A method of monitoring a component includes providing the component which includes a body having an exterior surface and a plurality of passive strain indicators configured on the exterior surface. The method includes directly measuring the component with at least one three-dimensional data acquisition device. The direct measurement generates a first point cloud and a plurality of second point clouds. The first point cloud corresponds to the exterior surface and includes a plurality of first data points, each data point having an X-axis coordinate, a Y-axis coordinate, and a Z-axis coordinate. Each second point cloud corresponds to one of the plurality of passive strain indicators and includes a plurality of second data points, each data point having an X-axis coordinate, a Y-axis coordinate, and a Z-axis coordinate. A second data point density of each second point cloud is greater than a first data point density of each first point cloud.

Methods for monitoring components are provided. A component has an exterior surface. A method includes locating a centroid of a reference feature configured on the component, and measuring a first value of a characteristic of the reference feature relative to the centroid at a first time. The method further includes measuring a second value of the characteristic relative to the centroid at a second time after the first time, and comparing the first value and the second value.

The present application provides a method of evaluating inspection intervals in a turbine by a data acquisition system. The method may include the steps of receiving a number of operating parameters from a number of sensors, wherein the operating parameters may include steam pressure, steam temperature, metal temperature, and valve spindle position, comparing one or more of the operating parameters to predetermined values, and shortening an inspection interval if the one or more of the operating parameters exceed the predetermined values for longer than a predetermined duration.

The present application provides a method of evaluating fatigue damage in a turbine by a data acquisition system. The method may include the steps of receiving a number of operating parameters from a number of sensors and based upon the operating parameters, determining: a run time from start-up until the turbine reaches X percent load and a start-up temperature transient from start-up until the turbine reaches X percent load, and calculating: a run time ratio of the determined run time until the turbine reaches X percent load to a predetermined run time, a start-up temperature ratio of the determined start-up temperature transient to a predetermined start-up temperature transient, and a fatigue severity factor by averaging the run time ratio and the start-up temperature ratio. Based upon the determined fatigue severity factor, altering one or more of the operating parameters and/or initiating repair procedures.

A system for warming up a steam turbine includes a gas turbine and a controller operably connected to the gas turbine. The controller is programmed to receive a plurality of measured input signals and control the gas turbine to produce an exhaust having a desired energy. A first measured input signal is reflective of a measured operating parameter of the gas turbine and a second measured input signal is reflective of an operating parameter of the steam turbine. A method for warming up a steam turbine includes sending a plurality of measured input signals to a controller, wherein a first measured input signal reflects a measured operating parameter of a gas turbine and a second measured input signal reflects an operating parameter of the steam turbine. The method further includes controlling the gas turbine based on the plurality of measured input signals and producing an exhaust from the gas turbine, wherein the exhaust has a desired energy.

A method of modulating the cooling of a gas turbine component is disclosed. The method includes determining a target component temperature at which the gas turbine component can be maintained without the gas turbine component experiencing a failure over the course of an indicated life of the gas turbine component; scheduling a cooling air value to the target component temperature; and determining one or more of a demanded cooling air temperature and a demanded cooling air mass flow rate based on the scheduled cooling air value.

The disclosure provides an apparatus including a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of a generator component of a power train assembly. The power train assembly includes a power train component in thermal communication with a cooling fluid and mounted on a same shaft as the generator component. A controller is coupled to the temperature sensor and a heat exchange circuit for adjusting a temperature of the cooling fluid. The controller calculates a target temperature for the generator component based on a target thrust bearing parameter or a target vibration parameter for the power train assembly and adjusts a delivery of the cooling fluid to the power train component based on a difference between the monitored temperature and the target temperature.

A CMC component for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil including a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction sidewall, and a pressure sidewall having a locally-thickened region, the locally-thickened region being a maximum thickness region of the pressure sidewall. The locally-thickened region has a first thickness, a maximum thickness region of the suction sidewall has a second thickness, and the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

Bearing apparatus comprising: an inner race; an outer race; a roller element positioned between the inner race and the outer race; a first sensor to sense displacement of one of: the inner race, the outer race, and the roller element, and to provide a first signal for the sensed displacement to enable a load on the bearing apparatus to be determined.

Methods for monitoring components are provided. A component has an exterior surface. A method includes locating a centroid of a reference feature configured on the component, and measuring a first value of a characteristic of the reference feature relative to the centroid at a first time. The method further includes measuring a second value of the characteristic relative to the centroid at a second time after the first time, and comparing the first value and the second value.