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Erosion sensor and system, method, and computer program product thereof

  • US 10,215,660 B1
  • Filed: 11/10/2011
  • Issued: 02/26/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An ablation detection system for detecting ablation caused by high temperature, high pressure exhaust, comprising:

  • at least one ablative panel, the at least one ablative panel having embedded therein a plurality of fiber optic sensors, each configured to provide a return signal having an output level inversely proportional to an amount of ablation sustained by the respective sensor due to exposure to the high temperature, high pressure exhaust;

    a receiver to detect return signal output characteristics from the fiber optic sensors, the return signal output characteristics being indicative of the amount of ablation sustained by the fiber optic sensors due to exposure to the high temperature, high pressure exhaust,the receiver being operative to calculate the amount of ablation based on the detected return signal output characteristics, andthe receiver being operative to output an identifier when the amount of ablation exceeds a predetermined threshold, the identifier indicating which of the plurality of fiber optic sensors have ablated past the predetermined threshold; and

    a control unit operative to receive ablation data associated with the amount of ablation from the receiver, each of the plurality of fiber optic sensors being associated with a respective one of a plurality of launch cells and the control unit being operative to perform one or more operations based on the ablation data, the one or more operations including at least one of;

    determining a sequence of operations, determining a next operation to take, generating an erosion model, determining existence of an unsafe condition, determining that a portion should be replaced or refurbished, outputting an alarm, performing calibration operations, and outputting data to a display,wherein each of the fiber optic sensors includes a plurality of discrete optic fibers configured to pass light therethrough, the plurality of discrete optic fibers being disposed in a body portion of a respective one of the fiber optic sensors, andwherein each fiber optic sensor comprises a body made of an ablative material, a top face of the body being flush with a front face of the at least one ablative panel such that the top face is exposed to an external environment prior to ablation of the fiber optic sensor.

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