mediator that can pass through the Faraday cage shielding and functional components without requiring direct physical cable connections, thus reducing cable weight and complexity.
2Reliability
If wire routing is used for electromagnetic communication, then communication reliability is improved, but cable volume and cost exceed desired limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire routing system with an electromagnetic field-based communication system. Sensors and control devices communicate wirelessly through electromagnetic signals that penetrate the Faraday cage shielding, eliminating the need for physical cable routing through the engine component while maintaining communication reliability in the harsh environment.
3Reliability
If shielding is added to prevent electromagnetic interference, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the functional components of the gas turbine engine serve dual purposes: they maintain their primary mechanical/functions while simultaneously acting as Faraday cage shielding to protect against electromagnetic interference. The engine components themselves become the shielding structure, eliminating the need for separate shielding additions and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the shielding function with the existing functional components of the gas turbine engine. The Faraday cage shielding is integrated into the engine structure itself, combining the protective shielding function with the mechanical and operational functions of the engine components, thereby reducing device complexity.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If Faraday cage shielding is used to contain electromagnetic signals, then external interference is prevented, but signal transmission difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces electromagnetic waves as an intermediary medium to transmit information between sensors/control devices and external systems. The electromagnetic signals serve as a mediator that can pass through the Faraday cage shielding and functional components without requiring direct physical cable connections, thus reducing cable weight and complexity.
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 solution reduces cable and interconnecting system costs and weight, enhances reliability, and enables accurate monitoring and control by containing electromagnetic signals within the network, preventing external interference and unauthorized access, while allowing for 'plug-n-play' additions without requalifying the entire system.
Implementation Method 1
shielding may further include a metal waveguide, wherein the thickness of the metal of the waveguide is greater than a skin depth of the metal of the waveguide
Implementation Method 2
the thickness of the metal of the waveguide is greater than a skin depth of the metal of the waveguide
Implementation Method 3
the at least one of the sensing and control devices may be a RFID tag powered by an EM transmitting source
Data Source
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AI summary
A system of a machine includes a network of sensing / control / identification devices (68A, 68B) distributed throughout the machine, at least one of the sensing/control/identification devices (68A, 68B) associated with a sub-system component (70, 74) of the machine and operable to communicate through a plurality of electromagnetic signals (86); shielding (84) surrounding at least one of the sensing / control / identification devices (68A, 68B) to contain the electromagnetic signals (86) proximate to the sub-system component (70, 74); and a remote processing unit (66) operable to communicate with the network of the sensing / control / identification devices (68A, 68B) through the electromagnetic signals (86), wherein the at least one of the plurality of sensing / control / identification devices (68A, 68B) has internal memory independent of the remote processing unit (66), the internal memory having historical data corresponding to the sub-system component (70, 74).