Real Time Monitoring of Helicopter Turbine Blade Temperature Using Passive Wireless Sensor

Abstract

Real time passive wireless temperature sensing system used to monitor helicopter turbine blade temperatures is presented here. The turbine blades were rotating at full speeds (16,000 rpm, equivalent g-load 45,000g) and temperatures above 850°C was monitored and experimentally evaluated and demonstrated. The system uses passive wireless sensor attached to the blades using robust mechanisms and the blade temperature was monitored and recorded in real time. The sensors were interrogated using high temperature silicon dioxide co-axial cable slot antenna using radio frequency resonance-based sensing. The sensor-antenna set up was employed for temperature monitoring up to 1100 °C in high-vibrating metallic environment. Real time temperature monitoring was provided by indigenous software (Turbotrack).