Jarosław Spychała

Application of Blade-Tip Sensors to Blade-Vibration Monitoring in Gas Turbines

Non-contact blade vibration measurement in turbomachinery is performed during development phase to verify design quality of bladed disk and its structural integrity (Zielinski & Ziller, 2005). The method, referred as blade tip-timing (BTT) or Non-contact Stress Measurement System (NSMS) is applied by mostly all manufacturers as a complement of strain gauges, traditionally used to measure stress levels and blade vibration parameters (Roberts, 2007). Measurement results are usually presented in the function of rotational speed in Campbell diagram, showing vibration modes excited by particular engine orders. Operational stress levels and accumulated fatigue cycles should not exceed material endurance limits. High Cycle Fatigue, occurring at low stress and high vibration frequency is a common reason for blade damage in turbomachinery. HCF has been identified as factor limiting development of more efficient blade designs, affecting safe operation of turbomachinery and causing considerable losses (Nicholas, 2006). US Air Forces initiated HCF Science and technology program in late 1990’s, which launched and supported multidisciplinary efforts for HCF mitigation, continued recently as Engine Prognosis Program. Development of tiptiming instrumentation both for supporting design of fatigue-resistant components and also for online blade crack detection has been one of research priorities and provided new sensors and advanced data analysis methods. NSMS technologies are also developed and successfully applied in power industry (Ross, 2007). Nowadays Blade Tip-Timing using optical sensors is considered as mature technology able to replace strain gauges in development process of fans or compressors (Rushard, 2010; Courtney, 2011). Current research activities concentrate on turbines, which are more demanding environment for tip-timing instrumentation due to high temperature, contamination and lower amplitude of vibration. Development of alternative tip sensors is considered as another priority. Optical sensors despite providing the highest available resolution, require cleaning and ensure quite limited life, which makes them unusable in embedded systems for blade health monitoring. This chapter describes development and application of inductive, eddy-current and microwave tip-timing sensors for gas-turbine blades, carried out in ITWL in last five years. Other sensors’ applications, like measurement of tip-clearance, blade twist and disk

Analysis of Middle Bearing Failure in Rotor Jet Engine Using Tip-Timing and Tip-Clearance Technique

The reported problem is the failure of the middle bearing in an aircraft rotor engine. Tip-timing and tip-clearance and variance analyses are carried out on a compressor rotor blade in the seventh stage above the middle bearing. The experimental analyses concern both an aircraft engine with a middle bearing in good working order and an engine with a damaged middle bearing. A numerical analysis of the seventh stage blade free vibration are conducted to explain the experimental results. This appears to be an effective method of predicting middle bearing failure. The blade vibration variance increases when there is bearing failure.© 2014 ASME

Operating Degradations of Air Turbine Scoops of Turbo-Engines

The paper presents various types of turbine scoops damages that are being found in the operating process of air turbine engines (TSO). When dividing them, having in mind a genesis of their origin, a special attention has been paid to corrosion and high-temperature erosion, often being a reason for destruction of the entire unit. The damages hereto described have been illustrated with examples collected during endoscope surveys of TSO internal spaces or their post-failure disassembly. The summary points out to the ways and directions of works aiming at early detection of TSO turbines units damages, and thus at improvement of their operating safety.

Scopus as a Meta-Source of Knowledge About Turbine Blade Damage in the Aspect of Designing an Expert Diagnostic System

Abstract The paper presents the concept of using the Scopus as a meta-source of knowledge about turbine blade damage in the aspect of designing an expert diagnostic system. In the first stage, the search was limited to the scope of the general term “turbine engine”, followed by a refinement of the search terms within the area of rotary machines components degradation including their construction, manufacturing, repair technology and diagnostic methods. By using EndNote software in semi-automatic mode, specific issue groups have been designated. In the second stage, a query focused on the main causes of turbine blade damage and diagnostic methods was proposed. Using the Scopus-based search and archiving tools, one can systematically update the knowledge.

The Concept of Monitoring Blades of Rotor Machines with the Identification of their Vibration Frequency

Abstract The paper presents the basis of a new method for monitoring the technical condition of rotating blades during their operation. Utilizing the measurement of blade tip instantaneous speed under subsequent sensors, enables direct determination of the blade vibration frequency. The method utilizes a diagnostic model in the form of amplitude amplification W2ij and phase shift φij of a diagnostic signal y(t) resulting from the operation of the blade and the signal from its environment, when the blade tip passes under a cascade of blade tip instantaneous speed sensors. The adopted diagnostic model, indirectly takes into account the current surrounding of a blade without the need to measure it [12, 14]. Evaluation of the blade technical condition in real time and static analysis shall be performed on the basis of the vibration process parameter analysis. The suggested method may play an important role in the diagnostics of rotor machine blades during their operation.

Detection Damage in Bearing System of Jet Engine Using the Vibroacoustic Method

Abstract The article discusses typical, operational systems for monitoring vibrations of jet engines, which constitute the propulsion of combat aircraft of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland. After that, the paper presents the stage of installing vibration measuring sensors in the direct area of one of the jet engine bearings, which is a support system for its rotor. The article discusses results of carried out analyses of data gathered during tests of the engine in the conditions a jet engine test bed. Results of detecting damages to the bear-ing, using sensors built in the direct area will be presented.

A Laboratory System to Testing Characteristics Wind Turbine at Low Speeds of Wind

The article presents design solutions air generator systems, measurement of air velocity and software of acquisition and control. It also provides the results obtained during the calibration of the test tunnel developed at Air Force Institute of Technology.

The Use of the Vibroacoustic Method for Monitoring the Technical Condition of Aero Engines with Extended Time between Overhauls

The article presents some aspects of several years of work on the use of the vibroacoustic method (Non-Destructive Testing) for assessing a turboprop engine from a trainer aircraft. The functioning engine does not have an operating system for measuring vibration, and therefore the current levels of vibrations and its changes in trends are not known. In order to extend its service life, performing a number of works was required. On the basis of assessing the current state of the engine, opportunities for further exploitation were identified thus developing methodology for evaluating technical condition regarding the whole population. The paper shortly describes the object and equivalent tests on the engine. The article focuses on the methods prepared for extending life between overhauls required for turboprop engines and discusses the results received during their implementation.

Vibration Reduction System Using Magnetic Suspension Technology

Abstract The article presents considerations concerning the construction of vibration reduction system using magnetic suspension technology. Presents the results of simulation, numerical and experimental the bearingless electric motor, for which successfully used this type of solution. Positive results of research and testing have become the basis for the development of the concept of building this type of active vibration reduction system , at the same time acting as a support for a technical object, which is a jet engine. Bearing failures are manifested by loss or distortion of their mass, which leads to a total destruction of the roller bearing, and thus reflected in the security. The article presents the concept of building active magnetic suspension to eliminate the bearing system of classical rolling bearing and replace it with magnetic bearing.