Apparatus and related method for sensing cracks in rotating engine blades
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting cracks or structural breaks in the body of rotating compressor blades of an engine, comprising:
- a) embedding electrically conductive carbon fibers in the body of said blades;
b) connecting in series the fibers embedded in all the said blades;
c) embedding at least one magnet at a position along the periphery of a casing enclosing said blades for generating a magnetic field;
d) creating an electric circuit along the embedded network of carbon fibers when the blades are rotating under the influence of the magnetic field;
e) detecting a break in said electric circuit caused by the occurrence of a crack or a structural break at a location in one of said blades.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting structural anomalies in the body of rotating members of an engine involves establishing an electric circuit in the body of the rotating members by embedding a network of electrically conductive fibers. Upon rotation of the members in the presence of a magnetic field, an electric current flows in the electrically conductive fibers of the rotating members. Detection of a structural anomaly in any of the rotating members results from detecting a break of the electric circuit.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for detecting cracks or structural breaks in the body of rotating compressor blades of an engine, comprising:
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a) embedding electrically conductive carbon fibers in the body of said blades; b) connecting in series the fibers embedded in all the said blades; c) embedding at least one magnet at a position along the periphery of a casing enclosing said blades for generating a magnetic field; d) creating an electric circuit along the embedded network of carbon fibers when the blades are rotating under the influence of the magnetic field; e) detecting a break in said electric circuit caused by the occurrence of a crack or a structural break at a location in one of said blades. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for detecting cracks or structural breaks formed in the body of rotating compressor blades of an engine, comprising:
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a network of electrically conductive carbon fibers embedded in the body of said blades; at least one magnet embedded at a position along the periphery of a casing enclosing said blades; detection means for detecting a break in the electric circuit comprising the network of the electrically conductive carbon fibers, wherein the electric circuit is established when said blades rotate under the influence of a magnetic field from the magnet, said break in the electric circuit caused by a crack or a structural break at a location in one of said blades. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification