Utilization of pyrometer data to detect oxidation

• US 6,579,005 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ingallinera, Michael David
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRUCHNIC, STANLEY J
• Application Number:
  US09/751,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 374/45, 374/57, 374/101, 374/102, 374/104, 374/110, 374/111, 374/112, 374/116, 374/120, 374/121, 374/124, 374/129, 374/130, 374/131, 374/141, 374/144, 374/147, 374/148, 374/163, 374/166, 374/179, 374/4, 356/43, 356/45, 731/16, 731/173, 731/19.R
• US Class Current: 374/45
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/085 to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies

Abstract

A method for determining oxidation in turbine buckets allows for conditional based maintenance of the turbine buckets. The method includes measuring a temperature of a turbine bucket and comparing the measured temperature to a temperature of a reference turbine bucket to determine the condition of the bucket. The method provides useful temperature data to determine if the turbine should be stopped and the bucket serviced. This method may be used in place of interval based maintenance to increase bucket life, reduce bucket failure, and increase turbine operating time.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a condition of a turbine bucket, comprising the steps of:

inserting a temperature sensor into a turbine;

measuring, with the temperature sensor, a temperature of a reference turbine bucket;

measuring, with the temperature sensor, at least one temperature of a turbine bucket being monitored, and

comparing the measured temperature of the turbine bucket being monitored to the measured temperature of the reference turbine bucket to determine the condition of the turbine bucket being monitored.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

subtracting the temperature of the reference turbine bucket from the temperature of the turbine bucket being monitored to obtain a relative temperature of the turbine bucket being monitored.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the relative temperature is monitored to determine when the turbine bucket being monitored needs servicing.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein a temperature of a leading edge of the turbine bucket being monitored is monitored.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein a temperature of a leading edge of the reference bucket is monitored.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the turbine bucket being monitored requires servicing when the relative temperature initially increases and then levels off.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of measuring are performed with at least one temperature sensor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pyrometer, a thermocouple, and a thermometer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is a pyrometer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the pyrometer comprises:

a fiber optic light guide cable;

an optic head;

a pressure proof sight glass mounting assembly; and

a signal conditioner.

11. A method for monitoring oxidation in a turbine bucket, comprising the steps of:

inserting a temperature sensor into a turbine;

measuring, with the temperature sensor, a temperature of a reference turbine bucket;

measuring, with the temperature sensor, at least one temperature of a turbine bucket being monitored; and

comparing the measured temperature of the turbine bucket being monitored to the measured temperature of the reference turbine bucket to determine oxidation in the turbine bucket being monitored.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

subtracting the temperature of the reference turbine bucket from the temperature of the turbine bucket being monitored to obtain a relative temperature of the turbine bucket being monitored.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the relative temperature is monitored to determine when the turbine bucket being monitored needs servicing.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the turbine bucket being monitored requires servicing when the relative temperature initially increases and then levels off.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the steps of measuring are performed with at least one temperature sensor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pyrometer, a thermocouple, and a thermometer.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is a pyrometer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the pyrometer comprises:

a fiber optic light guide cable,

an optic head,

a pressure proof sight glass mounting assembly, and

a signal conditioner.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein a temperature of a leading edge of the turbine bucket being monitored is monitored.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein a temperature of a leading edge of the reference bucket is monitored.

21. A method for monitoring a condition of a turbine bucket, the method comprising:

inserting a temperature sensor into a turbine;

measuring a temperature of a leading edge of a reference turbine bucket with the temperature sensor;

measuring at least one temperature of a leading edge of a turbine bucket being monitored with the temperature sensor; and

comparing the measured temperature of the leading edge of the turbine bucket being monitored to the measured temperature of the leading edge of the reference turbine bucket to determine the condition of the turbine bucket being monitored.