BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This disclosure relates generally to gas turbine engines, and more particularly to probes for gas turbine engines.

2. Background Information

Gas turbine engines, such as those that power modern commercial and military aircraft, generally include a compressor section to pressurize an airflow, a combustor section for burning a hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of the pressurized air, and a turbine section to extract energy from the resultant combustion gases. The compressor section and the turbine section may each include rotatable blades and stationary vanes. Within a surrounding engine casing, the radial outermost tips of the blades are positioned in close proximity to blade outer air seals (BOAS). The BOAS may be parts of shroud assemblies mounted within the engine casing. Each BOAS may typically incorporate multiple segments that are annularly arranged within the engine casing, with the inner diameter surfaces of the segments being located closest to the blade tips.

Under certain circumstances, probes may be installed in the BOAS, for example, for use in a Non-intrusive Stress Measurement System (NSMS) or a tip-timing system for observation and management of various rotating blade parameters. However, installation of the probes may involve extensive modification and/or disassembly and reassembly of BOAS hardware. Modifications to the BOAS hardware (e.g., heat shields and BOAS support structures) may result in increased degradation of gas turbine engine components during a test program and may, therefore, result undesirable test program limitations. Further, available space proximate the BOAS may limit the locations where the probes can be installed, potentially resulting in non-ideal spacing (e.g., circumferential spacing) of probes. Accordingly, improved methods and systems the installation of probes are desirable.

SUMMARY

It should be understood that any or all of the features or embodiments described herein can be used or combined in any combination with each and every other feature or embodiment described herein unless expressly noted otherwise.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a probe adapter includes an adapter body including a probe aperture and a slot. The probe adapter further includes a driver slidably mounted within the slot and slidable between a first position and a second position. The driver includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end includes a ramped recess extending in a direction from the first end toward the second end. The probe adapter further includes a threaded fastener configured to contact the second end of the driver so as to retain the driver in the first position.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the adapter body is configured to be mounted to an outer radial side of a blade outer air seal (BOAS).

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the adapter body includes an inner adapter side and an outer adapter side extending between a first adapter end and a second adapter end and the probe aperture extends from the inner adapter side to the outer adapter side.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the probe adapter further includes an adapter portion mounted to the second adapter side of the adapter body. The adapter portion includes a threaded aperture configured to threadably retain the threaded fastener.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the slot is oriented in a slot direction extending between the first adapter end and the second adapter end.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, at least a portion of the slot is disposed within the probe aperture.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, in the first position, the driver is configured to retain a probe assembly of a probe within the probe aperture and, in the second position, the driver is configured to permit removal of the probe assembly from the probe aperture.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a gas turbine engine includes a blade outer air seal (BOAS) including an inner radial side and an outer radial side. The gas turbine engine further includes a probe adapter mounted to the outer radial side of the BOAS. The probe adapter includes an adapter body including a probe aperture and a slot. The probe adapter further includes a driver slidably mounted within the slot and slidable between a first position and a second position. The driver includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end includes a ramped recess extending in a direction from the first end toward the second end. The probe adapter further includes a threaded fastener configured to contact the second end of the driver so as to retain the driver in the first position.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the gas turbine engine further includes a probe including a probe assembly and a probe cable extending from the probe assembly. The probe assembly is retained within the probe aperture of the adapter body by the driver in the first position.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the gas turbine engine further includes a plug retained within the probe aperture of the adapter body by the driver in the first position.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the gas turbine engine further includes a heat shield in contact with the BOAS and disposed radially outside the probe adapter.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the probe cable is disposed radially between the probe adapter and the heat shield along at least a portion of a length of the probe cable.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the probe assembly includes a center axis and the center axis intersects the heat shield.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the BOAS and the probe adapter form an integral component.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the probe adapter further includes an adapter portion mounted to the adapter body. The adapter portion includes a threaded aperture configured to threadably retain the threaded fastener.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the adapter body includes an inner adapter side and an outer adapter side extending between a first adapter end and a second adapter end and the probe aperture extends from the inner adapter side to the outer adapter side.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the slot is oriented in a slot direction extending between the first adapter end and the second adapter end.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for installing a probe in a probe adapter for a blade outer air seal (BOAS) includes providing the probe adapter mounted to an outer radial side of the BOAS. The probe adapter includes an adapter body including a probe aperture and a slot. The method further includes positioning a driver slidably mounted within the slot in a second position. The driver includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end includes a ramped recess extending in a direction from the first end toward the second end. The method further includes installing the probe in the probe adapter by positioning the probe assembly of the probe within the probe aperture. The method further includes inserting a threaded fastener into the probe adapter and contacting the second end of the driver with the threaded fastener so as to slide the driver from the second position to a first position to retain the probe assembly within the probe aperture.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the method further includes contacting a probe cable of the probe with the first end of the driver.

In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the method further includes bending the probe cable subsequent to sliding the driver from the second position to the first position.

The present disclosure, and all its aspects, embodiments and advantages associated therewith will become more readily apparent in view of the detailed description provided below, including the accompanying drawings.

