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SAW SAW-Temperature Sensors |
Wireless Temperature Measurement for Turbomachines based on the
SAW-Sensor Technology
Due to permanently squeezed development times for turbomachines, engineers often eschew temperature measurements inside rotating GT components due to the extreme effort and short measurement system lifetimes.
To solve this problem, B&B-AGEMA develops a new mobile wireless temperature measurement system for rough environments, based on Surface Acoustic Wave sensors (SAW-Sensors).
The two academic partners in Dresden, the High Frequency institute of the Technical University and the Leibniz-Institute for Solid state and materials research, represent world-leading experts for SAW-based technologies, filters, atomizers but especially strain and temperature sensors. They concentrate their experience to develop a novel ultra-fast SAW Sensor and an adequate transceiver unit for high-temperature applications (600 °C dynamic / 900 °C static) in highly reflective environments.
Sensor System Key Features:
- Dynamic material temperature measurement up to 600°C (e.g. for rotating parts)
- Static material Temperature measurement up to 900°C (e.g. for combustion chamber testing)
- High sensitivity and transmission speed
- Wireless
- Unlimited number of sensor tags
The first sets of B&B-AGEMA’s SAW-Temperature measurement system for the use in turbomachines (Industrial Gas Turbines, Jet Engines, Turbo Chargers, Steam Turbines, Microturbines etc.) will be available by the end of 2022. Presently, we are performing sensor tests under realistic engine conditions on a test bench (see. below).
Application Range:
- Long-term monitoring for maintenance schedule optimization and downtime reduction for gas turbine parts (also hot gas parts like blades and vanes) in digital twin software tools, GTPtracker,
- Experimental temperature monitoring for hot gas parts (also through TBC)
- Temperature distribution of casings (numerous points; e.g. transient response mapping)
- Experimental combustor temperature mapping (online, precise, fast and without wiring)
- Secondary flow monitoring (temperature in narrow rotor-stator cavities / gaps)
- Rotor temperature distribution (e.g. temperature information of transient operation coupled with FEM models for stress calculation and life time evaluation) turbocharger online wireless temperature measurement on hot and cold side
The Test Stand:
In order to test the sensor for application in rough environments, B&B-AGEMA GmbH designed a high temperature test stand. The test environment covers a wide range of real engine conditions in terms of:
- Centrifugal acceleration / Stress
- Temperature
- Rotational Speed
- Reflective environment
- Signal speed requirements
- Gaps
The main part of the test bench consists of a hollow shaft and two disks, rotating with a circumferential speed of nearly 100 m/s to generate a centrifugal acceleration comparable with the acceleration the sensors would be exposed to when used on the rotating disks of a compressor or turbine. Moreover, the shaft will rotate in a customized oven, to mimic the high temperatures in the compressor outlet of about 600 °C. Later on, the temperature of the oven could be ramped up to about 900 °C. To validate the test results, the temperature will be further measured by conventional temperature measuring systems in process. For this purpose, thermocouples will be used as reference system. The test stand is designed to derive information about the performance of the sensor system facing similar problems as in future applications.
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Test bench information:
- Temperatures up to 600°C
- Circumferential speed up to 100 m/s
- Highly reflective environment
- Testing inside and outside of the test shaft
Background:
The sensor technology development project “SAWES” is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). It aims to develop a new temperature measurement system based on Surface Acoustic Wave technology.
Two academic partners from Dresden are supporting the B&B-AGEMA - the High Frequency institute of the Technical University (TU Dresden) and the Leibniz-Institute for Solid state and materials research (IFW Dresden). They represent world-leading experts for SAW-based technologies, filters, atomizers but especially strain and temperature sensors. They concentrate their experience to develop the novel ultra-fast SAW Sensor and an adequate transceiver unit for high-temperature applications in highly reflective environments.
For more details about the research project and technology visit our project site or read our SAWES Insight Story (see below)!
Contact
For more information about the project please contact our company.
