Apparatus and Method of Monitoring Operating Parameters of a Gas Turbine

• US 20100117859A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Anand A., Subramanian, Ramesh, Mitchell, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,742,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.160
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/02 Arrangement of sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/30 with deposition of material
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/90 Coating; Surface treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An integrated, self-powered, sensing and transmitting module (300) that can be placed within an operating environment, such as by being affixed to a gas turbine engine component, in order to sense the local operating environment and to deliver real-time operating environment data to a location outside of the environment. Such a module may integrate a power element (302); a sensing element 9304); and a transmitting element (308) on a single substrate (320) within a single housing (310). Both sensors and circuitry components are formed directly on or in the substrate in novel configurations to decrease the size and weight of the module.

Claims

1. A self-powered sensing and transmitting module comprising:

a power element;

a sensing element powered by the power element for generating a sensor signal responsive to a local operating environment;

a transmitting element powered by the power element for transmitting an output signal responsive to the sensor signal to a receiving location remote from the module; and

a housing containing the power element, sensing element and transmitting element.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the power element comprises an energy harvesting element for creating electrical power in response to non-electrical energy present in a local environment.

3. The module of claim 1, wherein the power element, sensing element and transmitting element are all formed on a single circuit board, and the circuit board comprises alumina or silicon carbide.

4. The module of claim 1, wherein the transmitting element comprises an RF antenna comprising a patch of material sized to be resonant at a predetermined wavelength.

5. The module of claim 4, wherein the antenna comprises polysilicon formed into a planar pattern to provide a radiation pattern for 17.5 GHz RF transmission.

6. The module of claim 4, wherein the antenna comprises a magnetic metamaterials.

7. The module of claim 4, wherein the antenna comprises an FeCo or NiFe composite.

8. The module of claim 4, wherein the transmitting element is configured for multi-channel communications and comprises two RF antennae configured to be resonant at two different frequencies.

9. The module of claim 1, wherein the transmitting element comprises a first antenna optimized for RF radiation for data transfer at a first frequency;

and

wherein the power element comprises a second antenna optimized for RF power reception at a second frequency different than the first frequency.

10. The module of claim 1, wherein the sensing element comprises a temperature or heat flux sensor formed on a substrate surface of the module by depositing a material onto the surface or into a via formed in the surface, wherein the deposited material is selected to have a desired temperature coefficient of resistance.

11. The module of claim 1, wherein the sensing element comprises one of the group consisting of aluminum, platinum and gold.

12. The module of claim 1, wherein the sensing element comprises a pressure sensor formed on a substrate surface of the module by depositing a material onto the surface or into a via formed in the surface, where the deposited material has a desired piezoresistive or capacitive response.

13. The module of claim 12, wherein the deposited material comprises silicon or SiC.

14. The module of claim 1, wherein at least one of the elements comprises a capacitor formed as a surface feature of a conductive material in a shape that provides a parallel plate arrangement.

15. The module of claim 14, wherein the capacitor comprises a first set of conductive fingers interspaced between a second set of respective conductive fingers, the two sets of conductive fingers being separated by respective gaps providing a capacitance there between.

16. The module of claim 1, wherein at least one of the elements comprises a capacitor formed as at least two layers of electrically conductive material separated by a dielectric material disposed within a via in a substrate of the module.

17. The module of claim 1, wherein at least one of the elements comprises a capacitor formed as at least two layers of electrically conductive material deposited on opposed surfaces of a substrate of the module.

18. The module of claim 1, wherein the sensor element comprises a resistance temperature detector comprising an MCrAlY material.

19. The module of claim 1, wherein the resistance temperature detector comprises a NiCoCrAlY alloy.

20. The module of claim 1, wherein the sensor element comprises a strain gage formed by depositing a single conductive line of an MCrAlY material in a surface pattern on a substrate of the module.