Aircraft Turbomachine Vane Sensor Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pressure sensors in aircraft turbomachines disrupt air flow and require excessive fixing material, which increases aerodynamic impact and reduces measurement accuracy due to their external placement and protective housing.

Innovation Solution

Integrating pressure sensors and cables within the turbomachine part body, eliminating the need for external protective housing and reducing the amount of fixing material required, while providing strong and aerodynamically friendly installation by housing sensors in cavities and cables in conduits, and using a grid to allow air passage while protecting the sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a pressure sensor with protective housing is placed in the air flow area, then pressure measurement is enabled, but air flow is diverted and measurement accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure measurement accuracyVSAvoidair flow disturbance

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure sensor is nested within a cavity in the turbomachine part body, with the membrane forming part of the cavity wall. This nesting eliminates the need for an external protective housing that would disturb air flow, while still protecting the sensor internally. The sensor is effectively hidden within the structure of the part itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective housing function is extracted from the sensor assembly and integrated into the part body structure itself. The cavity in the part body provides the protective enclosure, separating the housing function from the sensing element and eliminating the need for additional external housing that would interfere with air flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If a sensor is fixed to an external surface of a turbomachine part, then pressure measurement is achieved, but excessive fixing material is required and aerodynamic impact increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure measurement capabilityVSAvoidfixing material quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor mounting function is merged with the part body structure. The cavity in the part body serves as both the housing and the mounting structure, eliminating the need for separate fixing materials like glue. The sensor is integrated into the structure rather than being attached to it.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If a sensor with protective housing is used, then sensor protection is improved, but device volume and aerodynamic impact increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor protectionVSAvoidsensor assembly volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is nested within the cavity of the part body, using the existing structure as the protective housing. This eliminates the need for additional external protective housing that would increase volume and aerodynamic impact, while maintaining sensor protection through the integrated cavity structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS11530643B2Aircraft machine part incorporating at least one pressure sensor

Publication Date: 2022.12.20 SAFRAN AERO BOOSTERS SA

AI summary

The disclosed technology concerns an aircraft turbomachine part comprising a part body drilled with at least one cavity open to the outside and at least one conduit joining the cavity on the one hand and leading to the outside on the other hand. Each cavity receives a pressure sensor, and the conduit corresponds to the cavity guides the cables connected to the sensor to the outside of the part body. The part is an aircraft turbomachine vane.