Application of an Industrial Sensor Coating System on a Rolls-Royce Jet Engine for Temperaure Detection

This article demonstrates the feasibility of implementing an entire sensor coating system – thermal barrier coatings – on an operating engine and successfully detecting highly precise measurements. These coatings were first used on jet engines in the 1970s and are now a common feature on power generation turbines. In the experimental design, an advanced optical probe was specifically manufactured, characterized, and implemented to enable remote detection of a moving phosphorescent spot at speeds up to 350 m/s. The comparison of the sensor coating system with a standard thermocouple measuring the temperature in the exhaust gas stream revealed that the precision of the new system was similar to that of the thermocouple and was of the order of 5K. The calibration error was estimated to be of the same order. The Viper engine results demonstrate the capability of such a system to provide precise temperature readings in the most difficult environment of a gas turbine.