Gas turbine engine telemetry module

• US 7,743,600 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Chelte, Michael T., Walker, Michael Ian, Sheridan, William G., Domonkos, Richard E., Babu, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuff; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, YOUNG EUN
• Application Number:
  US11/397,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20070233415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 60/390.8, 607/72, 60/398.3, 608/03, 607/25, 702182-185, 702 33- 36, 702 41- 44, 702/113, 702121-123, 702/188, 702/189, 702/45, 731/120.1, 731/120.3, 731/120.5, 731/146.8, 340/870.07, 324/207.25, 324/760
• US Class Current: 60/39.83
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/02 Arrangement of sensing elements

Abstract

A sensor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a telemetry module mounted at a rotor bearing compartment for sensing engine operational parameters and a cooling system for cooling the telemetry module separate from a rotor bearing lubricant flow.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly for a gas turbine engine, the assembly comprising:

a rotor bearing lubricant flow for providing lubricant to a bearing located in a rotor bearing compartment;

a telemetry module mounted radially inward from a rotatable compressor assembly at the rotor bearing compartment for sensing engine operational parameters; and

a cooling system which utilizes a gaseous nitrogen coolant for cooling the telemetry module separate from the rotor bearing lubricant flow.

2. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

a labyrinthine seal for restricting flow of the rotor bearing lubricant flow while permitting flow of the gaseous nitrogen coolant across the seal.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cooling system does not utilize engine oil lubricant to achieve cooling of the telemetry module.

4. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

a bearing configured to permit the telemetry module to be installed from a front side of the bearing support.

5. The assembly of claim 4 and further comprising:

a compartment forming a cavity at a forward side of the bearing support, wherein the telemetry module is located within the cavity of the compartment.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the telemetry module includes a rotatable coil and a static coil for sensing rotational data.

7. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting signals from the telemetry module.

8. The assembly of claim 7 and further comprising:

a strain gage electrically connected to the wireless transceiver.

9. The assembly of claim 7 and further comprising:

a thermocouple electrically connected to the wireless transceiver.

10. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

a rotor bearing assembly; and

a radially-extending bearing oil jet with a targeting feature located in close proximity to the bearing assembly.

11. A gas turbine engine assembly comprising:

a rotor bearing having a bearing lubricant flow; and

a telemetry module installed adjacent to the rotor bearing and radially inward from a rotatable airfoil assembly for detecting operational characteristics of the gas-turbine engine, the telemetry module having a telemetry coolant flow which comprises a gaseous nitrogen coolant that is separate from the bearing lubricant flow.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the telemetry coolant flow does not utilize engine oil to achieve cooling of the telemetry module.

13. The assembly of claim 12 and further comprising:

a radially-extending lubricant jet having a lubricant targeting feature located in close proximity to the rotor bearing.

14. A method of collecting engine data for a gas-turbine engine, the method comprising:

modifying a bearing lubricant flow to a bearing of a production gas-turbine engine;

installing a telemetry module radially inward from a rotatable compressor assembly and adjacent to the bearing for operation without disruption of the bearing lubricant flow to the bearing;

providing a telemetry coolant flow which utilizes a gaseous nitrogen coolant to the telemetry module, wherein the telemetry coolant flow is separate from the bearing lubricant flow; and

generating a signal based on engine data collected by the telemetry module during engine operation.

15. The method of claim 14 and further comprising the step of:

replacing the bearing of the production gas-turbine engine with a modified bearing before installing the telemetry module.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the telemetry module is installed forward of the bearing.

17. The method of claim 14 and further comprising the step of:

wirelessly transmitting the signal to a receiver.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein a portion of the telemetry coolant flow is made to flow adjacent to the bearing coolant flow in order to maintain separation between the telemetry coolant flow and the bearing coolant flow.