4 Advantages of Real-Time Tracking For Gas Turbine Temperature
Current gas turbine temperature and health tracking technology has a number of challenges and shortfalls, not the least of which is single measurement testing. Real-time tracking of turbine temperature in a continuous model, by comparison, has several significant advantages:
1. Continuous Health Monitoring
The thermal performance of a turbine engine relies upon a robust temperature life model. Real-time tracking of gas turbine temperature provides you with a full history of temperatures endured through continuous interrogation of sensor equipment, rather than only during discrete points in the testing and development process.
The materials used for continuous-use industrial temperature sensors make real-time temperature tracking possible. Our on-blade sensor system at Sensatek utilizes polymer derived ceramics including platinum, nickel alloy, and alumina ceramic to survive up to a maximum gas turbine temperature of 1,750°C for short durations, and up to 1,200°C for continuous, long-term operation. Sensatek sensors are also rated for up to 40,000 hours at base load operating conditions, a marked improvement in measurement survivability over other technologies.\
2. Accelerated Engine Development Cycles
A real-time industrial gas turbine temperature sensor system, by necessity, must survive full engine life deployment and provide continuous data throughout the engine’s useful life. This durability means less time will be spent performing sensor maintenance, re-instrumenting sensor systems, or conducting time-intensive and costly engine teardowns.
Reduced instrumentation test failure will ensure that testing stages can progress more smoothly. Sensatek’s on-blade, wireless sensor technology is also compact enough for simple, in situ, installation on assembled gas turbines (resulting in sharply reduced installation and setup times).
All of these benefits mean shorter engine development cycles and faster, more reliable test results.
3. More Nuanced Test Data
Some methods of thermal performance testing rely upon turbine sensors that only record the peak temperature experienced in the engine during a thermal cycle. A real-time model provides much more nuanced insights into performance and component response over the entire course of the test. Better data fidelity at the test level will lead to improved insights into:
- Blade hot spots
- Component health
- Data on internal cooling performance
- Detection of changes to thermal barrier coatings
- Gas turbine efficiency
4. Increased Accuracy in Blade Life Predictions
The surface temperature of the turbine blade is well-established to dictate blade life and maintenance cycles. However, some methods of gas turbine temperature detection still focus on less accurate gas flow temperatures rather than the metal surface temperatures on the blades themselves. Sensatek’s wireless, on-blade gas turbine temperature sensors provide real-time data where it matters most, which will improve the ability of test engineers to accurately predict component life in testing.
A more precise view of operating temperature has a profound impact on overall turbine life. For instance, gas turbine design engineers use turbine inlet temperature (TIT) to track a common rule of thumb: If the 1st stage nozzle metal surface temperature is 20°C above its operating limit, the life of the blade reduces by a factor of 3. In other words, a blade rated for 24,000 operating hours would, in practice, have a blade life of only 8,000 hours in an engine that runs 20°C too hot.
Accuracy in blade surface temperature data is critical to determining the useful life of the gas turbine blades. If you’re interested in learning more about on-blade, real-time turbine temperature tracking technology, contact Sensatek today. Our experts will provide you with resources to help you evaluate the many advantages of our in-situ, wireless on-blade sensor system.