UCTS Demonstrated Capability

UCTS technology presents an effective and elegant solution to the challenging problem of metal temperature measurement in a hostile turbine environment.

• Random error for UCTS, which includes all factors within LGTL Global’s control – from manufacturing, through calibration and data reduction – is +/-3.3 °C or +/-6 °F for one standard deviation (68% probability)
• UCTS characteristics and principle of operation makes it easier to identify and eliminate or compensate for potential sources of systematic error.
• Various organizations have performed comparisons between Crystal Temperature Sensor Technology and other commonly used methods in lab and real engine conditions. UCTS performs well in these comparisons.
• Repeated verification through “blind” testing in lab conditions have confirmed UCTS random error accuracy.
• UCTS have been used for temperature measurement in real engine and rig test campaigns successfully by major gas turbine OEMs globally.

Reading Recommendations

LGTL Global has co-authored peer- reviewed publications that discuss accuracy and provide practicing engineers with guidance for optimizing UCTS application. Three publications that we highly recommend to our users cover measurement in steady state, accuracy in transient conditions and influence of manufacturing factors. These are:

• Optimization of Temperature Measurement Technique in High Heat Flux Environment (ASME Paper GT2011-45269)
• Uniform Crystal Temperature Sensor Accuracy in Transient Conditions (ASME Paper GT2012-68197)
• The Challenge of Uniform Crystal Temperature Sensor (UCTS) Application in Turbomachinery (ASME Paper GT2013-95909)

General format for measurement result interpretation:

T = ( Ti + Σ δsyst.) ± δrandom

T

Temperature measured

Ti

Individual measurement

δsyst

Systematic error or bias
δsyst = (θ * Tu) / 100
here Tu is the undisturbed metal temperature

δrandom

Random error,
σrandom = n * σ where
n=1 for 67% probability and n=2 for 95% probability

Verification Results Confirming UCTS Random Error

Comparison with S-type Platinum Thermocouple
Normalized Temperature (T / Tmax) vs. Time (minutes)