US 12,331,648 B2
Detecting engine exhaust debris using saturation current
Jeremiah C. Lee, Coventry, CT (US); Daniel McMenamin, Ellington, CT (US); and Alek Gavrilovski, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to RTX Corporation, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed by RTX Corporation, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed on Apr. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/629,412.
Application 18/629,412 is a continuation of application No. 17/962,102, filed on Oct. 7, 2022, granted, now 11,952,905.
Prior Publication US 2024/0254893 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. F01D 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 21/003 (2013.01) [F05D 2260/80 (2013.01); F05D 2270/306 (2013.01); F05D 2270/80 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for a gas turbine engine, the gas turbine engine comprising a combustor section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section, the method comprising:
measuring a saturation current of a gas flow using one or more saturation current probes, the one or more saturation current probes arranged downstream of the combustor section, the gas flow comprising combustion products generated by the engine;
monitoring the saturation current to determine presence of debris entrained within the gas flow; and
providing an indicator when debris is detected within the gas flow.