The invention relates generally to thermal inspection systems and methods and more specifically, to non-destructive thermal inspection of cooled parts during operation of the system.
There are several techniques that are currently used for inspection of cooled parts for internal cavities. A commonly used technique is “flow checks”. A flow check measures a total flow through a part. The measurement is made for a group of film holes by blocking a remaining group of film holes or rows of holes. The process is repeated with various holes or passages blocked until all desired measurements have been made. Comparisons to either gauge measurements on reliable parts or to analytical models of flow circuits determines the acceptability of the parts. However, the technique is known to be time consuming resulting in a check of only selective film holes, groups of holes, or flow circuits. Additionally, the technique has the propensity to overlook local or individual features or holes that are out of specification.
Other techniques include dimensional gauges, for example pin checks, and other visual methods, for example water flow. However, the aforementioned techniques are employed before the parts enter service and not during operation. During operation, parts such as, but not limited to, airfoils with film holes and internal cooling cavities are subject to blockage from ingested debris by the engine or other damage resulting in diminished film effectiveness and/or thermal performance. While internal damage may be seen during visual inspections offline, they cannot be visually detected online. As used herein, the term ‘visual’ refers to damage observable in a visible wavelength spectrum. Further, the term ‘damage’ includes changes to a physical appearance or dimension of the part and changes in thermal performance of the part due to reasons such as, but not limited to, blockages, debris, foreign object damage, oxidation, corrosion and loss of protective coating.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method of thermal inspection and specifically, there is a need for a non-destructive thermal inspection system and method during operation.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a thermal inspection method is provided. The method includes measuring a transient thermal response of a cooled part installed in a turbine engine, wherein the transient thermal response results from operation of the turbine engine. The method also includes using the transient thermal response to determine one or more of a flow rate of a fluid flowing through one or more film cooling holes in the cooled part during operation of the turbine engine, at least one heat transfer coefficient for one or more internal passages in the cooled part, and a combined thermal response for the cooled part. The method further includes comparing at least one of the flow rate, the at least one heat transfer coefficient, and the combined thermal response of at least a portion of the cooled part to at least one baseline value to determine whether a thermal performance of the cooled part is satisfactory.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a thermal inspection method is provided. The method includes measuring multiple transient thermal responses of a respective number of cooled parts installed in a turbine engine, wherein the transient thermal responses result from operation of the turbine engine. The method also includes using the transient thermal responses to determine at least one of a respective flow rate of a fluid flowing through one or more film cooling holes on each of the cooled parts during operation of the turbine engine, at least one heat transfer coefficient for one or more internal passages in each of the cooled parts, and a respective combined thermal response for each of the cooled parts. The method also includes comparing at least one of the flow rates, the heat transfer coefficients and the combined thermal responses of at least a portion of each of the cooled parts to determine whether a respective thermal performance of each of the cooled parts is satisfactory.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a system for thermal inspection of a cooled part installed in a turbine engine is provided. The system includes a thermal monitoring device configured to detect at least one surface temperature, either directly or indirectly, of the cooled part at multiple times corresponding to a transient thermal response of the cooled part, wherein the transient thermal response results from operation of the turbine engine. The system also includes a processor configured to determine based upon the transient thermal response one or more of a flow rate of a fluid flowing through one or more film cooling holes in the cooled part during operation of the turbine engine, at least one heat transfer coefficient for one or more internal passages in the cooled part and a combined thermal response for the cooled part. The processor is also configured to compare at least one of the flow rate, the at least one heat transfer coefficient, and the combined thermal response of at least a portion of the cooled part to at least one baseline value to determine whether a thermal performance of the cooled part is satisfactory.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a system for thermal inspection of multiple cooled parts installed in a turbine engine is provided. The system includes a thermal monitoring device configured to detect a plurality of surface temperatures, either directly or indirectly, of each of the cooled parts corresponding to a transient thermal response of each of the cooled parts, wherein the transient thermal response results from operation of the turbine engine. The system also includes a processor configured to determine based upon the transient thermal responses one or more of a flow rate of a fluid flowing through one or more film cooling holes in each of the cooled parts during operation of the turbine engine, at least one heat transfer coefficient for one or more internal passages in each of the cooled parts, and a combined thermal response for each of the cooled parts. The processor is also configured to compare at least one of the flow rate, the at least one heat transfer coefficient, and the combined thermal response of at least a portion of each of the cooled parts to determine whether a thermal performance of each of the cooled parts is satisfactory.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
As described in detail below, embodiments of the invention are directed to online systems and methods for thermal inspection of one or more cooled parts during operation of an engine. Example ‘parts’ include equipment used in engine systems such as, but not limited to, turbine engines. As used herein, the term ‘online system and method’ refers to a system and method that inspects the parts during operation of an engine in a real environment such as, among others, a hot gas flowing over the part under real temperatures, real pressures and real hot gas characteristics. Further, the phrase “operation of an engine” should be understood to encompass any operation of the engine, including but not limited to start-up and steady state operation. As used herein, the term “cooled part’ refers to parts equipped with internal cooling passages and/or with film cooling holes and associated passages.
Turning to the drawings,
The part or airfoil 234 with film cooling is described with respect to
The coolant provides a protective barrier that reduces the contact between the hot gases and the wall 252. The number of film-cooling holes 258 formed in the part 234 depends on the amount of cooling needed. The amount of cooling required depends on the application, for example stationary power generation or aircraft engine applications, as well as on the position of the part 234 in the turbine engine, for example whether the part 234 is in stage 1 or stage 2 of the turbine engine. For heavily cooled parts, for example airfoils positioned immediately after the combustion section (not shown), which see the hottest gases, on the order of 700 film-cooling holes 258 may be formed in the wall 252 of the airfoil 234. For components requiring less cooling, a few film-cooling holes 258 may suffice, and for intermediate levels of cooling, a few rows 262 of the film-cooling holes 258 (corresponding to around sixty film-cooling holes 258) are used. Accordingly, the two rows 262 of film-cooling holes 258 shown in
A thermal monitoring device 20 is employed to detect at least one surface temperature, either directly or indirectly, of the cooled part 234 at multiple times corresponding to a transient thermal response of the part 234 that results from operation of the turbine engine. As used herein, the term “transient thermal response” includes one or more local thermal responses of the part 234, or spatial thermal responses of regions of the part 234, or the entire part 234. Further, the term “indirectly” as used herein, should be understood to encompass detecting at least one surface temperature by measuring radiance and performing a necessary conversion or calibration to obtain the temperature. In a particular embodiment, the thermal monitoring device 20 includes an infrared detection device such as, but not limited to, an infrared camera, an actuating pyrometer, and a single point pyrometer. In another embodiment, the thermal monitoring device 20 is an infrared camera. A controller 24 is configured to control and automate movement of the thermal monitoring device 20 (or movement of a sensor or optical piece, for example a prism).
During operation of the turbine engine 210 (
The parameters measured via the processor 26 are further compared to one or more baseline values to determine adequacy of the cooled part 234. Non-limiting examples of the baseline values are one or more local values, mean value of a group of local values and a standard deviation of a group of local values. There are various stages at which the baseline values may be defined. In one embodiment, measurements performed during operation of an engine when the cooled part 234 is in a “new” and an optimal condition prior to any degradation effects form a baseline for subsequent measurements performed. In another embodiment, the baseline values are obtained by performing a transient thermal analysis prior to installation of the cooled part 234 on the turbine engine, for example, by performing multiple bench tests on the cooled part 234. In yet another embodiment, the baseline values are redefined by obtaining and analyzing measurements taken during any point in-service; such a redefined baseline would act as a comparison data for subsequent measurements going forward in time.
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to any particular processor for performing the processing tasks of the invention. The term “processor,” as that term is used herein, is intended to denote any machine capable of performing the calculations, or computations, necessary to perform the tasks of the invention. The term “processor” is intended to denote any machine that is capable of accepting a structured input and of processing the input in accordance with prescribed rules to produce an output. It should also be noted that the phrase “configured to” as used herein means that the processor is equipped with a combination of hardware and software for performing the tasks of the invention, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.
In an exemplary embodiment, wherein the engine may include multiple cooled parts 234, a system for thermal inspection of the multiple cooled parts 234 is provided. In such an embodiment, the thermal monitoring device 20 detects multiple surface temperatures, either directly or indirectly, of each of the cooled parts 234 corresponding to a transient thermal response of each of the cooled parts 234 resulting from operation of the engine. Furthermore, the processor 26 determines based upon the transient thermal responses one or more of a flow rate of a fluid flowing through one or more film cooling holes in each of the cooled parts during operation of the turbine engine, at least one heat transfer coefficient for one or more internal passages in each of the cooled parts 234, and a combined thermal response for each of the cooled parts 234. In addition, the processor 26 compares at least one of the flow rate, the heat transfer coefficient, and the combined thermal response of each of the cooled parts 234 to determine whether a thermal performance of each of the cooled parts 234 is satisfactory. In another embodiment, a rate of change of the thermal response of each of the cooled parts 234 is compared. Such a system allows comparison of thermal performance between parts. In an example, a thermal response of 100 blades in a rotor during operation may be compared with each other and monitored for a long period of time to detect an anomaly in a specific part. If a specific blade is found to be deteriorating in thermal performance compared to the other blades, the blade may be replaced in time to avoid any further damage.
Data obtained by the foregoing detection systems may be analyzed by various means. In one embodiment, a surface map of the cooled part 234 is obtained from a first derivative and/or a second derivative of temperature variation with respect to time due to operation of the engine. It should be appreciated that the use of a first derivative and/or a second derivative of temperature also apply when determining other parameters such as, but not limited to, the film hole flow rate, the internal heat transfer coefficient, and the combined thermal response. In another embodiment, at least one measurement location or region may be obtained. This also enables determination of a combined thermal response, the flow rate and the heat transfer coefficient. Further details of the analysis can be found in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/775,502 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMAL INSPECTION OF PARTS”, filed on Jul. 10, 2007 and assigned to the same assignee as this application, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Further details of the analysis may be obtained in U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,582B2 entitled “METHOD FOR QUANTIFYING FILM HOLE FLOW RATES FOR FILM-COOLED PARTS”, filed on Aug. 23, 2002 and assigned to the same assignee as this application, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Further, the aforementioned parameters are compared to at least one baseline value in step 126 to determine whether a thermal performance of the cooled part is satisfactory. In one embodiment, the baseline value is determined by measuring a baseline transient thermal response of the cooled part prior to introducing the cooled part in service. In a particular embodiment, the cooled part is a film cooled part and the thermal transient response is used to determine the flow rate of the fluid flowing through one or more film cooling holes in the film cooled part during operation of the engine, and the flow rate is compared to the baseline value to determine whether the one or more film cooling holes meet one or more specifications. Non-limiting examples of the term ‘meet one or more specifications’ include avoiding partial or total blockage from deposits that may build up on an exterior surface of the airfoil resulting in a partial or total blockage of the hole from outside, and a correct film hole size. In another embodiment, the combined thermal response is compared to a baseline value by comparing at least one of the temperature or radiance, or the first or the second derivative of such, to the at least one baseline value to determine if the cooled part meets a desired specification. In yet another embodiment, the cooled part includes at least one internal passage, and the transient thermal response is used to determine at least one heat transfer coefficient for the at least one internal passage, and wherein the at least one heat transfer coefficient is compared to the at least one baseline value to determine whether one or more internal passages meet one or more specifications. Non-limiting examples of the term ‘meet one or more specifications’ used herein include avoiding an improper formation of the passage such as left over slag from a casting operation, debris from cleaning processes, and avoiding improper dimensions that result in a partial or total blockage of the internal passage.
Further, the aforementioned parameters are compared to at least one baseline value in step 146 to determine whether a thermal performance of each of the cooled parts is satisfactory. In one embodiment, the baseline value(s) is determined by measuring a baseline transient thermal response of one or more of the cooled parts prior to introducing the cooled parts in service. In a particular embodiment, the cooled parts are film cooled parts and the transient thermal responses are used to determine the respective flow rates of the fluid flowing through one or more film cooling holes in the film cooled parts during operation of the engine, and the flow rates are compared to the baseline value to determine whether the one or more film cooling holes in respective ones of the film cooled parts are either obstructed or are not receiving a desired amount of flow. As used here “obstructed” includes both partial and full obstruction of the film holes or passageways. In yet another embodiment, the combined thermal response for each of the cooled parts is compared to a baseline value by comparing at least one of the first or the second derivative to the at least one baseline value to determine if respective ones of the cooled parts meet a desired specification.
In one example, a statistical measure associated with the flow rate for the film cooled parts is determined and each of the flow rates of respective cooled parts are compared to the statistical measure. A difference between each of the flow rates and the statistical measure is computed to determine the variance and/or to check whether the difference exceeds a pre-determined value. As used herein, a pre-determined value refers to a desired or a specified value. Non-limiting examples of the statistical measure include a mean and standard deviation. In another example, at least one statistical measure associated with the heat transfer coefficient is determined for internal passages in each of the cooled parts and the statistical measure is compared to each of the heat transfer coefficients of each of the cooled parts to determine if a difference between them lies within specification limits and/or to determine the variance. In yet another example, at least one statistical measure associated with the combined thermal response for the cooled parts is determined and compared to each of the combined thermal responses of each of the cooled parts to determine the variance and/or to determine whether a difference between the statistical measure and respective combined thermal responses lies within specification limits.
The various embodiments of an online system and method for thermal inspection of parts described above thus provide a way to measure individual and combined thermal response of all thermal influences in a part during operation. These techniques and systems also allow for improved turbine prognosis and field inspection techniques. In addition, the present techniques may contribute to high quality turbine reliability and operability. Further, online measurements coupled with manufacturing inspection results provide a complete history on an entire part as well as individual portions of parts such as, but not limited to, cooling holes.
Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages described above may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the systems and techniques described herein may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
Furthermore, the skilled artisan will recognize the interchangeability of various features from different embodiments. For example, the use of an example of a camera described with respect to one embodiment can be adapted for use in a system used for thermal inspection of multiple parts described with respect to another. Similarly, the various features described, as well as other known equivalents for each feature, can be mixed and matched by one of ordinary skill in this art to construct additional systems and techniques in accordance with principles of this disclosure.
While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.