Turbine Exhaust Sensor Wave Spring Stress Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Exhaust gas temperature sensors in turbine engines face challenges such as increased maintenance costs, reduced accuracy, and engine performance due to exposure to high temperatures and fluid forces, leading to strain, creep, and crack propagation, as well as material limitations in withstanding the environment.
Innovation Solution
An improved exhaust gas temperature sensor design incorporating a biasing element, such as a wave spring, to reduce stress on the probe by biasing the element support housing against the inner casing, allowing the probe to be made from a single material and reducing the need for specialized manufacturing, while maintaining accuracy and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the probe is made from specialized materials to withstand high temperatures and fluid forces, then the sensor reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary element support housing that acts as a mediator between the probe and the inner casing. This housing structure distributes and reduces the fluid forces and thermal stresses, allowing the probe to be made from simpler, less expensive materials while maintaining reliability in the harsh exhaust gas environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the probe, the element support housing, and the inner casing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the probe for temperature sensing accuracy and the housing for mechanical protection - thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If the probe is made from specialized materials to withstand high temperatures and fluid forces, then the sensor reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The element support housing serves as a protective intermediary that shields the probe from direct exposure to extreme fluid forces and thermal gradients. This allows the probe to be manufactured from more economical materials rather than requiring expensive specialized alloys, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while preserving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The element support housing provides beforehand cushioning by pre-positioning itself between the probe and the harsh exhaust gas environment. This protective structure absorbs and distributes mechanical and thermal stresses before they reach the probe, enabling the use of less expensive materials and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining sensor reliability.
3Reliability
If the element support housing is made movable relative to the housing to reduce stress on the probe, then the sensor reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The element support housing is designed with movable connections relative to the outer housing, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position in response to thermal expansion and fluid forces. This dynamic capability reduces stress concentration on the probe, improving reliability, while the simplicity of the movable joint design keeps the overall device complexity low.
4Measurement precision
If the probe is positioned closer to the combustor to increase measurement accuracy, then the measurement precision is improved, but the sensor is exposed to more extreme temperatures and forces
Solution Approach 1:
The element support housing acts as a protective intermediary that enables the probe to be positioned close to the combustor for accurate measurements while shielding it from the full brunt of extreme temperatures and fluid forces. The housing structure attenuates harmful factors before they reach the probe, allowing close positioning without compromising sensor survival or accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The element support housing provides beforehand cushioning by positioning itself between the probe and the harsh combustor environment. This protective structure absorbs and distributes extreme thermal and mechanical stresses before they reach the probe, enabling close positioning for high measurement precision while protecting the sensor from harmful factors.
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 solution extends the component lifetime, decreases maintenance costs, and enhances engine efficiency by reducing material complexity and weight, while maintaining accurate temperature measurements and robust connections.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing element biasing the probe casing relative to the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine engine can include a compressor section, combustor section, and turbine section in serial flow arrangement, with the combustor section having a combustion chamber defining an exhaust gas flow path through which combustion exhaust gas flows. An exhaust gas temperature sensor is located at least partially within the exhaust gas flow path. A housing bounds an interior, a spring located within the interior, and a temperature probe extending through the interior and thermally coupled to the exhaust gas flow path. The spring biases a probe casing of the probe against the housing.