MEMS emissions sensor system for a turbine engine
First Claim
1. An emissions measurement system comprising:
- a turbine engine;
a gas flow in the turbine engine;
a plurality of MEMS emissions sensors operatively positioned within the turbine engine, the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors being grouped together such that each MEMS emissions sensor is substantially adjacent to at least one other MEMS emissions sensor, wherein each of the MEMS emissions sensors measures an emissions value of the gas flow; and
a data acquisition system operatively connected to the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors, wherein the data acquisition system receives emissions values measured by the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors, the data acquisition system being programmed with a statistical algorithm such that the data acquisition system statistically analyzes the emissions values measured by the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors.
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Abstract
Aspects of the invention are directed to the use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based emissions sensors in a turbine engine system to measure one or more emissions values associated with a gas flow in the system. The emissions value can be, for example, the temperature of a gas flow and/or the amount of a particular compound, such as carbon monoxide, in the gas flow. Due to their small size, a plurality of MEMS emissions sensors can readily be incorporated at various locations in a turbine engine system. For example, the MEMS emissions sensors can be operatively positioned in an exhaust stack, downstream of the last row of blades in the turbine section, or in the leading edge of a turbine vane. The MEMS sensors can be operatively connected to a data acquisition system, which can statistically analyze the emissions values measured by the MEMS sensors.
24 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An emissions measurement system comprising:
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a turbine engine; a gas flow in the turbine engine; a plurality of MEMS emissions sensors operatively positioned within the turbine engine, the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors being grouped together such that each MEMS emissions sensor is substantially adjacent to at least one other MEMS emissions sensor, wherein each of the MEMS emissions sensors measures an emissions value of the gas flow; and a data acquisition system operatively connected to the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors, wherein the data acquisition system receives emissions values measured by the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors, the data acquisition system being programmed with a statistical algorithm such that the data acquisition system statistically analyzes the emissions values measured by the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An emissions measurement system comprising:
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a turbine engine; an exhaust stack having a flow passage, wherein the flow passage receives an exhaust gas from the turbine engine; a plurality of MEMS emissions sensors operatively positioned within the flow passage, the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors being grouped together such that each MEMS emissions sensor is substantially adjacent to at least one other MEMS emissions sensor, wherein each of the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors measures an emissions value of the exhaust gas; and a data acquisition system operatively connected to the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors, wherein the data acquisition system receives emissions values measured by the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors, the data acquisition system being programmed with a statistical algorithm such that the data acquisition system statistically analyzes the emissions values measured by the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of measuring turbine engine emissions comprising the steps of:
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operating a turbine engine system, wherein the turbine engine system includes a gas traveling along a gas flow path; operatively positioning a plurality of MEMS emissions sensors within the gas flow path; measuring an emissions value of the gas flow with each of the plurality of MEMS emissions sensors; filtering the measured emissions values based on at least one filter criteria such that measured emissions values outside of the at least one filter criteria are disregarded; and statistically analyzing the filtered measured emissions values. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification