An Optoelectronic System for the Online Monitoring of the Chord Length of Steam Turbine Rotor Blades for Early Fault Detection

Research Subject: The research subject was the error of optoelectronic video endoscopy systems in measuring the chord length of low-pressure cylinder steam turbine blades during shaft rotation. Objective: The objective was to reduce the error of the optoelectronic system in measuring the chord length of turbine rotor blades on a closed cylinder during shaft rotation. Methodology: Analytical research and computer modeling of the information transformation process during blade image formation and processing were carried out. Theoretical and experimental evaluations of the system error were conducted. Main Results: The structure of the components contributing to the error in estimating the chord length of low-pressure turbine blades was analyzed. The contribution of individual components to the total error was identified, and methods for reducing the most significant error components were proposed. Practical Significance: The effectiveness of the proposed methods for error reduction was validated through computer simulations and experimental studies on two system prototypes. The results showed that the standard deviation of the random error component in chord measurement during dynamic operation did not exceed 0.27 mm.