High-Temperature, Micromachined, Fiber Optic Sensor Suite for Gas Turbine Applications

Acquiring transient point measurements of temperature, pressure and acceleration in gas turbine environments is very difficult using currently available sensor technology. The current state-of-the-art often requires researchers to sacrifice frequencyresponse for increased accuracy, forcing them to make assumptions about the transient nature of the environment being monitored. Clearly, there is a need for a suite of sensors capable of acquiring transient measurements in high-temperature gas turbineenvironments at discrete points. Luna Innovations proposes to develop a fiber optic temperature, pressure and accelerometer suite capable of acquiring transient point measurements in high-temperature, propulsive environments. The operating principle ofthe probe will be based on proven extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) techniques. Luna will use its extensive experience developing and commercializing fiber optic sensors technology to design, develop, and construct the proposed advancedtemperature probe for combustion environments. The data obtained by these sensors will be invaluable for validation and development of CFD codes for combusting flows. This instrumentation is crucial to the development and operation of affordable andefficient 21st century gas turbine engines.Research in the high temperature instrumentation area will provide transducers with commercial uses that will include 1) aerospace, 2) high-temperature monitoring in power generation facilities, 3)high-temperature industrial process monitoring, and 4) automotive sensing for engine health monitoring and control.