Non-Contact Torque Sensor for Unmodified Composite Shafts and Non-Ferrous Metal Shafts

Prime Photonics proposes to adapt our proven FOCIS blade health monitoring system to provide high-speed, non-contact torque measurements via a pair of hardened optical probes. Coupled with our Sensor Interface Unit (SIU) and Data Capture Unit (DCU), the FOCIS system is capable of providing the ultra-high data rates necessary to measure timing at over 60,000 blades per second. It is this high speed, high resolution capability that we will leverage to develop the FOCIS optical torque sensor (OTS) system. With a pair of shock and vibration hardened, high temperature capable FOCIS probes, our system has the capability to characterize torsional twisting of the shaft without modifying the shaft in any manner. Furthermore, the algorithms that Prime Photonics has developed for blade tip health monitoring can be applied directly to shaft torque measurements. Our high speed system can not only provide information about torque, but also provide measures of shaft speed, deflection, and vibrational modes.