INSTRUMENTED COMPONENT FOR WIRELESS TELEMETRY

• US 20110133949A1
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG, Cree Fayetteville, Inc. (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Anand D., Fraley, John R., Waits, Rod, Karlsson, Bjoern, Subramanian, Ramesh, Mitchell, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,797,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.28
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/38 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2231/10 for component failures
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/00 Continuous combustion chambers using liquid or gaseous fuel
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/48 using wave or particle radiation means G01D5/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/18 Rotary transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A telemetry system for use in a combustion turbine engine (10) that includes a first sensor (306) in connection with a turbine blade (301) or vane (22). A first telemetry transmitter circuit (312) is affixed to the turbine blade and routes electronic data signals, indicative of a condition of the blade, from the sensor to a rotating data antenna (314) that is affixed to the turbine blade or is on a same substrate as that of the circuit. A stationary data antenna (333) may be affixed to a stationary component (323) proximate and in spaced relation to the rotating data antenna for receiving electronic data signals from the rotating data antenna. A second sensor (335) transmits electronic data signals indicative of the stationary component to a second telemetry circuit (332), which routes the signals to the stationary antenna. The stationary antenna transmits the electronic data signals to a receiver (338).

Claims

1. A wireless telemetry system for monitoring operating conditions of a component of a combustion turbine engine having a compressor and a power turbine, the wireless telemetry system comprising:

at least one first sensor in connection with a rotating component of a compressor or turbine;

a first telemetry transmitter circuit affixed to the rotating component and in electrical communication the at least one first sensor, wherein electronic data signals indicative of a condition of the rotating component are routed to the first telemetry transmitter circuit;

an energy transfer system for powering the first telemetry transmitter circuit;

a first data antenna affixed to the rotating component and in electrical communication with the first telemetry transmitter circuit that routes the electronic data signals indicative of the condition of the rotating component to the first data antenna;

a second data antenna affixed to a stationary location of the turbine or compressor in spaced relation to the first data antenna that receives the electronic data signals, indicative of the condition of the rotating component and transmitted from the first data antenna;

at least one second sensor in connection with a stationary component of the compressor or turbine; and

,

a second telemetry transmitter circuit powered by the energy transfer system, or another power source, that is affixed to a stationary location in the compressor or turbine in electrical communication with the at least one second sensor, wherein electronic data signals indicative of a condition of the stationary component are routed from the second sensor to the second telemetry transmitter circuit; and

,

wherein the second data antenna transmits electronic data signals indicative of the condition of the stationary component routed from the second telemetry transmitter circuit and transmits electronic data signals indicative of the condition of the rotating component to a receiver.

2. The wireless telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the energy transfer system is a resonant energy transfer system including a primary coil that transmits an oscillating current signal and is affixed to an area of the turbine engine in spaced relation to a secondary coil comprising an electrically conductive material on the rotating component in electrical communication with the first telemetry transmitter circuit, wherein the secondary coil is in resonance at generally the same frequency as a transmitting frequency of the oscillating current signal.

3. The wireless telemetry system of claim 2, wherein the component is at least one rotating blade of a plurality of blades on a rotor disc in the compressor or turbine and the blade having an airfoil across which expanding hot gas flows, and the turbine and compressor blades are disposed within a casing wherein the primary coil is mounted to the casing proximate a tip of the airfoil of the rotating blade and the secondary coil comprises an electrically conductive material on the airfoil.

4. The wireless telemetry system of claim 2, wherein the first data antenna comprises an electrically conductive material on the airfoil portion of the compressor or turbine blade.

5. The wireless telemetry system of claim 2, wherein the first telemetry transmitting circuit is configured on a substrate affixed to the rotating blade and the first data antenna is disposed on the same substrate and in electrical communication with the first telemetry transmitting circuit, wherein the first telemetry transmitting circuit and the first data antenna on the substrate are housed in an RF transparent cover.

6. The wireless telemetry system of claim 5, wherein the RF transparent cover, with the first telemetry transmitter circuit and the first data antenna, is mounted to an end face of the blade or a rotor disc facing the stationary component on which the second data antenna is mounted.

7. The wireless telemetry system of claim 2, wherein the secondary coil assembly is resonant at a frequency of between approximately 150 kHz to 15 MHz.

8. The wireless telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the energy transfer system is a power induction system comprising:

a stationary primary induction coil assembly affixed to the stationary component;

a secondary induction coil assembly affixed to the rotating component proximate and in spaced relation to the stationary primary induction coil; and

,

a power source energizing the stationary primary induction coil assembly so that the rotating secondary induction coil assembly operates at a frequency of between approximately 250 kHz to 250 MHz.

9. The wireless telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the second data antenna is housed in an RF transparent cover affixed to the stationary component of the turbine engine proximate the first data antenna.

10. The wireless telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the second data antenna is supported in a holder composed of a non-conducting material mounted to the stationary component.

11. The wireless telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the turbine engine is a modular system including the compressor and turbine engine that are separable from one another.

12. The wireless telemetry system of claim 2, wherein the rotating component is at least one rotating blade of a plurality of blades on a rotor disc in the compressor or turbine and the blade having an airfoil across which expanding hot gas flows, and the first data antenna comprises the electrically conductive material on the airfoil.

13. A wireless telemetry system for monitoring operating conditions of a component of a combustion turbine engine having a compressor and a power turbine, the wireless telemetry system comprising:

a first sensor in connection with a turbine or compressor blade attached to a rotor disc;

a first telemetry transmitter circuit affixed to the blade at a location having an operating temperature of about 500°

C.;

a first electrical connecting material on the turbine blade for routing electronic data signals from the first sensor to the first telemetry transmitter circuit, the electronic data signals indicative of a condition of the blade;

an energy transfer system for powering the first telemetry transmitter circuit;

a first data antenna affixed to the blade or rotor disc and in electrical communication with the first telemetry transmitter circuit for routing electronic data signals from the first telemetry transmitter circuit to the first data antenna;

an RF transparent cover mounted proximate the blade or rotor disc in which the first telemetry transmitter and the first data antenna are housed;

a second data antenna positioned on a stationary surface of the compressor or turbine proximate to and in spaced relation to the first data antenna for receiving the electronic data signals from the first data antenna;

a second sensor in connection with a stationary component within the compressor or turbine;

a second telemetry transmitter circuit affixed to a stationary location within the compressor or turbine configured to process electronic data signals indicative of an operating condition of the stationary component received from the second sensor;

a power source, apart from the energy transfer system, for powering the second telemetry transmitter circuit; and

,

a receiver, positioned in space relation to the second data antenna, that receives from the second data antenna the electronic data signals indicative of the operating condition of the blade and the stationary component.

14. The wireless telemetry system of claim 13, wherein the telemetry transmitter circuit is formed on a substrate affixed to the blade or the rotor disc and the first data antenna is disposed on the same substrate as that of the wireless telemetry transmitter circuit.

15. The wireless telemetry system of claim 13, wherein the energy transfer system is a resonant energy transfer system that includes a primary coil that transmits an oscillating current signal and is affixed to a stationary location of the turbine or compressor proximate to and in spaced relation to a secondary coil comprising an electrically conductive material affixed to the blade or rotor disc wherein the secondary coil is in resonance at generally a same transmitting frequency as the oscillating current signal.

16. The wireless telemetry system of claim 15, wherein the rotating blade includes an airfoil operatively connected to the rotor disc wherein the secondary coil comprises an electrically conductive material on a tip of the airfoil and the primary coil is affixed to a casing of the compressor or turbine proximate to the tip of the blade and the secondary coil.

17. The wireless telemetry system of claim 16, wherein the blade is one of a plurality of blades integrally formed with the rotor disc forming a blisk in a modular turbine machine wherein the compressor and turbine are separable from one another.

18. The wireless telemetry system of claim 13, wherein the energy transfer system is a power induction system comprising:

a stationary primary induction coil assembly affixed to the stationary component;

a secondary induction coil assembly affixed to the rotating component proximate and in spaced relation to the stationary primary induction coil; and

,

a power source energizing the stationary primary induction coil assembly so that the rotating secondary induction coil assembly operates at a frequency of between approximately 250 kHz to 250 MHz.

19. A wireless telemetry system for monitoring operating conditions of a component of a combustion turbine engine having a compressor and a power turbine including stationary and rotating components housed within one or more casings, the wireless telemetry system comprising:

a rotating sensor in connection with a turbine or compressor blade wherein the blade includes an airfoil portion operatively connected to a rotor disc;

a rotating telemetry transmitter circuit affixed to the blade;

an electrical connecting material on the turbine blade for routing electronic data signals from the rotating sensor to the rotating telemetry transmitter circuit, the electronic data signals indicative of a condition of the blade;

an energy transfer system for powering the telemetry transmitter circuit comprising a power receiving device, wherein the telemetry transmitter circuit is fabricated on a substrate and the power receiving device is on the same substrate;

a first data antenna fabricated on the same substrate as the telemetry transmitter circuit and the power receiving coil and in electrical communication with the telemetry transmitter circuit for routing electronic data signals from the telemetry transmitter circuit to the first data antenna; and

,

a second data antenna positioned on a stationary surface of the compressor or turbine proximate to and in spaced relation to the first data antenna for receiving the electronic data signals from the first data antenna.

20. The wireless telemetry system of claim 19, wherein the combustion turbine having a modular configuration including a compressor section and a turbine section that are separable from one another, and the wireless telemetry system further comprising:

the resonant energy transfer system for powering the rotating telemetry transmitter circuit including a primary coil that transmits an oscillating current signal and is affixed to an area of the turbine engine in spaced relation to a secondary coil comprising an electrically conductive material on the blade or rotor disc and in electrical communication with the rotating telemetry transmitter circuit, wherein the secondary coil is in resonance at generally the same frequency as a transmitting frequency of the oscillating current signal;

at least one stationary sensor in connection with a stationary component of the compressor or turbine; and

,

a stationary telemetry transmitter circuit powered by the resonant energy transfer system, or another power source, that is affixed to a stationary location in the compressor or turbine in electrical communication with the at least one stationary sensor, wherein electronic data signals indicative of a condition of the stationary component are routed from the stationary sensor to the stationary telemetry transmitter circuit; and

,

wherein the second data antenna transmits electronic data signals indicative of the condition of the stationary component routed from the stationary telemetry transmitter circuit and transmits electronic data signals indicative of the condition of the rotating blade to a receiver mounted to a casing for the compressor or turbine.