Patent ID: 9494493
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: F23N,F23R,G01L,G01M

Claim Text:
1. A method for monitoring a flame in a gas turbine engine combustor, comprising: receiving a dynamic pressure sensor output signal from a single acoustic sensor positioned in the gas turbine engine combustor, the output signal being indicative of acoustic oscillations within the gas turbine engine combustor; performing an autocorrelation operation on the dynamic pressure sensor output signal to identify time-separated portions of the signal having autocorrelation values; based on the autocorrelation values, making a determination whether the time-separated portions of the signal include portions indicative of acoustic oscillations emitted by the flame in the gas turbine engine combustor and received directly by the single acoustic sensor, and portions indicative of reflections of the acoustic oscillations emitted by the flame; and based on the determination, determining whether a flame is present in the gas turbine engine combustor.