Michael C Twerdochlib

6661222, Dec 9, 2003

May 31, 2002

10/158954

Michael Twerdochlib - Oviedo FL

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation - Orlando FL

G01B 714

32420726, 32420716

A monitoring system for measuring the gap between a turbine blade and a stationery component of a turbine, includes an insertion probe having a sensor which is moved radially within the gap to a pre-selected distance from the turbine blade as measured by the sensors output. The distance the sensor moved from a reference point to arrive at the pre-selected distance from the blade is also monitored and the gap between the fixed turbine component and the blade is determined from these measurements.

6895131, May 17, 2005

Dec 5, 2003

10/729197

Michael Twerdochlib - Oviedo FL, US

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation - Orlando FL

G02B006/00

385 12, 73651, 73653

The present invention provides a configuration where all optical parts of a monitoring system are contained within a seal and within the generator itself. Non-optical preamplifier functions may also be placed within the seal. In this configuration there is an electrical rather than optical feed-through at the generator wall, which is hermetically sealed, unlike a fiber optic feed-through. The fiber optic light source and detector for each sensor is located in the seal on the generator side of the hermetic electrical feed-through. Electrical power and the sensor's converted electrical vibration signals pass through the electrical feed-through to preamplifier circuitry on the outside of the seal where direct electrical connection is then made to a main chassis unit.

6949922, Sep 27, 2005

Dec 16, 2002

10/320791

Michael Twerdochlib - Oviedo FL, US
David Bateman - Geneva FL, US

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation - Orlando FL

G01B007/14

32420716, 32420714

A system () for measuring the gap () between a rotating blade () and a stationary component () of a turbo-machine, including an eddy current coil () and an eddy current tester (). The eddy current tester may excite the coil in a pulsed eddy current testing mode. The coil is positioned in a stationary portion () of a turbo-machine traversed by a rotating blade and the eddy current tester is coupled to the eddy current coil to provide an indication responsive to a distance between the blade and the stationary portion as the blade traverses the position. The coil may be mounted in a frangible ceramic pill () movably disposed in a housing (). The coil is positioned near the turbine blade, the coil is excited with a voltage step function (), and the response () of the coil to the step function is detected and processed to determine the proximity of the blade.

6992315, Jan 31, 2006

Mar 10, 2004

10/797451

Michael Twerdochlib - Oviedo FL, US

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation - Orlando FL

G01V 8/00

25055908, 250330, 3562372, 382152, 382284

A system () for imaging a combustion turbine engine airfoil includes a camera () and a positioner (). The positioner may be controlled to dispose the camera within an inner turbine casing of the engine at a first position for acquiring a first image. The camera may then be moved to a second position for acquiring a second image. A storage device () stores the first and second images, and a processor () accesses the storage device to generate a composite image from the first and second images. For use when the airfoil is rotating, the system may also include a sensor () for generating a position signal () responsive to a detected angular position of an airfoil. The system may further include a trigger device (), responsive to the position signal, for triggering the camera to acquire an image when the airfoil is proximate the camera.

6998618, Feb 14, 2006

Sep 24, 2003

10/669846

Michael Twerdochlib - Oviedo FL, US

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation - Orlando FL

G01K 1/00

25037002, 374152

The present invention provides a flange-mounted condition monitor () that can be mounted to an access flange () on an access opening () on the housing () of a generator (). The condition monitor () forms an integral part of the generator () and eliminates the need for complex systems of pipes and valves for transferring hydrogen samples from the generator () to the condition monitor (). The flange-mounted condition monitor () provides greater sensitivity to overheat conditions, significantly reducing the risk of dangerous hydrogen leaks and eliminating costs associated with installing and maintaining a remote condition monitor and also reducing or eliminating the false alarms associated with water that collects in the piping of a remote condition monitor.

7064811, Jun 20, 2006

May 20, 2004

10/849992

Michael Twerdochlib - Oviedo FL, US

Siemens Power Generation, Inc. - Orlando FL

G01P 3/40

356 24, 356 23

A system () for imaging a rotating turbine blade () includes an image projector () receiving a moving image of the rotating blade and projecting a movement-compensated image. The system also includes an image receptor () for receiving the movement-compensated image. A sensor () is provided for generating information () indicative of a velocity of the rotating turbine blade and a processor () generates a drive signal () responsive to the information for controlling a position of the image projector. The image projector is controlled to receive the moving image at a desired angular position and to project the movement-compensated image to the image receptor so that the movement-compensated image appears stationary relative to the image receptor.

7123031, Oct 17, 2006

Dec 20, 2004

11/018771

Michael Twerdochlib - Oviedo FL, US

Siemens Power Generation, Inc. - Orlando FL

G01R 27/08
G01N 27/00

324693, 324 712

Aspects of the invention relate to a system for assessing the condition of a thermal barrier coating on a turbine vane during engine operation. According to embodiments of the invention, one or more wires can be passed along the airfoil portion of the vane. The wires can extend over, within, or beneath the thermal coating. An electrical current can be passed along the wires, and electrical resistance can be measured across the wires. Thus, if a portion of the thermal coating becomes damaged, then the wires located in that area may break. A disconnect in the wires can lead to an increase in resistance across the wires, which can alert an operator to a problem. Some assessment systems can provide a general indication of the magnitude of damage and whether the damage is spreading.

7230205, Jun 12, 2007

Mar 29, 2005

11/093126

Michael Twerdochlib - Oviedo FL, US

Siemens Power Generation, Inc. - Orlando FL

H05B 1/00

219201, 244134 R, 244134 D

In some instances, ice can form on the surface of a compressor airfoil. If the ice dislodges, it can impact and damage other compressor components. Aspects of the invention relate to systems for detecting the presence of ice or water on a compressor vane during engine operation. A ceramic insulating coating can be deposited on a portion of the surface of the vane. A heater and a thermocouple can be provided near the outermost surface of the coating such that the thermocouple can sense heat from the heater. The heater and the thermocouple can be provided within the coating. The presence of water film and/or ice on the coating surface can be detected by taking a thermocouple measurement following a heater pulse. The presence of a water film or ice results in a delay in the temperature rise detected by the thermocouple.