System and method for performing a visual inspection of a gas turbine engine

• US 10,197,473 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2015
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Diwinsky, David Scott, Lim, Ser Nam
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sathyanaraya V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Jr., Howard D
• Application Number:
  US14/963,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20170167953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/24 Casings modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14; Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M ; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/005 Repairing methods or devices
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/14 Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8803 Visual inspection measuring projectors G01B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/95 characterised by the material or shape of the object to be examined G01N21/89 - G01N21/91, G01N21/94 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9515 Objects of complex shape, e.g. examined with use of a surface follower device measuring contours and curvatures G01B11/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/954 Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12 Circuits of general importance; Signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30164 Workpiece; Machine component
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0008 checking presence/absence

Abstract

A method for performing a visual inspection of a gas turbine engine may generally include inserting a plurality of optical probes through a plurality of access ports of the gas turbine engine. The access ports may be spaced apart axially along a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine such that the optical probes provide internal views of the gas turbine engine from a plurality of different axial locations along the gas turbine engine. The method may also include coupling the optical probes to a computing device, rotating the gas turbine engine about the longitudinal axis as the optical probes are used to simultaneously obtain images of an interior of the gas turbine engine at the different axial locations and receiving, with the computing device, image data associated with the images obtained by each of the optical probes at the different axial locations.

Claims

1. A system for performing a visual inspection of a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:

a plurality of optical probes to be installed through a plurality of access ports that are spaced apart axially along a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine to be inspected, the plurality of optical probes being configured to provide internal views of the gas turbine engine from a plurality of different axial locations associated with the plurality of access ports;

a rotating device configured to rotate the gas turbine engine about the longitudinal axis as the plurality of optical probes are used to simultaneously obtain images of an interior of the gas turbine engine at the plurality of different axial locations; and

a computing device communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of optical probes, the computing device being configured to receive image data associated with the images obtained by each of the plurality of optical probes at the plurality of different axial locations;

wherein the rotating device is communicatively coupled to the computing device, the computing device being configured to transmit control signals to the rotating device such that the rotating device rotates the gas turbine engine at a controlled speed about the longitudinal axis.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical probes are designed to be inserted into a plurality of access ports that are spaced apart axially along at least a portion of a compressor of the gas turbine engine such that each access port is located at or adjacent to a different stage of a plurality of stages of the compressor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each optical probe is configured to obtain images of a plurality of compressor blades located at one of the plurality of stages of the compressor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the image data received at the computing device is configured to be inspected for any defects or damage associated with the plurality of compressor blades.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of optical probes are designed to be inserted into a plurality of access ports that are spaced apart axially along at least a portion of a turbine of the gas turbine engine such that each access port is located at or adjacent to a different stage of a plurality of stages of the turbine.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each optical probe is configured to obtain images of a plurality of turbine blades located at one of the plurality of stages of the turbine.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the image data received at the computing device is configured to be inspected for any defects or damage associated with the plurality of turbine blades.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each optical probe includes an articulation assembly configured to adjust an orientation of a probe tip of the optical probe within the interior of the gas turbine engine, wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to the articulation assembly such that the computing device is configured to adjust the orientation of the probe tip as images of the interior of the gas turbine engine are being obtained.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotating device corresponds to a motor coupled to the gas turbine engine.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of optical probes corresponds to one of a borescope, a videoscope or a fiberscope.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of optical probes includes a light source for illuminating the interior of the gas turbine engine.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data center located remote to the computing device, the computing device being configured to transmit the image data to the data center.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to automatically inspect the image data for any defects or damage within the gas turbine engine using a computer vision technique.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device communicatively coupled to the computing device, and wherein the computing device is configured to transmit the image data to the display device for display thereon.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to store the image data with a memory associated with the computing device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the gas turbine engine is configured for use within an aircraft.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the articulation assembly is configured to allow for the probe tip to be rotated to adjust the orientation of the probe tip within the interior of the gas turbine engine relative to the remainder of the probe.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein each optical probe includes an articulation assembly configured to adjust an orientation of a probe tip of the optical probe within the interior of the gas turbine engine, and wherein the articulation assembly of each of the optical probes comprises:

one or more articulation motors; and

a plurality of articulation cables coupled between the probe tip and the one or more articulation motors, wherein the one or more articulation motors are configured to adjust a tension of the plurality of cables to reorient the probe tip within the interior of the gas turbine engine.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the computing device is configured to control operation of the articulation assembly of each optical probe collectively.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to transmit control signals to the rotating device such that the rotating device rotates the gas turbine engine at the controlled speed about the longitudinal axis regardless of whether the gas turbine engine is in a partially assembled state or a fully assembled state.