Eddy current transducing system
In a program funded by the Office of Energy Related Inventions of the Department of Energy, Vatell Corporation developed a prototype Turbine Blade Condition Monitor. This microcomputer-based system was tested to determine its performance in measuring individual blade clearance and time of arrival on a Pratt Whitney (Canada) JT15D jet engine. A Vatell eddy-current sensor mounted in the housing of the engine at mid-chord of the N1 first stage provided the signals. The N1 first stage is a 31 in. diameter fan with 28 titanium blades, operating over a speed range of approximately 7000 to 14,000 rpm. Tests showed that the monitoring system transduced blade clearances with a precision of .0001 in., simultaneously indicating times of arrival within 0.1 microseconds, equivalent to a pitch of .0015 in. Patterns of blade clearances and timing variations were observed for various engine operating conditions, and the clearance and time of arrival signatures'' of the fan stage were recorded. Manufacturing variations in blade pitch were readily detected, as were indications of blade and hub vibration. The report contains a detailed description of the development program, examples of waveforms and recorded data, circuit diagrams, software, setup and operating procedures for the monitoring system. 66 refs.
- Research Organization:
- Vatell Corp., Blacksburg, VA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG01-89CE15426
- OSTI ID:
- 5092820
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/CE/15426-T9; ON: DE91018924
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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