Abstract: A thermal inspection system includes a fluid source configured to supply a warm flow and a cool flow, indirectly or directly, to internal passage(s) of a component. The system includes an imager configured to capture a time series of images corresponding to a transient thermal response of the component to the warm and cool flows. The system further includes at least one flow meter configured to measure the warm and cool flows supplied to the component and a processor operably connected to the imager. The processor determines the transient thermal response of the component around a transition time. The flow supplied to the component switches from the warm flow to the cool flow at the transition time. The processor compares the transient thermal response around the transition time with one or more baseline values or with an acceptable range of values to determine if the component meets a desired specification.

Abstract: A thermal inspection method is disclosed. The inspection method includes disposing a component in a wind tunnel configured to create a predetermined Mach number distribution for an external surface of the component. A gas is supplied at a known temperature T into the wind tunnel to create an external flow of gas over the external surface of the component in accordance with the predetermined Mach number distribution. The inspection method further includes directly or indirectly measuring one or more external surface temperatures of the component to generate an external surface temperature distribution for the external surface of the component and using the external surface temperature distribution to perform a quality control inspection of the component. A thermal inspection system is also provided.

Abstract: A thermal inspection system includes a fluid source configured to supply a warm flow and a cool flow, indirectly or directly, to internal passage(s) of a component. The system includes an imager configured to capture a time series of images corresponding to a transient thermal response of the component to the warm and cool flows. The system further includes at least one flow meter configured to measure the warm and cool flows supplied to the component and a processor operably connected to the imager. The processor determines the transient thermal response of the component around a transition time. The flow supplied to the component switches from the warm flow to the cool flow at the transition time. The processor compares the transient thermal response around the transition time with one or more baseline values or with an acceptable range of values to determine if the component meets a desired specification.

Abstract: A method for measuring a flow rate through a cooling hole of a film cooled part includes the steps of 1) measuring a transient thermal response of an internal surface temperature corresponding solely to an inside portion of a cooling hole for a film cooled part resulting from a flow of fluid through the part, the fluid having an initial temperature that is different from an initial temperature of the film cooled part, 2) mathematically characterizing the transient thermal response, and 3) determining the cooling hole flow rate from the mathematical characterization.