Methods, systems and/or apparatus relating to turbine blade monitoring

• US 8,111,161 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lee, Dongjai
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/394,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/679, 340/665, 340/686.3, 290/44, 290/55, 324/636
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/02 Arrangement of sensing elements
• 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 21/10 responsive to unwanted deposits on blades, in working-fluid conduits or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/14 responsive to other specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/31 in steam turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2693 Rotor or turbine parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/14 using acoustic emission techniques echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card

Abstract

A method of monitoring a rotor blade of a turbine engine that includes a plurality of blades mounted to a rotor shaft, comprising: a) securing a RFID tag that includes an antenna to at least one of the rotor blades; b) securing a RFID reader on a stationary surface on the turbine engine in operational proximity to the RFID tag; and c) during operation of the turbine engine, monitoring the RFID tag with the RFID reader.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a rotor blade of a turbine engine that includes a plurality of blades mounted to a rotor shaft, comprising:

a) securing a RFID tag that includes an antenna to at least one of the rotor blades;

b) securing a RFID reader on a stationary surface on the turbine engine in operational proximity to the RFID tag; and

c) during operation of the turbine engine, monitoring the RFID tag with the RFID reader;

wherein the RFID tag is positioned and secured to the rotor blade such that the formation and/or propagation of cracks that are expected to form in the area of the rotor blade on which the RFID tag is positioned and secured disable the RFID tag such that the RFID tag is not readable to the RFID reader.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring the RFID tag with the RFID reader includes at least one of i) detecting whether the RFID tag is operative and ii) reading data from the RFID tag with the RFID reader as the rotor blade on which the RFID tag is secured passes the RFID reader.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the RFID tag is positioned and secured to the rotor blade such that the formation and/or propagation of cracks that are expected to form in the area of the rotor blade on which the RFID tag is positioned and secured elongate the RFID tag such that, upon a desired level of elongation, the antenna is broken.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the RFID tag is positioned and secured to the rotor blade such that at least a portion of the antenna is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the cracks that are expected to form in the area of the rotor blade on which the RFID tag is positioned and secured.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

d) selectively programming the RFID tag with variable information during operation;

wherein the monitoring the operation of the RFID tag includes the RFID reader reading the programmed variable information of the RFID tag.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

e) after the reading the programmed variable information, reprogramming the RFID tag with other variable information;

wherein the reprogramming the RFID tag with other variable information is completed at least in part by a sensor that is connected to the RFID tag.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the RFID tag is further preprogrammed with non-variable information which is not affected by subsequent programming and reprogramming pursuant to (d) and (e).

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of one of a strain gauge, a motion sensor, and an accelerometer.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the rotor blade comprises a compressor rotor blade; and

the RFID tag comprises a passive RFID tag.

10. A turbine engine comprising:

a plurality of rotor blades mounted to a shaft;

a RFID tag that includes an antenna secured to at least a plurality of the rotor blades;

a RFID reader secured to a stationary surface on the turbine engine in operational proximity to the RFID tag;

wherein the RFID reader is configured to monitor the RFID tags as the RFID tags pass the RFID reader during operation;

wherein the RFID tag is positioned and secured to the rotor blade such that the formation and/or propagation of cracks that are expected to form in the area of the rotor blade on which the RFID tag is positioned and secured disable the RFID tag.

11. The turbine engine of claim 10, wherein the RFID tag uniquely identifies the rotor blade to which it is attached to the RFID reader.

12. The turbine engine of claim 10, wherein the RFID reader is configured to at least one of i) detect whether the RFID tag is operative and ii) read data from the RFID tag with the RFID reader as the rotor blade on which the RFID tag is secured passes the RFID reader.

13. The turbine engine of claim 12, wherein the RFID tag is positioned and secured to the rotor blade such that the formation and/or propagation of cracks that are expected to form in the area of the rotor blade on which the RFID tag is positioned and secured elongate the RFID tag such that, upon a desired level of elongation, the antenna in the RFID tag is broken.

14. The turbine engine of claim 13, wherein the RFID tag is positioned and secured to the rotor blade such that at least a portion of the antenna is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the cracks that are expected to form in the area of the rotor blade on which the RFID tag is positioned and secured.

15. The turbine engine of claim 10, further comprising means for selectively programming the RFID tag with variable information during operation;

wherein the RFID reader is configured to read the programmed variable information of the RFID tag.

16. The turbine engine of claim 15, further comprising means for reprogramming the RFID tag with other variable information after reading the programmed variable information.

17. The turbine engine of claim 15, wherein:

the means for selectively programming the RFID tag with variable information during operation includes a sensor; and

the sensor comprises at least one of one of a strain gauge, a motion sensor, and an accelerometer.

18. The turbine engine of claim 10, wherein:

the rotor blade comprises a compressor rotor blade; and

the RFID tag comprises a passive RFID tag.