Abstract: A system includes a borescope and at least one processor. The borescope includes a camera configured to acquire an acquisition series of frames of at least one target component. The at least one processor is operably coupled to the camera, and is configured to acquire the acquisition series of frames from the camera; determine a blurriness metric value for each of the frames; select frames that satisfy a threshold for the blurriness metric value to form an inspection series of frames; and perform an inspection analysis for the at least one target component using the inspection series of frames.

Abstract: System for selectively contacting a cleaning composition with a surface of a turbine engine component is presented. The system includes a cleaning apparatus and a manifold assembly. The cleaning apparatus includes an upper portion and a lower portion defining a cleaning chamber configured to allow selective contact between the cleaning composition and a surface of the first portion of the turbine engine component. The upper portion includes a plurality of fill holes in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber, and the lower portion includes a plurality of drain holes in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber. The manifold assembly is configured to selectively circulate the cleaning composition from a reservoir to the cleaning chamber via the plurality of fill holes, and recirculate the cleaning composition from the cleaning chamber to the reservoir via the plurality of drain holes. Methods for selectively cleaning a turbine engine component is also presented.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a core engine having a casing, a cowl disposed annularly around the casing such that a gap is formed between the casing and the cowl, and a thermal monitoring system having at least one camera positioned within the gap, wherein the at least one camera is configured to detect thermal radiation from at least one turbine component within the gap.

Abstract: System for selectively contacting a cleaning composition with a surface of a turbine engine component is presented. The system includes a cleaning apparatus and a manifold assembly. The cleaning apparatus includes an upper portion and a lower portion defining a cleaning chamber configured to allow selective contact between the cleaning composition and a surface of the first portion of the turbine engine component. The upper portion includes a plurality of fill holes in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber, and the lower portion includes a plurality of drain holes in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber. The manifold assembly is configured to selectively circulate the cleaning composition from a reservoir to the cleaning chamber via the plurality of fill holes, and recirculate the cleaning composition from the cleaning chamber to the reservoir via the plurality of drain holes. Methods for selectively cleaning a turbine engine component is also presented.

Abstract: A coating system includes a support fixture sized to be partially inserted into one or more openings of a component and a spray nozzle segment device comprising a housing configured to receive a slurry. The device is disposed radially outward of a central axis of the component and is shaped to extend circumferentially about at least part of the central axis of the component. The housing comprises plural delivery nozzles configured to spray the slurry onto a surface of the component. The device is operably coupled with the support fixture such that the fixture maintains a position of the device within the component when the support fixture is partially inserted into one or more openings of the component.

Abstract: An inspection system includes one or more imaging devices and one or more processors. The imaging devices generate a first set of images of a work piece at a first position relative to the work piece and a second set of images of the work piece at a second position relative to the work piece. At least some of the images in the first and second sets are acquired using different light settings. The processors analyze the first set of images to generate a first prediction image associated with the first position, and analyze the second set of images to generate a second prediction image associated with the second position. The first and second prediction images include respective candidate regions. The processors merge the first and second prediction images to detect at least one predicted defect in the work piece depicted in at least one of the candidate regions.

Abstract: An inspection system includes an imaging device, visible light source, ultraviolet light source, and at least one processor. The imaging device generates a first image set of a work piece while the ultraviolet light source illuminates the work piece with ultraviolet light to cause fluorescent dye thereon to emit light, and generates a second image set of the work piece while the visible light source illuminates the work piece with visible light. The first and second image sets are generated at the same positions of the imaging device relative to the work piece. The processor maps the second image set to a computer design model of the work piece based on features depicted in the second image set and the positions of the imaging device. The processor determines a defect location on the work piece based on an analysis of the first image set and the computer design model.

Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure include a meta-stable detergent based foam generating device of a turbine cleaning system includes a manifold configured to receive a liquid detergent and an expansion gas, a gas supply source configured to store the expansion gas, and one or more aerators fluidly coupled with, and between, the gas supply source and the manifold. Each aerator of the one or more aerators comprises an orifice through which the expansion gas enters the manifold, and wherein the orifice of each aerator is sized to enable generation of a meta-stable detergent based foam having bubbles with bubble diameters within a range of 10 microns (3.9×10?4 inches inches) and 5 millimeters (0.2 inches), having a half-life within a range of 5 minutes and 180 minutes, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems of generating flows of detergent through a turbine engine to effectuate cleaning of components thereof. The methods include introducing a foamed, acid-including detergent with a pH range of between 2 and 7 into a gas flowpath of the turbine engine. The methods also include creating a pressure differential in an aft portion of the gas flowpath with respect to a forward portion of the gas flowpath to generate a flow of the detergent therethrough. The methods further include creating a pressure differential in a forward portion of the gas flowpath with respect to an aft portion of the gas flowpath to generate a counterflow of the detergent therethrough. The flow and counterflow of the detergent through the gas flowpath interact with components of the turbine engine having foreign material thereon to at least partially remove the foreign material therefrom.

Abstract: A corrosion maintenance scheduling and implementation system and method measure one or more characteristics of corrosion in equipment before and after implementation of a corrosion remediation action, determine one or more of a change in the one or more characteristics of the corrosion between before and after implementation of the corrosion remediation action, one or more historical operational characteristics of the equipment, or one or more forthcoming operational characteristics of the equipment, and modify a schedule of the corrosion remediation action for the equipment based on one or more of the one or more characteristics of corrosion that are measured, the change in the one or more characteristics of the corrosion, the one or more historical operational characteristics of the equipment, and/or the one or more forthcoming operational characteristics of the equipment.

Abstract: A detection system configured to detect water in a fan case includes a heater, a monitoring camera, and a computing device. The heater is configured to apply heat to the fan case. Any water within the fan case generates a local transient thermal gradient in response to the applied heat. The monitoring camera is positioned proximate the fan case and configured to acquire a plurality of images of the heated fan case. The computing device is configured to: receive the plurality of images from the monitoring camera and analyze the plurality of images to detect the water in the fan case.

Abstract: An atomizing spray nozzle device includes plural inlets that receive different phases of materials of a coating. The device also includes an atomizing zone housing portion fluidly coupled with the inlets and shaped to mix the different phases of the materials into a mixed phase slurry. The device also includes a plenum housing portion fluidly coupled with the atomizing housing portion along the center axis of the device. The plenum housing portion includes an interior plenum that is elongated along the center axis of the device. The plenum is configured to receive the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone. The device also includes one or more delivery nozzles fluidly coupled with the plenum. The one or more delivery nozzles provide one or more outlets from which the mixed phase slurry is delivered onto one or more surfaces of a target object as a coating on the target object.

Abstract: A casting method for titanium and titanium alloys, the casting method including obtaining an investment casting mold composition having calcium aluminate and aluminum oxide, the calcium aluminate combined with a liquid to produce a slurry of calcium aluminate, and wherein the solids in the final calcium aluminate/liquid mixture with large scale alumina is about 71% to about 90%. The method further includes pouring the investment casting mold composition into a vessel containing a fugitive pattern, curing the investment casting mold composition to form a mold, removing the fugitive pattern from the mold, firing the mold, preheating the mold to a mold casting temperature, pouring molten titanium or titanium alloy into the preheated mold, solidifying the molten titanium or titanium alloy and forming a solidified titanium or titanium alloy casting, and removing the solidified titanium or titanium alloy casting from the mold.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of an anomaly within a component includes a motorized apparatus configured to move around the component. The system also includes an excitation device and a camera mounted to the motorized apparatus. The excitation device is configured to emit an excitation signal toward the component to cause the anomaly within the component to generate a detectable reactionary thermal signal in response to the excitation signal. The camera is configured to capture thermal images of the component. The thermal images include the detectable reactionary thermal signal and indicate the presence of the anomaly within the component. The system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the excitation device and the camera. The controller is configured to receive and analyze the thermal images to detect the presence of the anomaly within the component.

Abstract: An inspection system includes a light source, an imaging device, and one or more processors. The light source is configured to direct an illumination light having a controlled light characteristic towards a surface of a thermal barrier coating of a work piece. The imaging device is configured to capture image data of the surface of the thermal barrier coating by monitoring the illumination light reflected off the surface. The one or more processors are operably connected to the imaging device and configured to analyze the image data of the surface by comparing the image data to reference image data depicting a first designated microstructure. The first designated microstructure has an associated coating quality value. The one or more processors are configured to determine that the thermal barrier coating of the work piece has the first designated microstructure based on the analysis.

Abstract: An inspection system includes one or more imaging devices and one or more processors. The imaging devices generate a first set of images of a work piece at a first position relative to the work piece and a second set of images of the work piece at a second position relative to the work piece. At least some of the images in the first and second sets are acquired using different light settings. The processors analyze the first set of images to generate a first prediction image associated with the first position, and analyze the second set of images to generate a second prediction image associated with the second position. The first and second prediction images include respective candidate regions. The processors merge the first and second prediction images to detect at least one predicted defect in the work piece depicted in at least one of the candidate regions.

Abstract: A method includes applying an infiltration coating on a thermal barrier coating of an article. The infiltration coating infiltrates at least some pores of the thermal barrier coating. The infiltration coating decomposes within the at least some pores of the thermal barrier coating to coat a portion of the at least some pores of the thermal barrier coating. The infiltration coating reduces a porosity of the thermal barrier coating. The method also includes applying a reactive phase spray formulation coating on the thermal barrier coating. The reactive phase spray formulation coating reacts with dust deposits on the thermal barrier coating.

Abstract: An inspection system includes a light source, an imaging device, and one or more processors. The light source is configured to direct an illumination light having a controlled light characteristic towards a surface of a thermal barrier coating of a work piece. The imaging device is configured to capture image data of the surface of the thermal barrier coating by monitoring the illumination light reflected off the surface. The one or more processors are operably connected to the imaging device and configured to analyze the image data of the surface by comparing the image data to reference image data depicting a first designated microstructure. The first designated microstructure has an associated coating quality value. The one or more processors are configured to determine that the thermal barrier coating of the work piece has the first designated microstructure based on the analysis.

Abstract: An inspection system includes an imaging device, visible light source, ultraviolet light source, and at least one processor. The imaging device generates a first image set of a work piece while the ultraviolet light source illuminates the work piece with ultraviolet light to cause fluorescent dye thereon to emit light, and generates a second image set of the work piece while the visible light source illuminates the work piece with visible light. The first and second image sets are generated at the same positions of the imaging device relative to the work piece. The processor maps the second image set to a computer design model of the work piece based on features depicted in the second image set and the positions of the imaging device. The processor determines a defect location on the work piece based on an analysis of the first image set and the computer design model.

Abstract: An atomizing spray device includes a housing having plural inlets and one or more outlets fluidly coupled with each other by an interior chamber. The inlets include a first inlet shaped to receive a first fluid and a second inlet shaped to receive a slurry of ceramic particles and a second fluid. The interior chamber in the housing is shaped to mix the first fluid received via the first inlet with the slurry received via the second inlet inside the housing to form a mixture in a location between the inlets and the one or more outlets. The interior chamber in the housing also is shaped to direct the mixture formed inside the housing as droplets outside of the housing via the one or more outlets such that, based on a discharged amount of the first fluid in the droplets, the first fluid promotes evaporation of the second fluid as the droplets traverse from the housing toward a surface of a component.