Prime Photonics, LC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: A16-073

Description

The gas turbine engine in the Army Abrams tank is currently experiencing stall or surge related failures of the fourth stage Low Pressure Compressor rotor blades.While all gas turbine compressors run the risk of stalling under non-ideal inlet or operational conditions, the hazard in the Abrams tank is acute as it does not have a system to detect stall and signal the operator or Engine Control Unit.Prime Photonics, LC proposes a new sensing technology, the FOCIS Surge and Stall Identification (SUSTAIN) system for the detection and avoidance of compressor stall in gas turbine engines.The proposed system leverages Prime Photonics FOCIS sensor technology, currently being used by gas turbine engine OEMs for engine testing, to provide precise real-time measurements of blade stagger angle using a series of adjacent optical measurement points.As the blade unloads due to stall it will twist, resulting in a change in the relative arrival time of the blade at each of the measurement points.While the SUSTAIN system will address the immediate needs of the Army and the Abrams program, the proposed work will enable future gas turbine engines in all applications to be operated at higher efficiency while maintaining exceptional safety.