A High Temperature, High Data Rate, “Smart” Dynamic Pressure Sensor for Advanced Ground Turbine Controls and Health Monitoring

Fossil energy (FE)-based systems are able to achieve higher efficiencies, lower emissions, and improved reliability and availability (lower total operating costs), through advanced controls enabled by real-time sensor measurements and data processing. Within turbines, the monitoring of high speed pressure fluctuations within compressor and combustion sections can be used as part of active control schemes to: avoid damaging stall events (during startup/shutdown, in conjunction with power augmentation), control combustion stability, and as part of diagnostic/prognostic health management (PHM). A primary roadblock to implementing such controls/PHM schemes is the availability of pressure sensors that can function in the very high- temperature and harsh operating conditions within the compressor and combustion sections, and are capable of real time data processing of very high bandwidth data necessary for effective active control of turbine engines. Sporian Microsystems, Inc. proposes the development and application of ultra-high temperature, high data rate, “smart” dynamic pressure sensors for monitoring engine performance and suitable for use with advanced controls, resulting in improved safety, efficiency, maintenance, and repair. This smart, in-situ pressure sensor system will provide real-time information on ground turbine operation including: prognostic health management, combustion stability, and compressor health and degradation metrics that can be used prolong turbine life. In Phase I Sporian: worked with industry stakeholders to define key requirements; developed detailed hardware, electronics, and firmware architecture designs for the complete sensor system; and successfully evaluated/demonstrated performance and technical feasibility using benchtop scale prototype hardware. The Phase II effort will focus on hardware development, application relevant testing, development of data processing algorithms to enable active controls and prognostic health management, and demonstration of the full sensor system in a test-cell. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The proposed technology will help to enable advancements in turbine engine safety, capability, and efficiency by providing real-time data about compressor and combustor stability. The target commercial application is monitoring of power plant systems, however the technology will also be applicable to aerospace turbine engines, marine propulsion turbines, land vehicle propulsion turbines, rail locomotive engines, nuclear reactors, rocketry, planetary exploration, the instrumentation test community, and research laboratories.