Embedded triaxial epoxy cap probe
A triaxial epoxy cap probe may comprise a probe body having a cavity disposed radially outward of a fan blade and comprising a first material, an outer insulator and an inner insulator disposed within the cavity and comprising a second material, a sensor element disposed within the inner insulator, a guard annulus about the sensor element and between the inner insulator and the outer insulator, a ground plane annulus about the outer insulator, wherein the sensor element, the guard annulus, and the ground plane annulus comprise a third material, and a triaxial lead in electronic communication with the sensor element, the guard annulus, and the ground plane annulus, wherein the second material and the third material are at least one of a resin, epoxy, or thermoset material.
1. A triaxial epoxy cap probe, comprising:
a probe body having a cavity disposed radially outward of a fan blade and comprising a first material;
an outer insulator and an inner insulator disposed within the cavity, at least one of the outer insulator and the inner insulator comprising a second material;
a sensor element disposed at least partially within the inner insulator;
a guard annulus disposed about the sensor element and between the inner insulator and the outer insulator;
a ground plane annulus disposed about the outer insulator, at least one of the sensor element, the guard annulus, and the ground plane annulus comprising a third material; and
a triaxial lead in electronic communication with the sensor element, the guard annulus, and the ground plane annulus,
wherein
the second material includes at least one of a resin, epoxy, or thermoset material, and
the third material includes at least one of a resin, epoxy, or thermoset material.
2. The triaxial epoxy cap probe of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises at least one of a composite, a resin, epoxy, or thermoset material.
3. The triaxial epoxy cap probe of claim 2 , wherein the second material comprises at least one of a hydrophobic dielectric resin, epoxy, or thermoset material comprising bisphenol AF diglycidyl ether having fluorinated methyl groups.
4. The triaxial epoxy cap probe of claim 3 , wherein the third material comprises at least one of a hydrophobic conductive resin, epoxy, or thermoset material comprising bisphenol AF diglycidyl ether having fluorinated methyl groups.
5. The triaxial epoxy cap probe of claim 4 , wherein the probe body comprises a passage wherein the triaxial lead is disposed within the passage.
6. The triaxial epoxy cap probe of claim 5 , wherein the sensor element, the inner insulator, the guard annulus, the outer insulator, and the ground plane annulus comprise a sensor puck.
7. The triaxial epoxy cap probe of claim 6 , wherein the sensor puck comprises a first half, wherein the first half comprises, a first backplane, a second backplane, and a first mating surface.
8. The triaxial epoxy cap probe of claim 7 , wherein the first backplane comprises a first annular wall and the second backplane comprises a second annular wall.
9. The triaxial epoxy cap probe of claim 8 , wherein the sensor puck comprises a second half coupled to the first half at the first mating surface, wherein the first mating surface comprises a plurality of V-shaped grooves.
10. The triaxial epoxy cap probe of claim 9 , further comprising a cap of the second material disposed within the cavity over the sensor puck.
11. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a fan having a blade having a tip;
a fan case having an inner aerodynamic surface and a rub strip;
the tip proximate the inner aerodynamic surface; and
a triaxial epoxy cap probe, comprising:
a probe body having a cavity disposed radially outward of a fan blade and comprising a first material;
an outer insulator and an inner insulator disposed within the cavity, at least one of the outer insulator and the inner insulator comprising a second material;
a sensor element disposed at least partially within the inner insulator;
a guard annulus disposed about the sensor element and between the inner insulator and the outer insulator;
a ground plane annulus disposed about the outer insulator, at least one of the sensor element, the guard annulus, and the ground plane annulus comprising a third material; and
a triaxial lead in electronic communication with the sensor element, the guard annulus, and the ground plane annulus,
wherein
the second material includes at least one of a resin, epoxy, or thermoset material, and
the third material includes at least one of a resin, epoxy, or thermoset material.
12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the first material comprises at least one of a composite, a resin, epoxy, or thermoset material, the second material comprises at least one of a hydrophobic dielectric resin, epoxy, or thermoset material comprising bisphenol AF diglycidyl ether having fluorinated methyl groups, and the third material comprises at least one of a hydrophobic conductive resin, epoxy, or thermoset material comprising bisphenol AF diglycidyl ether having fluorinated methyl groups.
13. The gas turbine engine of claim 12 , wherein the probe body comprises a passage wherein the triaxial lead is disposed within the passage.
14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the sensor element, the inner insulator, the guard annulus, the outer insulator, and the ground plane annulus comprise a sensor puck.
15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the sensor puck comprises a first half, wherein the first half comprises, a first backplane, a second backplane, and a first mating surface.
16. The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the first backplane comprises a first annular wall and the second backplane comprises a second annular wall.
17. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein the sensor puck comprises a second half coupled to the first half at the first mating surface, wherein the first mating surface comprises a plurality of V-shaped grooves.
18. The gas turbine engine of claim 17 , further comprising a cap of the second material disposed within the cavity over the sensor puck.
19. The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein the first material, the second material, and the third material comprise a monolithic structure.
20. A method of manufacturing a triaxial epoxy cap probe, the method comprising:
forming a first half and a second half of a sensor puck;
coupling a triaxial lead to the first half of the sensor puck, wherein a lead wire is in electronic communication with a sensor element, a driven guard is in electronic communication with a guard annulus, and an outer shield is in electronic communication with a ground plane annulus;
coupling the second half of the sensor puck to the first half of the sensor puck;
inserting the sensor puck into a cavity of a probe body; and
filling a remainder of the cavity with an insulator material.