Methods for producing strain sensors on turbine components

• US 9,410,868 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ward, John David Jr., Thompson, Christopher Edward, Germann, Bryan Joseph, Burnside, Jason Lee, Hovis, Gregory Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Kirkland, III, Freddie
• Application Number:
  US14/292,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20150346058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 731/120.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/364 for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/402 involving non-metallic material, e.g. isolators
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/486 Fine ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/64 Burning or sintering processes C04B33/32 takes precedence ; powder metallurgy B22F
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/04 responsive to load
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/13 using lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/31 Layer deposition
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/2118 Zirconium oxides
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/165 by means of a grating deformed by the object
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/00 Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/081 by using a contact-less detection method, i.e. with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/14 Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0016 of aircraft wings or blades
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0041 by determining deflection or stress

Abstract

Methods for manufacturing strain sensors on turbine components include providing a turbine component comprising an exterior surface, depositing a ceramic material onto a portion of the exterior surface, and ablating at least a portion of the ceramic material to form a strain sensor comprising at least two reference points.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a strain sensor on a turbine component, the method comprising:

providing a turbine component comprising an exterior surface;

depositing a ceramic material onto a portion of the exterior surface using a deposition apparatus; and

,

ablating at least a portion of the ceramic material using a laser to form a strain sensor comprising at least two reference points, and

further comprising depositing a visually contrasting material where the ceramic material was ablated, whereby the visually contrasting material visually highlights identification of the first and second reference points of the strain sensor by their locations.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sintering the ceramic material before ablating at least a portion of the ceramic material.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sintering the ceramic material after ablating at least a portion of the ceramic material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the turbine component comprises a nickel or cobalt based superalloy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic material comprises yttria-stabilized zirconia.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein ablating at least a portion of the ceramic material comprises multiple passes of the laser.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein ablating at least a portion of the ceramic material further comprises forming a unique identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing additional ceramic material onto a second portion of the exterior surface using the deposition apparatus, and ablating at least a portion of the additional ceramic material using the laser to form a second strain sensor comprising at least two reference points.

9. A method comprising:

providing a turbine component comprising an exterior surface;

depositing a ceramic material onto a portion of the exterior surface;

ablating at least a portion of the ceramic material using a laser to form a strain sensor comprising at least two reference points;

depositing a visually contrasting material where the ceramic material was ablated;

monitoring the turbine component, the monitoring comprising;

measuring a second distance between a first of the at least two reference points of the strain sensor and a second of the at least two reference points of the strain sensor at a second time internal; and

,

comparing the second distance to a first distance between the first of the at least two reference points of the strain sensor and the second of the at least two reference points of the strain sensor from a first time interval;

whereby the depositing a visually contrasting material where the ceramic material was ablated visually highlights identification of the first and second reference points of the strain sensor by their locations.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising utilizing the turbine component in a turbine between the first and second time intervals.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the turbine component comprises a nickel or cobalt based superalloy.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the ceramic material comprises yttria-stabilized zirconia.

13. A turbine component comprising:

an exterior surface; and

,

a strain sensor deposited on a portion of the exterior surface, the strain sensor comprising partially ablated ceramic material comprising at least two reference points;

visually contrasting material at least partially provided where the ceramic material was ablated;

wherein the at least two reference points are at least partially separated by the visually contrasting material; and

wherein the visually contrasting material visually highlights identification of the first and second reference points of the strain sensor by their locations.

14. The turbine component of claim 13, wherein the turbine component comprises a nickel or cobalt based superalloy.

15. The turbine component of claim 13, wherein the turbine component comprises a hot gas path or combustion component.

16. The turbine component of claim 13, wherein the ceramic material comprises yttria-stabilized zirconia.