Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor section, an imaging device, a plurality of light sources, and a controller. The propulsor section includes a propulsor. The propulsor includes a plurality of propulsor blades. The imaging device is disposed in the propulsor section. The imaging device includes a camera. The plurality of light sources are disposed in the propulsor section. The controller includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: control the plurality of light sources to direct light to the plurality of propulsor blades, control the camera to capture image data of each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades, and identify a presence or an absence of damage for each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades using the image data.

Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor section and an imaging device. The propulsor section includes a propulsor and a structural body. The propulsor includes a plurality of propulsor blades. The structural body forms an outer air flow surface forming a portion of an air flow path through the propulsor section. The imaging device includes a housing and a camera. The housing includes a housing body and a cover. The housing body is mounted in the structural body. The housing body forms a cavity and an opening of the cavity. The cover is pivotable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The camera is disposed in the cavity with the cover positioned in the stowed position. The camera is configured to capture image data of each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades with the cover positioned in the deployed position.

Abstract: An inspection system for rotating fan rotor blades is provided that includes a plurality of cameras and light sources and a system controller. The cameras are controllable to capture an image of a leading edge of a fan rotor blade and produce signals representative of the captured image. Each respective camera is mounted with an inlet guide vane disposed forward of the fan rotor blade stage. The light sources are each associated with a respective camera. The system controller is in communication with the cameras, the light sources, and a non-transitory memory storing instructions. The instructions when executed cause the system controller to: control the light sources to selectively illuminate the fan rotor blades, and control the cameras to image respective fan rotor blades and produce signals representative thereof, and provide inspection information representative of the leading edge of respective fan rotor blades.

Abstract: A combustion assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor, a monochromator, and a photodetector assembly. The combustor forms a combustion chamber. The monochromator is disposed outside the combustion chamber. The monochromator is configured to receive an optical input from the combustion chamber and direct an optical output. The optical input has a range of light wavelengths. The optical output has a subset of the range of light wavelengths. The photodetector assembly is disposed outside the combustion chamber. The photodetector assembly is configured to receive the optical output from the monochromator and generate an output signal representative of one or more optical characteristics of the optical output.

Abstract: A method of foreign object debris discrimination includes illuminating a particle located within a sensing volume with a modulated electromagnetic radiation pulse emitted from a source; receiving one or more electromagnetic radiation return signals that have been scattered by the particle illuminated by the modulated electromagnetic radiation pulse at a detector; mixing, using a controller, the electromagnetic radiation return signal of amplitude IRS and frequency fRS with a reference signal of amplitude ILS and frequency fRS; analyzing, using the controller, an amplitude of the mixed signal ?{square root over (ILSIRS)}, and frequency of the mixed signal, fRS?fLS; and classifying, using the controller, a particle position, a velocity, and electromagnetic characteristic of the particle based on the amplitude, ?{square root over (ILSIRS)}, and frequency, fRS?fLS, of the mixed signal.

Abstract: A photoacoustic detection system includes a detector that has a chamber, a pulsed light source, piezoelectric tuning forks, and a photosensor. The chamber has an inlet and an outlet for flow of an analyte. The pulsed light source is adjacent the chamber and is operable to emit a light beam along a path through the chamber. The tuning forks are arranged along the path, and each of the tuning forks is operable to emit first sensor signals. The photosensor is arranged along the path and is operable to emit second sensor signals. A controller is connected to receive the first and second sensor signals. The controller is configured to determine whether a target species is present in the analyte based on the first sensor signals and determine whether the target species is present in the analyte based on the second sensor signals.

Abstract: A detector assembly for a duct of a heating ventilation and air conditioning system includes an outer housing having at least one through hole formed therein, an inner sampling support receivable within a hollow interior of the outer housing, and at least one detector mounted to the inner sampling support. The at least one detector is axially aligned with the at least one through hole when the inner sampling support is installed within the hollow interior of the outer housing. The at least one detector is operable to sample air within the duct to detect a hazardous condition.

Abstract: An aircraft sensing system includes a power and communications module, a sensor module in optical communication with the power and communications module, the sensor module being disposed in an at least partially enclosed space within the aircraft, and at least one gas sensor in communication with the sensor module, the at least one gas sensor being disposed in the at least partially enclosed space. The at least one gas sensor is configured to sense at least one flammable gas species or non-flammable gas species, and the sensor module and the at least one gas sensor are galvanically isolated from the power and communications module.

Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor and an imaging assembly. The propulsor includes a propulsor disk, a plurality of propulsor blades, and a nose cone. The plurality of propulsor blades are circumferentially distributed about the propulsor disk. Each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades extends radially between and to a root end and a tip end. The root end is disposed at the propulsor disk. The propulsor disk and the plurality of propulsor blades are configured to rotate about the rotational axis. The nose cone is disposed axially adjacent the propulsor disk. The imaging assembly includes an imaging device disposed on the nose cone. The imaging device includes a camera. The camera is configured to capture image data of each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades as the plurality of propulsor blades rotate about the rotational axis.

Abstract: A system includes an optical ice detection (OID) sub-system optically coupled to light collection optics. A water vapor differential absorption LIDAR (WV-DIAL) sub-system is optically coupled to the OID laser source or light collection optics. The OID sub-system and the WV-DIAL sub-system share at least a portion of an optical path of the light source or through the light collection optics. The OID sub-system, the WV-DIAL sub-system, and the illumination and light collection optics can all be aboard an aircraft. A method includes using a set of illumination and light collection optics aboard an aircraft to obtain data indicative of optical ice detection (OID) and water vapor differential absorption LIDAR (WV-DIAL), e.g. to detect contrail forming conditions for the aircraft and/or predict persistence of contrails from the aircraft.

Abstract: An in-situ system for a gas turbine engine blade inspection including a sensor system configured to capture images of a forward surface of at least one gas turbine engine blade; a processor coupled to the sensor system, the processor configured to determine damage to the at least one gas turbine engine blade based on video analytics; and a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising receiving, by the processor, data for the forward surface of at least one gas turbine engine blade from the sensor system; determining, by the processor, a rotational speed of a fan; and determining, by the processor, a fan synchronization.

Abstract: An optical particulate detection system for an aircraft is provided. The optical particulate detection system includes an optical particulate detector and a controller. The optical particulate detector includes at least two optical sources and at least one optical sensor distributed in series with respect to a flow path of a component surface of the aircraft. The controller is configured to interface with the optical particulate detector, monitor the at least one optical sensor, and characterize one or more particles of foreign object debris based on a pulse width and two or more scattering ratios determined with respect to light emitted from the at least two optical sources.

Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor and an imaging assembly. The propulsor includes a propulsor disk, a plurality of propulsor blades, and a nose cone. The plurality of propulsor blades are circumferentially distributed about the propulsor disk. Each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades extends radially between and to a root end and a tip end. The root end is disposed at the propulsor disk. The propulsor disk and the plurality of propulsor blades are configured to rotate about the rotational axis. The nose cone is disposed axially adjacent the propulsor disk. The imaging assembly includes an imaging device disposed on the nose cone. The imaging device includes a camera. The camera is configured to capture image data of each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades as the plurality of propulsor blades rotate about the rotational axis.

Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor and an imaging assembly. The propulsor includes a propulsor disk, a plurality of propulsor blades, and a nose cone. The plurality of propulsor blades are circumferentially distributed about the propulsor disk. Each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades extends radially between and to a root end and a tip end. The root end is disposed at the propulsor disk. The propulsor disk and the plurality of propulsor blades are configured to rotate about the rotational axis. The nose cone is disposed axially adjacent the propulsor disk. The imaging assembly includes an imaging device disposed on the nose cone. The imaging device includes a camera. The camera is configured to capture image data of each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades as the plurality of propulsor blades rotate about the rotational axis.

Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor section, an imaging device, a plurality of light sources, and a controller. The propulsor section includes a propulsor. The propulsor includes a plurality of propulsor blades. The imaging device is disposed in the propulsor section. The imaging device includes a camera. The plurality of light sources are disposed in the propulsor section. The controller includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: control the plurality of light sources to direct light to the plurality of propulsor blades, control the camera to capture image data of each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades, and identify a presence or an absence of damage for each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades using the image data.

Abstract: An inspection system for rotating fan rotor blades is provided that includes a plurality of cameras and light sources and a system controller. The cameras are controllable to capture an image of a leading edge of a fan rotor blade and produce signals representative of the captured image. Each respective camera is mounted with an inlet guide vane disposed forward of the fan rotor blade stage. The light sources are each associated with a respective camera. The system controller is in communication with the cameras, the light sources, and a non-transitory memory storing instructions. The instructions when executed cause the system controller to: control the light sources to selectively illuminate the fan rotor blades, and control the cameras to image respective fan rotor blades and produce signals representative thereof, and provide inspection information representative of the leading edge of respective fan rotor blades.

Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor section for the aircraft propulsion system, a plurality of imaging devices, and a controller. The propulsor section includes a propulsor. The propulsor includes a plurality of propulsor blades. The plurality of imaging devices are mounted in the propulsor section. Each imaging device includes a camera. The controller includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: control the camera of each imaging device of the plurality of imaging devices to capture image data of each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades and identify a presence or an absence of damage for each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades using the image data from the camera of two or more imaging devices of the plurality of imaging devices.

Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor section and an imaging device. The propulsor section includes a propulsor and a structural body. The propulsor includes a plurality of propulsor blades. The structural body forms an outer air flow surface forming a portion of an air flow path through the propulsor section. The imaging device includes a housing and a camera. The housing includes a housing body and a cover. The housing body is mounted in the structural body. The housing body forms a cavity and an opening of the cavity. The cover is pivotable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The camera is disposed in the cavity with the cover positioned in the stowed position. The camera is configured to capture image data of each propulsor blade of the plurality of propulsor blades with the cover positioned in the deployed position.

Abstract: A method of foreign object debris discrimination includes illuminating a particle located within a sensing volume with a modulated electromagnetic radiation pulse emitted from a source; receiving one or more electromagnetic radiation return signals that have been scattered by the particle illuminated by the modulated electromagnetic radiation pulse at a detector; mixing, using a controller, the electromagnetic radiation return signal of amplitude IRS and frequency fRS with a reference signal of amplitude ILS and frequency fRS; analyzing, using the controller, an amplitude of the mixed signal ?{square root over (ILSIRS)}, and frequency of the mixed signal, fRS?fLS; and classifying, using the controller, a particle position, a velocity, and electromagnetic characteristic of the particle based on the amplitude, ?{square root over (ILSIRS)}, and frequency, fRS?fLS, of the mixed signal.

Abstract: A combustion assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor, a monochromator, and a photodetector assembly. The combustor forms a combustion chamber. The monochromator is disposed outside the combustion chamber. The monochromator is configured to receive an optical input from the combustion chamber and direct an optical output. The optical input has a range of light wavelengths. The optical output has a subset of the range of light wavelengths. The photodetector assembly is disposed outside the combustion chamber. The photodetector assembly is configured to receive the optical output from the monochromator and generate an output signal representative of one or more optical characteristics of the optical output.