Gas turbine engine control using acoustic pyrometry
First Claim
1. A method operating a gas turbine engine, including determining a temperature of a working gas passing through a flow path within the gas turbine engine, the method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting acoustic signals from a plurality of acoustic transmitters located at a predetermined axial location adjacent to and downstream from a last stage of a turbine section of the gas turbine engine;
receiving the acoustic signals from the acoustic transmitters at a plurality of acoustic receivers located at the predetermined axial location;
each acoustic signal comprising a distinct line-of-sound path from one of the acoustic transmitters to an acoustic receiver corresponding to the line-of-sound path;
determining, using a processor, a time-of-flight for the signals traveling along each of the line-of-sound paths; and
processing, via a processor, the time-of-flight for the signals traveling along the line-of-sound paths to determine a temperature in a region of the predetermined axial location.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for operating a gas turbine engine including determining a temperature of a working gas at a predetermined axial location within the engine. Acoustic signals are transmitted from a plurality of acoustic transmitters and are received at a plurality of acoustic receivers. Each acoustic signal defines a distinct line-of-sound path from one of the acoustic transmitters to an acoustic receiver corresponding to the line-of-sound path. A time-of-flight is determined for each of the signals traveling along the line-of-sound paths, and the time-of-flight for each of the signals is processed to determine a temperature in a region of the predetermined axial location.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method operating a gas turbine engine, including determining a temperature of a working gas passing through a flow path within the gas turbine engine, the method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting acoustic signals from a plurality of acoustic transmitters located at a predetermined axial location adjacent to and downstream from a last stage of a turbine section of the gas turbine engine; receiving the acoustic signals from the acoustic transmitters at a plurality of acoustic receivers located at the predetermined axial location; each acoustic signal comprising a distinct line-of-sound path from one of the acoustic transmitters to an acoustic receiver corresponding to the line-of-sound path; determining, using a processor, a time-of-flight for the signals traveling along each of the line-of-sound paths; and processing, via a processor, the time-of-flight for the signals traveling along the line-of-sound paths to determine a temperature in a region of the predetermined axial location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A gas turbine engine including an apparatus for controlling operation of the gas turbine engine comprising:
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a plurality of acoustic transmitters located circumferentially on a boundary structure defining a flow path for a working gas passing through the gas turbine engine, the plurality of acoustic transmitters located at a predetermined axial location adjacent to and downstream from a turbine section of the gas turbine engine; a plurality of acoustic receivers located circumferentially around the boundary structure defining the flow path at the predetermined axial location; a plurality of line-of-sound paths defined by acoustic signals, each acoustic signal transmitted from an acoustic transmitter and received by an acoustic receiver for a respective line-of-sound path; and a controller configured to determine a time-of-flight for the acoustic signals traveling along each of the line-of-sound paths, and the controller being configured to process a measured time-of-flight for the signals traveling along the line-of-sound paths to determine a local temperature in each of a plurality of locations located circumferentially around the flow path at the predetermined axial location. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification