초록 ▼

A gas turbine engine (40) having an active combustion control system (54) including a sensor element (44) positioned proximate the combustion chamber (46) as part of a sensor assembly (84) including a spring-action bellows (74). The sensor assembly is installed through an opening (69) in the casing

A gas turbine engine (40) having an active combustion control system (54) including a sensor element (44) positioned proximate the combustion chamber (46) as part of a sensor assembly (84) including a spring-action bellows (74). The sensor assembly is installed through an opening (69) in the casing (48) of the engine to make contact with the combustor wall (62). The bellows is compressed from its resting position by tightening mounting bolts (70) against a mounting flange (66) of the sensor assembly. The spring action of the bellows ensures contact between the sensing assembly and the combustor wall in spite of differential thermal growth between the casing and the combustor. The sensor element may be replaced by simply removing the mounting bolts without further disassembly of the engine.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:a casing; an opening formed through the casing; a combustor wall disposed within the casing; an opening formed through the combustor wall; and a sensor assembly comprising a mounting flange, a bellows connected to the mounting flange, and a sensor element, the moun

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:a casing; an opening formed through the casing; a combustor wall disposed within the casing; an opening formed through the combustor wall; and a sensor assembly comprising a mounting flange, a bellows connected to the mounting flange, and a sensor element, the mounting flange being removeably attached to the casing across the casing opening to position the sensor element proximate the combustor wall opening, wherein the sensor assembly is urged against the combustor wall to compress the bellows from a resting state to a compressed state at cold shut-down condition of the gas turbine engine when the mounting flange is in an installed position across the casing opening. 2. A gas turbine engine comprising:a casing; an opening formed through the casing; a combustor wall disposed within the casing; an opening formed through the combustor wall; and a sensor assembly comprising a mounting flange, a bellows connected to the mounting flange, and a sensor element, the mounting flange being removeably attached to the casing across the casing opening to position the sensor element proximate the combustor wall opening; a boss attached to the combustor wall proximate the combustor wall opening, the boss comprising an interior surface defining a tapered opening; the sensor element further comprising a sensor body and a sensor tip protruding from an end of the sensor body opposed the bellows; the sensor body being urged against the interior surface of the boss by spring action of the bellows to position the sensor tip within the tapered opening. 3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2, wherein the bellows is selected to have a range of motion sufficient to maintain contact between the sensor body and the interior surface of the boss during all operating conditions of the gas turbine engine.4. A gas turbine engine comprising:a casing; an opening formed through the casing; a combustor wall disposed within the casing; an opening formed through the combustor wall; and a sensor assembly comprising a mounting flange, a bellows connected to the mounting flange, and a sensor element, the mounting flange being removeably attached to the casing across the casing opening to position the sensor element proximate the combustor wall opening, wherein the sensor element further comprises a sensor body element attached to the bellows and biased against the combustor wall. 5. A gas turbine engine comprising:a casing surrounding a burner assembly for providing a mixture of fuel and air to a combustion chamber defined by a combustor wall disposed within the casing; an active combustion control system comprising a sensor element for controlling combustion in the combustion chamber; a sensor assembly comprising the sensor element and an attached bellows and mounting element; the sensor assembly adapted for insertion of the sensor element through an opening in the casing to position the sensor element proximate an opening in the combustor wall for sensing a parameter in the combustion chamber; wherein the bellows is compressed from a resting state by contact of the sensor assembly with the combustor wall upon tightening the mounting element against the casing. 6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, further comprising:a boss attached to the combustor wall proximate the combustor wall opening, the boss comprising an interior surface defining a tapered opening; the sensor element further comprising a sensor body and a sensor tip protruding from an end of the sensor body opposed the bellows; the sensor body biased against the interior surface of the boss to position the sensor tip within the tapered opening. 7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6, wherein the bellows is selected to have a range of motion sufficient to maintain contact between the sensor assembly and the interior surface of the boss during all operating conditions of the gas turbine engine.8. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the sensor assembly further comprises a windshield attached to the mounting element and extending at least partially around the sensor element.9. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the sensor element further comprises:a sensor body element attached to the bellows and urged against the combustor wall; and a sensor tip attached to the sensor body element and disposed proximate the combustor wall opening. 10. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the sensor element comprises a pressure sensor.11. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the sensor element comprises one of the group of a pressure sensor, a photo sensor and a gas sensor.12. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:providing an active combustion control system for controlling combustion within a gas turbine engine, the active combustion control system comprising a sensor element for measuring a combustion parameter within the gas turbine engine; providing an opening in a casing of the gas turbine engine; providing an opening in a combustor of the gas turbine engine; providing a sensor assembly comprising the sensor element, a mounting flange and a bellows; inserting the sensor assembly through the casing opening to make contact with the combustor so that the sensor element extends proximate the combustor opening; and urging the mounting flange against the casing to compress the bellows from a resting state to a compressed state to ensure contact between the sensor assembly and the combustor during operation of the gas turbine engine. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising removing the sensor element from the gas turbine engine by removing the sensor assembly from the casing without further disassembly of the gas turbine engine.14. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting the bellows to have a size sufficient to ensure contact between the sensor assembly and the combustor during all stages of operation of the gas turbine engine.15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:installing a boss having an interior surface on the combustor to define a tapered combustor opening; and urging the sensor assembly against the interior surface of the boss by bolting a flange of the sensor assembly across the casing opening.