System and method for detecting seal leaks in a gas turbine engine
A method of and system for inspecting a sealed compartment within a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes using at least one acoustic transmitter to produce at least one emitted acoustic signal into a compartment interior cavity. The acoustic transmitter is in communication with the at least one port. The array of acoustic sensors is used to sense acoustic signals. The acoustic sensors are disposed in proximity to the seal outside of the interior cavity of the sealed compartment. Each acoustic sensor is configured to sense emitted acoustic signals produced by the acoustic transmitter and to produce signal data representative of sensed acoustic signals. The presence or absence of a compromised region of the seal is determined using the signal data from at least one of the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors.
1 . A method of inspecting a sealed compartment within a gas turbine engine, the sealed compartment having an interior cavity defined by one or more containment walls, the sealed compartment including a seal and at least one port providing passage into the interior cavity, the method comprising:
using at least one acoustic transmitter to produce at least one emitted acoustic signal into the interior cavity, the at least one acoustic transmitter in communication with the at least one port;
using an array of acoustic sensors to sense at least one acoustic signal, the array of acoustic sensors disposed in proximity to the seal outside of the interior cavity of the sealed compartment, each of the array of acoustic sensors is configured to sense the at least one acoustic signal emitted and produced by the at least one acoustic transmitter and to produce signal data representative of the at least one acoustic signal sensed; and
determining the presence or absence of a compromised region of the seal using the signal data from at least one of the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors;
wherein each of the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors are non-uniformly spaced apart from one another.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining further includes evaluating the signal data from the at least one of the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors relative to the signal data from at least one other acoustic sensor of the array of acoustic sensors.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising, in a state in which the compromised region of the seal is determined, determining a location of the compromised region based on the signal data from the at least one of the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors relative to the signal data from the at least one other acoustic sensor of the array of acoustic sensors.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining further includes evaluating the signal data from the at least one of the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors relative to the signal data from each of the other of the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining further includes evaluating the signal data from the at least one of the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors relative to stored signal data representative of a background noise.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the seal has an annular shape; and
wherein the seal extends circumferentially relative to the compartment, and each of the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors are disposed at circumferential positions relative to the seal.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic sensors of the array of acoustic sensors are disposed at regions of the seal that are more prone to be compromised.