Apparatus and method of detecting wear in an abradable coating system

• US 7,618,712 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Anand A., Subramanian, Ramesh, Sabol, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Speer; Timothy M
• Application Number:
  US11/269,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 428/469
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 24/04 Impact or kinetic deposition of particles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/3215 at least one MCrAlX layer
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/3455 with a refractory ceramic layer, e.g. refractory metal oxide, ZrO2, rare earth oxides or a thermal barrier system comprising at least one refractory oxide layer
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/18 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/02 Arrangement of sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/08 responsive to condition of working-fluid, e.g. pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/04 responsive to undesired position of rotor relative to stator or to breaking-off of a part of the rotor, e.g. indicating such position
• 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: F04D 27/001 Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/324 Blades
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/526 Details of the casing section radially opposing blade tips ducts F04D29/545
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/542 Bladed diffusers fixing blades to stators F01D9/042
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/30 with deposition of material
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/90 Coating; Surface treatment manufacture with deposition of material F05D2230/30
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 11/00 Safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 5/00 Casings; Linings; Walls
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/007 constructed mainly of ceramic components
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/02 : for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 17/20 : across a radiating surface, combined with ascertainment of the heat transmission coefficient materials therefor G01K17/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2205/04 : for measuring exhaust gas temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/028 : using microstructures, e.g. made of silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/56 : Investigating resistance to wear or abrasion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24926 : including ceramic, glass, porcelain or quartz layer

Abstract

A component for use in a combustion turbine (10) is provided that includes a substrate (212) and an abradable coating system (216) deposited on the substrate (212). A planar proximity sensor (250) may be deposited beneath a surface of the abradable coating system (216) having circuitry (252) configured to detect intrusion of an object (282) into the abradable coating system (216). A least one connector (52) may be provided in electrical communication with the planar proximity sensor (250) for routing a data signal from the planar proximity sensor (250) to a termination location (59). A plurality of trenches (142) may be formed at respective different depths below the surface of the abradable coating system (216) with a planar proximity sensor (250) deposited within each of the plurality of trenches (142). A processing module (34) may be programmed for receiving data from the planar proximity sensor (250) and calculating a clearance between a row of blades (18,19) within a combustion turbine and the planar proximity sensor (250). The processing module (34) may control a clearance between the row of blades (18) and a ring segment (284) based on data received from the planar proximity sensors (250).

Claims

1. A component for use in a combustion turbine, the component comprising:

a substrate;

an abradable coating system deposited on the substrate;

a planar proximity sensor deposited beneath a surface of the abradable coating system and comprising circuitry configured to detect intrusion of an object into the abradable coating system; and

at least one connector in electrical communication with the planar proximity sensor for routing a data signal from the planar proximity sensor to a termination location.

2. The component of claim 1 further comprising:

a transmitter in electrical communication with the at least one connector for wirelessly transmitting the data signal outside the combustion turbine.

3. The component of claim 1 further comprising a trench formed in the abradable coating system wherein the planar proximity sensor is deposited within the trench.

4. The component of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of trenches formed at respective different depths below the surface of the abradable coating system; and

a planar proximity sensor deposited within each of the plurality of trenches.

5. The component of claim 1, the component comprising a ring segment of the combustion turbine, the planar proximity sensor deposited at a predetermined depth beneath the surface of the abradable coating system, the predetermined depth selected based on a desired sensitivity of the planar proximity sensor for detecting intrusion of a blade tip of a combustion turbine into the abradable coating system.

6. The component of claim 1, the planar proximity sensor comprising at least one planar winding selected to generate an electromagnetic field in response to an applied voltage and detect changes in a resonant circuit caused by eddy current losses induced in the object when influencing the electromagnetic field.

7. The component of claim 6, the planar proximity sensor comprising a first planar winding and a second planar winding.

8. The component of claim 1, the planar proximity sensor comprising a magnetic core and a winding around the magnetic core.

9. The component of claim 8, the winding comprising a first layer of nonmagnetic conducting material above the magnetic core and a second layer of nonmagnetic conducting material beneath the magnetic core.

10. The component of claim 8, the winding comprising alternating layers of a nonmagnetic conducting material and an insulting material.