In one embodiment, a system includes an intake section including a filter and one or more strain gauges. The system also includes a processor configured to receive strain information for the filter from the one or more strain gauges and determine an operating condition of the filter based at least in part on the strain information.

A thrust-sensing assembly for a bearing compartment of a gas turbine engine includes a spacer and a retaining ring. The spacer includes an outer frusto-conical portion and an inner ring. The outer frusto-conical portion includes an axial row of a plurality of slots. Each slot of the plurality of slots includes a first rounded end, a second rounded end, a first side-face, and a second side face that faces the first side-face. The retaining ring includes a plurality of axial extensions with distal ends that are in contact with the outer frusto-conical portion of the spacer.

A sensor system includes a rotor antenna, a radio frequency (RF) sensor, a stator antenna, and one or more processors. The rotor antenna and the RF sensor are configured to be disposed on a shaft of a rotor assembly and are conductively connected to each other. The RF sensor generates measurement signals. The stator antenna is mounted to a stator member of the rotor assembly and positioned radially outward from the rotor antenna. The stator antenna is wirelessly connected to the rotor antenna across an air gap. The one or more processors are communicatively connected to the stator antenna and are configured to monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the measurement signals that are received by the stator antenna from the rotor antenna over time as the shaft rotates and to determine rotational speed of the shaft based on recurrent variations in the one or more electrical characteristics.

An improved system, apparatus and method for controlling vane angles in a gas turbine engine, and more specifically, for correcting vane angle error in a gas turbine engine. An active synchronization ring comprises a plurality of micro-actuators coupled to the synchronization ring to correct distortion in the synchronization ring. The micro-actuators apply a bending moment to the synchronization ring to cancel or compensate for synchronization ring distortion. The micro-actuators may be controlled open loop or closed loop. Strain sensors measure ring distortion and provide signals to the controller for closed loop control.

An axial load management system for a turbomachine including a rotating drivetrain, a thrust bearing assembly, a sensor, and a valve supply line. The rotating drivetrain includes a compressor section and an expander section fluidly coupled together by a closed flowpath. The thrust bearing assembly includes a thrust runner, a thrust bearing housing, and a gas thrust bearing extending between the thrust runner and the thrust bearing housing. Further, the gas thrust bearing supports the rotating drivetrain. The sensor is attached to at least one of the thrust bearing housing or the gas thrust bearing. The valve supply line is fluidly coupled to the closed flowpath. A valve positioned within the valve supply line selectively allows a working fluid to flow between the closed flowpath and a thrust chamber defined by a rotating surface and a fixed surface to modify an axial load on the rotating drivetrain.

An aeromechanical identification system for turbomachine includes at least one actuator mounted on a stationary structure to excite rotatable airfoils. At least one sensor is mounted proximate the airfoils for measuring a response of the airfoils responsive to excitation from the at least one actuator. A controller is configured to determine a damping characteristic of an aeromechanical mode of the rotating airfoils based on the excitation and the response. A gas turbine engine and a method of determining a flutter boundary for an airfoil of a turbomachine are also disclosed.

In one embodiment, a system includes an intake section including a filter and one or more strain gauges. The system also includes a processor configured to receive strain information for the filter from the one or more strain gauges and determine an operating condition of the filter based at least in part on the strain information.

A dry gas seal for sealing the shaft of a turbomachinery, provided with means for the continuous health monitoring of the dry gas seal comprising one or more sensors adapted to measure strains and/or loads induced to the primary ring of the dry gas seal and/or strains induced to one or more of the elastic elements coupled to the primary ring and/or adapted to measure displacements of the primary ring or of an element coupled to the primary ring, for an early detection of failure of the seal, thus enabling main failures early detection capability and proactive maintenance actions.

The invention relates to an assembly for monitoring and/or controlling a wind turbine. The assembly includes a first strain sensor for measuring a first blade bending moment of a rotor blade of a wind turbine in a first spatial direction; a second strain sensor for measuring a second blade bending moment of a rotor blade of a wind turbine in a second spatial direction, which differs from the first spatial direction; an arrangement for determining constant components of forces and moments of the rotor blades provided in the wind turbine; and a controller for combining the first blade bending moment, the second blade bending moment and the constant components.

An aircraft powerplant and a method for measuring thrust are described herein. A gas turbine engine has a turbine section for extracting energy from combustion gases and has a shaft mounted to the turbine section for converting the energy into rotary motion. A load cell is coupled to an end of the shaft and positioned to rotate with the shaft. The load cell is configured for generating a measurement indicative of propeller thrust. A propeller is coupled to the load cell and is configured for converting the rotary motion from the shaft and the load cell into the propeller thrust. The propeller thrust can be measured from the load cell as the propeller rotates.