CDMS for GE and Siemens Frame Engines

Dynamic instabilities that occur during the combustion process in a modern Low NOx combustion gas turbine can severely damage an engine.  Combustion dynamics monitoring systems can be used to tune the engine, monitor dynamic stability, and detect problems.

Early detection of combustion instabilities can enable the operators to avoid catastrophic damage to the engines. The result is high operating efficiency, low emissions, and new insight into the health of the engines.

Davidson offers fully integrated combustion dynamics monitoring systems. These integrated systems include all of the transducers, cabling, and signal conditioning equipment required for monitoring gas turbine combustion dynamics.

Davidson fiber optic transducers can tolerate temperatures up to 1000° F. The Davidson transducers have flexible probes that allow them to be installed in close proximity to the combustion zone where accurate, high-fidelity, direct-coupled combustion dynamics can be made.

This direct-coupled method provides the greatest fidelity in the signal and eliminates the need for electronic transducers, charge amplifiers, “infinite” length tubes, and associated purging systems.

The result of this direct measurement is a higher quality signal with lower installation and maintenance costs.  Davidson combustion dynamics monitoring systems are the best value for combustion dynamics monitoring.

A Davidson Combustion Dynamics Monitoring System consists of the following components:

• One transducer for each basket or can on the engine,
• One tactical cable for each transducer,
• One junction box,
• One multi-fiber home run cable, and
• One combination signal conditioner / spectrum analyzer.

Davidson offers a turnkey installation service for its combustion dynamics monitoring systems. These turnkey systems include all of the transducers, cabling, and signal conditioning needed for a fully-integrated combustion dynamics measurement system.  A complete system can be installed in three days by two men during almost any outage.

Transducers for Siemens Frame Engines

Davidson’s fiber optic dynamic pressure transducers for Siemens frame engines are designed for installation through the top hat where access to the existing acoustic waveguides are located.

Siemens 501F Transducer is Installed through the Access Port on the Top Hat

The transducer is designed to be inserted into the acoustic waveguide that is located in a j-shaped tube that runs along the side of the combustion basket.

An Acoustic Waveguide is Located Along the Side of the Combustion Basket

The flexible end of the transducer where the sensor is located allows the sensor to be positioned flush with the end of the existing acoustic waveguide located along the side of the combustion basket.

A Davidson 501F Transducer Installed in Mockup of the Tube

Transducers for GE Frame Engines

Davidson fiber optic dynamic pressure transducers for GE frame engines are designed for installation through the combustor casing where the existing acoustic waveguides are located.

Davidson Frame 7 Transducer Installed in the
Existing Waveguide Access Port on a Combustion Can

The transducer design allows the sensor to be positioned flush with the inside of the liner and is flexible enough to allow for misalignment of the casing with the liner during engine thermal transients.