Experimental Investigation on Hardware and Triggering Effect in Tip-Timing Measurement Uncertainty

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Aerospace Engineering
• Non-Destructive Testing

Background:

• Structural health monitoring is vital for gas turbine reliability.
• Tip-timing is a key non-contact method for assessing turbine blade dynamics.
• Accurate data is essential for validating predictive models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the uncertainty associated with blade tip-timing measurements.
• To evaluate the impact of measurement setup and data processing on uncertainty.
• To provide a fundamental understanding for numerical and aeromechanical modeling validation.

Main Methods:

• Experimental analysis of a commercial blade tip-timing system.
• Assessment of measurement setup and data processing procedures.
• Determination of uncertainty under various operating conditions.

Main Results:

• Quantified the uncertainty in time-of-arrival measurements.
• Identified the influence of electronic components on tip-timing uncertainty.
• Determined the effect of signal processing on measurement accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The study provides critical insights into the uncertainty of blade tip-timing systems.
• This research supports more reliable aeromechanical modeling and condition-based maintenance.
• Understanding uncertainty is fundamental for enhancing gas turbine structural health monitoring.