Innovative TBC Blade Imaging System for Surface Temperature Mapping

Sensors are vital during advanced turbine engine development testing. Sensor data expedite engine development programs and bring new advanced propulsion and ground-power engines to market sooner. Ceramic thermal barrier coating (TBC) on first-stage turbine blades is now a vital component of advanced engines under development for future military aircraft, protecting the underlying metal alloy blades from extreme combustion temperature in these high-performance engines. TBC must be proven as a reliable prevention of blade failure, but current engine development programs are mired since there is not a sensor available to map the surface temperature of TBC blades during engine operation. In fact, the engine sensor community has identified surface temperature mapping of TBC blades as the highest priority sensor development need. This phase I project will demonstrate proof-of-concept for an optical system that will provide for high resolution TBC blade imaging and surface temperature mapping. Designed to integrate with a XTC67 engine probe, a lens system with a coherent waveguide bundle and a focal-plane-array camera will be assembled. The operational spectral region will deviate from traditional metal blade radiation thermometers to exploit optical properties of both TBC and gases in the high-temperature, high pressure environment to minimize interferences in the field-of-view.