Wireless temperature sensors for turbine temperature surveys

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Turbines used for aerospace and power generation applications undergo testing for both certification and after repair and overhaul. During these tests a large number of sensors are used to monitor various parameters such as pressure, temperature, strain and vibration. A major contributor to the cost and time required to carry out these tests is the time required to run wires to the sensors. The purpose of this project is to explore the use of high operating temperature wireless systems to replace the wires used in turbine-monitoring systems. High temperature systems are required as, even in regions remote from the combustion zones, the temperatures can rise well above the operating temperatures of most wireless systems. This project is to be done in collaboration with General Electric (GE), who is a major manufacturer of turbines for both power generation and aerospace applications. This project aims to solve the specific problem of temperature surveying within the cowl of the turbine. This region has moderate temperatures (less than 125°C), but requires large numbers of sensors (>50) that need to be sampled at modest rates (>4 times/s) with accuracy of +-1°C. At present there are no available systems for wireless temperature sensing with the operating temperatures of up to 125°C for use with thermocouples sensing temperatures up to 375°C. This project will design and fabricate a high temperature wireless system and carry out tests using precision ovens to simulate the under cowl environment.