Session: 05-02 Topics on Gas Turbine Diagnostics

Paper Number: 81744

81744 - Acoustic Localisation of High-Pressure Burst in a Confined Space 

Next-generation turbofan engines, as part of a continuing demand for improvement in air safety, will need to attain higher standards of protection against failures, and, at the same time, a more effective management when failure does occur. Pivotal to the achievement of these requirements is the development of an effective health monitoring system capable to rapidly assess the working status of the whole engine system and promptly detect and define failures

High-pressure pipe rupture, inside the engine structure, is a failure event for which detection is currently achieved through slow-response thermocouples, as the engine system must be designed to be robust to it. Nevertheless, this approach has several limitations and typically requires sensing equipment to be placed close to harsh environmental areas.

An alternative route to the standard approach of detection of a pipe-rupture event, is represented by the introduction of an acoustic sensor capable of detecting the associated blast generated by the sudden breach of air through the fissure.

The aim of the study is to explore the feasibility of the concept of locating a sudden pressure rise (representing pressurised pipe rupture) in a closed environment representative of the typical volume between the engine core and nacelle. A new system to locate the position of a burst, based on the analysis of an acoustic footprint generated by a sudden explosion, is presented and its performance is analysed.

Presenting Author: David Bacci University of Oxford

Presenting Author Biography: Dr David Bacci is part of Oxford Thermofluids Laboratory (University of Oxford), where he holds a position of Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Heat Transfer and Aerodynamics. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at Cranfield University, working as researcher in Aerial Warfare Engineering and Defence Analysis.<br/> <br/>He completed his PhD (2017) at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom focusing on the characterisation of Transonic Aeroacoustics of Weapon Bays.<br/> <br/>From 2009 to 2014 he maturated industrial experience working on UCAV design and military flight simulators development for Leonardo Company.<br/> <br/>His aerospace career began in Italy where he completed a BSc in Aerospace Engineering (2007) and MSc in Aeronautical Engineering (2009) at the University of Pisa, including in the process, the attainment of Private Pilot Flight License.

Authors:

David Bacci University of Oxford
Peter Ireland University of Oxford
Zahid Hussain Rolls Royce